(Noun) An Individual who supports liberty.
Libertarians advocate:
• Personal freedom
• Economic freedom
• Non-interventionist foreign policy
• Robust national defense
• Tolerance of others’ personal choices
• Respect of others’ property rights
• Civil liberties and privacy
• Individual right to keep and bear arms
• Separation of church and state
• Giving generously to help those in need (e.g. private charities)
• Ending corporate welfare
• Advancement based on individual liberty
• The non-aggression principle
Libertarians advocate:
• Personal freedom
• Economic freedom
• Non-interventionist foreign policy
• Robust national defense
• Tolerance of others’ personal choices
• Respect of others’ property rights
• Civil liberties and privacy
• Individual right to keep and bear arms
• Separation of church and state
• Giving generously to help those in need (e.g. private charities)
• Ending corporate welfare
• Advancement based on individual liberty
• The non-aggression principle
"Balance the federal budget now, not 15 years from now, not 20 years from now, but now. And throw out the entire federal tax system, replace it with a fair tax, a consumption tax, that by all measurements is just that. It's fair." - Gary Johnson, Libertarian Party nominee for President of the United States in the 2012 election
by Dancing with Fire March 19, 2013
An individual who supports and believes in liberty. Libertarians believe that people should be free to do whatever they want to do, just as long as their actions do not harm other people or infringe on the rights of others.
Libertarian Misconceptions:
1) "All Libertarians are stoners." Just because we want to legalize something, that does not mean we condone that behavior. People should be free to put whatever they want into their own bodies without the government's say-so. I may not agree with certain behaviors, but that doesn't give me the right to dictate other peoples' actions.
2) "Libertarians are fine with poor people starving in the streets." Actually, we think that's terrible. Libertarians typically oppose government welfare because it relies on force. It is immoral to forcibly take money from an individual in order to give it to another person. That is theft. Libertarianism promotes voluntarism and private charities. It is compassionate when one chooses to donate money to the poor, however, when the government forces people to do this, the act no longer becomes sincere.
Libertarian Misconceptions:
1) "All Libertarians are stoners." Just because we want to legalize something, that does not mean we condone that behavior. People should be free to put whatever they want into their own bodies without the government's say-so. I may not agree with certain behaviors, but that doesn't give me the right to dictate other peoples' actions.
2) "Libertarians are fine with poor people starving in the streets." Actually, we think that's terrible. Libertarians typically oppose government welfare because it relies on force. It is immoral to forcibly take money from an individual in order to give it to another person. That is theft. Libertarianism promotes voluntarism and private charities. It is compassionate when one chooses to donate money to the poor, however, when the government forces people to do this, the act no longer becomes sincere.
Libertarian misconceptions (continued):
3) "Libertarians are isolationists." False. We're non-interventionists. We promote free trade and diplomacy with other nations. We do not support intervening in the internal conflicts of other nations. Doing so creates enemies and leads to potential blowback; which, in effect, does isolate us from the rest of the world.
4) "Libertarians hate old people." We don't hate old people. We just believe that social security is a bad deal for everybody. Todays retirees are getting less and less money than from what they were 'forced' to pay into the entilement program. If social security is such a great thing, why is it mandatory? We believe that people should be able to save for their own retirements however they see fit.
5) "Libertarians want a society where Wal-Mart controls everything." We're pro-free market. Not pro-corporation. Libertarians believe that corporations should be separated from the state. Therefore, there shouldn't be any special government hand-outs, protections, or priveledges. Monopolies very rarely occur in a pure free market. They almost always arise because the goverment grants special priveldges to a business. Contrary to popular belief, large corporations actually lobby the government for more regulations to hurt the competitors.
3) "Libertarians are isolationists." False. We're non-interventionists. We promote free trade and diplomacy with other nations. We do not support intervening in the internal conflicts of other nations. Doing so creates enemies and leads to potential blowback; which, in effect, does isolate us from the rest of the world.
4) "Libertarians hate old people." We don't hate old people. We just believe that social security is a bad deal for everybody. Todays retirees are getting less and less money than from what they were 'forced' to pay into the entilement program. If social security is such a great thing, why is it mandatory? We believe that people should be able to save for their own retirements however they see fit.
5) "Libertarians want a society where Wal-Mart controls everything." We're pro-free market. Not pro-corporation. Libertarians believe that corporations should be separated from the state. Therefore, there shouldn't be any special government hand-outs, protections, or priveledges. Monopolies very rarely occur in a pure free market. They almost always arise because the goverment grants special priveldges to a business. Contrary to popular belief, large corporations actually lobby the government for more regulations to hurt the competitors.
by Dancing with Fire June 13, 2013
Libertarianism boils down to two simple questions:
1) What does it mean to have liberty?
2) How do we, as a society, implement liberty in our daily lives?
1) What does it mean to have liberty?
2) How do we, as a society, implement liberty in our daily lives?
