Outrage: Another disgusting example of Federal tyranny

"There are plenty of good five-cent cigars in the country. The trouble is they cost a quarter. What this country needs is a good five-cent nickel." 
 --Franklin P. Adams, 1881-1960

The leader of a group that marketed a fake currency called Liberty Dollars in the Asheville area and elsewhere has been found guilty by a federal jury of conspiracy against the government in a case of “domestic terrorism.”


Bernard von NotHaus was convicted Friday at the conclusion of an eight-day trial in U.S. District Court in Statesville. The jury deliberated less than two hours, according to the Department of Justice.


Charges remain pending against William Kevin Innes, an Asheville man who authorities said recruited merchants in Western North Carolina willing to accept the “barter” currency, according to court records. Innes was indicted along with von NotHaus in 2009.


“Attempts to undermine the legitimate currency of this country are simply a unique form of domestic terrorism,” U.S. Attorney Anne Tompkins said. “While these forms of anti-government activities do not involve violence, they are every bit as insidious and represent a clear and present danger to the economic stability of this country.”

Rest of the article at the Asheville Citizen-Times


Most of the comments after the article are heartening.  


Here are some observations:


1. I find it difficult to believe that a jury would convict a man of this "crime" without a lot of information about law and their ability to nullify an unjust law being purposefully blocked from them by the U.S. attorney and federal judge.  The information fed to the jury is so selective that they feel they have no choice to convict.


2.  Look at the coins in question:  they have the appearance of many currently manufactured gold and silver rounds, used to trade in bullion at near-melt value prices.  These coins purported to be nothing more than gold and silver rounds of a certain value.


3. Consumers and business owners are free to choose what they consider "money".  
Money is nothing but a promise of future value.  It represents something that a merchant is willing to exchange with a buyer for his goods, if he believes that he, at some future time, can exchange that "money" for something he wants to buy.  That can be seashells, bushels of wheat, pounds of salt, quantities of copper, silver, or gold, or just pieces of paper.  All such matter for exchange is based on faith.  Because of the portability and usefulness of both gold and silver, humans have returned again and again to it's use as "money".  The purity of the metals determine their estimated value in paper money.


4. The most outrageous statement that I have heard uttered by an officer of the federal government recently:


“Attempts to undermine the legitimate currency of this country are simply a unique form of domestic terrorism,” U.S. Attorney Anne Tompkins said.  “While these forms of anti-government activities do not involve violence, they are every bit as insidious and represent a clear and present danger to the economic stability of this country.”


Talk about a stretch, this is an outrage!


If a farmer takes feed in exchange for milk, is he also a clear and present danger to the economic stability of this country?


If a Niagra Falls, NY vendor accepts Canadian currency to buy goods in his store, is he participating in a unique form of domestic terrorism?


Using gold and silver at current melt weight to exchange for goods and services is part of our Natural Right to Property.  Do we or do we not own the fruit of our labor?  Are we to be arbitrarily dictated to by the Federal Reserve, that by its own admission, purposefully devalues the dollar it is supposed to suppport?  As each dollar is devalued by the Federal digital printing press, it undermines our ability to save their so-called "money" that they demand a monopoly to counterfeit.  If you have $1000 in the bank, and the price of gas goes from $3/gallon up to $4/gallon, and the price of bread goes up 30% in a year because of several factors, your savings will buy less and less when you want to use it.  Meanwhile silver and gold will go up in dollar value when each dollar is devalued by the government, and is therefore a better means of "savings".


The Federal government's own actions in this matter are creating an environment of hostility and outrage of the citizenry, and are their own worst enemy.  They have a monopoly of their own "unique" non violent "domestic terrorism";  their actions in devaluing the dollar is its own "clear and present danger" to the existing Federal system of government.