In On The Duty of Civil Disobedience, Henry David Thoreau wrote "How does it become a man to behave toward this American government to-day? I answer that he cannot without disgrace be associated with it... What I have to do is to see, at any rate, that I do not lend myself to the wrong which I condemn." A patriot is someone who loves his country and supports its authority and interests. You've been taught that it's your patriotic duty to vote. But perhaps you should consider whether you really want to be patriotic. After all, by voting, you are providing tacit consent to all government's actions. Are you sure you want to do that?

FTA:

Soon the mid-term federal elections will be upon us once again. As this event nears, the debate around the water fountains, in the media and on social networks will once again center on whom or which party to vote for. Strangely, the question rarely if ever heard is if one should vote at all...

The core argument against voting is deceptively simple. If one is anti-state, then it stands to reason that one will shun any avoidable action which supports statist organizations. Ask yourself what (short of actually running for election) can be more statist than voting? By engaging for weeks in debates about the relative merits of the political parties, then stepping out the door on voting day, driving to the nearest polling place, accepting a ballot and casting your vote, you are voluntarily and pro-actively initiating a string of actions which are clearly in direct conflict with your avowed anti-state principles.

Almost every time, when stating that in my entire life I have never cast a political vote and that I never will, I receive variations of one of the following responses:

The first, "you must exercise your franchise," is an obvious canard. If I have a right to vote, I have an inclusive right to vote "none of the above" by not casting a ballot. On top of that, there is the little detail that it's a complete waste of time anyway unless the margin happens to be one single vote...

Now let's look at the second response, "if you don't vote, you can't complain." I love this one. My reply is always the same. "No my friend, if you vote you can't complain, because you obviously support the statist system. You're voting for it, aren't you? I on the other hand resist any temptation to vote in support of statism or the politicians who use it so skillfully to camouflage the extortion racket it is with pious ‘do good' slogans." It is therefore only the man or woman who is principled enough to withhold his or her vote who has earned the right to complain about the actions of the people who run the state apparatus and the impact of those actions on his or her freedom.

Last but not least, there is the tired old argument, so frequently offered, that one can/must at least choose "the lesser of two evils."

...Choosing between two evils is still choosing evil...

So this coming November, if you want to stand up and be counted as the true lover of liberty you are, refuse to support the morally and ethically fraudulent statist system you despise. This time stand proud and loudly vote "NO."

How Is an Austrian Anarcho-Capitalist to Vote This November?

DISCUSS!

Original posting by Braincrave Second Life staff on Sep 18, 2010 at http://www.braincrave.com/viewblog.php?id=327