Libertarians believe that people should be free to do whatever they want just as long as they do not hurt other people. For instance, if someone is minding their own business while smoking weed in their car or in their backyard, most libertarians will argue that he or she should be left alone. If the individual is truly sovereign, then they should be able to put whatever they want into their own body. For it is the individual who owns their body, not the state. Libertarians, such as the Libertarian Party, believe in "minimum government, maximum freedom"; while libertarians, such as the anarcho-capitalists wish to abolish the state. For this reason, people tend to stereotype all libertarians as anarchists. Libertarianism is a very broad political philosophy. One doesn't need to be a member of the party to be a libertarian, nor do they need to be an anarcho-capitalist. Finally, they do recognize the potential dangers of large corporations. They are pro-free market; not pro-corporation. They're also not made up of "wealthy individuals." This is also a generalization. They could come from a poor background, a middle class background, or a wealthy background. Libertarians believe everything should be voluntary.
by Dancing with Fire September 30, 2013
Hapkido is a type of Korean martial art which focuses on defense rather than offense, and is designed to neutralize an opponent through a range of techniques. Hapkido is a discipline which is also designed to clarify and calm the spirit, and those who practice Hapkido are also attempting to develop themselves as individuals. While not as widely practiced as some other Asian martial arts, Hapkido in enjoying increasing popularity in the West.
Hapkido, in Korean, means the way, or do, of ki, which refers to life energy, and harmony, or hap. It is designed to be a martial art which harmonizes body energy while maintaining a state of non-aggression. Many martial arts focus on non-aggression, and can be practiced by men and women of all ranges of size and strength. Hapkido is about calculated moves rather than brute force.
by Dancing with Fire December 29, 2010
Baji Quan, or the Eight Infinite Fist, is a direct style of Kung Fu that teaches the student to defeat an attacker with one single technique. It originated in the villages of Cang County in the Hebei Province of China. Based on the Cang County Historical Records, the founder of this style of Kung Fu is Wu Zhong. According to their records, Wu Zhong learned the art from two Taoist monks named Lai and Pi. Unfortunately, the origins of these two monks are unknown. The training in Baji Quan is long, rough, and often unbearable. Students of this style spend a long period of time maintaining low stances to develop its well-known internal power. One of the main characteristics of this style is its loud stomps that punctuates its discharging of energy
Bajiquan’s external appearance is rather simplistic while the usage of internal body mechanics is quite sophisticated. It is characterized by being practical and powerful. As a close range style, Baji Quan uses all eight locations of the body to deliver cruel and painful strikes. The eight locations of the body, head, shoulders, elbows, hands, feet, buttocks, hips, and knees, are trained to their extreme perfection. The practitioner of this style would approach an opponent from a long-range position and close to a body-to-body contact distance. While getting closer to an opponent, the eight locations of the body are continuously employed in all directions, and every technique becomes faster and more powerful than the previous. Baji Quan is a very fierce and ruthless style of Kung Fu.
by Dancing with Fire January 02, 2011
Jujitsu is a martial art which reflects the movements of the attacker back upon him or her. It has been practiced in Japan since the sixteenth century, although Jujitsu has its origins in Chinese martial arts. Jujitsu uses a series of joint locks, small weaponry, and defensive tactics in combination with conserved energy to neutralize an attacker. Many other martial arts such as Judo and Aikido have their roots in Jujitsu. The word “Jujitsu” means the practice of gentleness, and in addition to learning the moves associated with Jujitsu, students also make changes in their characters. Jujitsu is supposed to focus and calm the students, with the aim of making them better martial artists and more refined individuals as well. The movements of Jujitsu are efficient, flowing, and circular, and it is a distinctly beautiful martial art to watch. Jujitsu is also usually practiced within a very small circle, and many Jujitsu moves have been refined for close quarters fighting. Jujitsu reached its heyday during the Tokugawa Shogunate, when weapons were forbidden to most Japanese citizens. Jujitsu incorporates joint locking and arresting movements which are extremely useful in hand to hand combat where neither warrior has a weapon. When used correctly, it is also possible to disarm with a joint lock. Grappling, take downs, throws, and strangulation also play a role in Jujitsu.
Most schools of Jujitsu also teach techniques with canes, short swords, and use of ropes. Defensive techniques against modern weapons such as guns are taught as well, with a strong focus on neutralizing an opponent without harming him or her. Some students of Jujitsu also learn healing techniques including massage, while other schools also place a heavy value on the study of spiritual and philosophical concepts. Jujitsu is differentiated from other aggressive martial arts like Karate because it is not an offensive martial art, but a defensive one. Jujitsu students learn the arts of surrender, patience, yielding, and efficiency. Jujitsu is also highly effective, integrating fighting techniques for a variety of situations, with or without weapons. Jujitsu techniques are often taught in self defense classes for women, because it is possible to neutralize an attacker quickly and escape using Jujitsu techniques. In the twentieth century, Jujitsu was brought to the West by a variety of masters, and became a very popular martial art. In 1977, the Ju-Jitsu International Federation was formed, with the idea of organizing and regulating international Jujitsu competitions. In competition, the Federation recognizes two types of entries. The fighting system opposes single members from different teams who spar for points. In the duo system, two athletes from the same team demonstrate defensive techniques on the mat.
by Dancing with Fire January 08, 2011
An extravagant exotic character, Xenia Onatopp makes a visually stunning villainess. Georgian, former Soviet fighter pilot, this seductive femme fatale enjoys killing, and where possible gets much pleasure out of strangling her lovers in the bedroom. Putting a seductive, sexually suggestive twist on most aspects, Xenia also enjoys fast cars, cigars and winning – something she becomes increasingly annoyed at when she loses to James Bond on a number of occasions.
Xenia Onatopp visits Bond's hotel where she tries to kill him using her favorite method – strangulation of her lover/victim with her thighs. After Bond gains the upper hand, he instructs her to take him to Janus.
by Dancing with Fire July 14, 2011