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Bretigne Shaffer

Interests: This is also the personal blog of bretigne shaffer, and i will include announcements about projects i am working on or have completed, interesting things i see or do, and/or "stuff i've made" to read about my films and books, and occasional musings on nothing in particular. if you're not interested in the personal stuff - and why should you be? - just click on the "punditry" or "stuff I've made" category to see only that stuff.

Recent Activity

You Don't Have to Be a Libertarian to Oppose Taxation

Image: Public domain. I've spent a lot of time trying to explain to people that when someone takes your money without your consent, that is stealing. The argument never seems to go anywhere. I have my own ideas about why... Continue reading

Posted 5 days ago at On the Banks

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WTMWD #21: Kerry McDonald on her debate with the Harvard prof who wants a "presumtive ban on homeschooling"

I spoke with homeschooling mom and advocate, Kerry McDonald, about her recent debate with Harvard's Elizabeth Bartholet, who has called for a "presumptive ban on homeschooling." Continue reading

Posted 6 days ago at On the Banks

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Stick a Fork in it. This Pandemic Is Done.

If you don't already follow Ethical Skeptic on Twitter, why on earth not? He (I've seen others refer to him as a "he" so I'm assuming it's a "he") is producing some of the most useful and insightful data analysis... Continue reading

Posted Jul 4, 2020 at On the Banks

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"We have a serious problem. It's not about mice. It's not about virology. It's a general, systemic failure of reason."

"We have a serious problem. It's not about mice. It's not about virology. It's a general, systemic failure of reason." So says biologist and evolutionary theorist Bret Weinstein, in a discussion with Joe Rogan. The upshot: "The only way to... Continue reading

Posted Jun 30, 2020 at On the Banks

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WTMWD #20: Jeff Tucker on Censorship of the Covid-19 Conversation

I speak with Jeff Tucker, Editorial Director of the American Institute of Economic Research, about censorship of AIER's content on Amazon and Facebook, the dysfunctional nature of that censorship, and what it took for him to stop taking mainstream media... Continue reading

Posted Jun 29, 2020 at On the Banks

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Monopoly Government – Always the Wrong Answer: GodArchy Podcast

Image: Public domain. I was on the GodArchy Podcast today, talking about why coercive, centralized decision-making is always the worst solution. Even in a crisis. You can listen here. Continue reading

Posted Jun 26, 2020 at On the Banks

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The Most Important Lesson from the Lockdowns

Image: Public domain. I am going to say this over and over and over again: The reason the lockdowns were/are a terrible idea is NOT that Covid-19 is "not a very serious threat." Yes, for the vast majority of the... Continue reading

Posted Jun 24, 2020 at On the Banks

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WTMWD #19: JJ Pavoni, From F-15 Pilot to AnCap Conscientious Objector

I speak with JJ Pavoni, former US Air Force pilot turned conscientious objector, about his philosophical transformation, the role of the Federal Reserve in war and peace, the importance for a free society of building community and communities, and what... Continue reading

Posted Jun 23, 2020 at On the Banks

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Inside the Mind of an Authoritarian: Kerry McDonald Debates Harvard Professor who Called for "Presumptive Ban" on Homeschooling

This past Monday, unschooling mom and homeschooling advocate Kerry McDonald took on the Harvard professor, Elizabeth Bartholet, who recently called for a "presumptive ban" on homeschooling. Their debate was sponsored by the Cato Institute, and you can watch it here.... Continue reading

Posted Jun 19, 2020 at On the Banks

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Thoughts on Masks: 2

Image: Public domain. Here's the dilemma: Civilized society requires that people either a) all behave in very similar ways and hold similar beliefs about most things (even beyond basic values) or b) have a very high degree of tolerance for... Continue reading

Posted Jun 19, 2020 at On the Banks

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Thoughts on Masks: 1

Image: Public domain. One more thought on the masks: This is really such a brilliant tool (whether intentionally or not) for both controlling, and dividing people. Because whatever your view of masks - useful, useless, symbol of obedience and oppression,... Continue reading

Posted Jun 17, 2020 at On the Banks

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I don't get out much. I joke that my husband and I have been "sheltering in place" for the past thirteen years, ever since our son was born. So it had been a while since I'd been out to a... Continue reading

Posted Jun 16, 2020 at On the Banks

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WTMWD #18: Chris Calton on Defunding the police, and what institutionalized racism really means

I speak with history student Chris Calton about everything from the difference between private police and "policing" as we know it, to what "institutionalized racism" really looks like. Did you know that not only are African Americans disproportionately represented in... Continue reading

Posted Jun 15, 2020 at On the Banks

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WTMWD #17: Jeremy Hammond on the Great Mask Debate

Independent journalist Jeremy R. Hammond provides some much-needed perspective on the contentious topic of masks as protection against Covid-19. Jeremy wrote recently about the mask issue here. His website is here. Continue reading

Posted Jun 15, 2020 at On the Banks

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I Talk with David Forsyth About "The Pandemic Isn't the Threat, the Paradigm Is"

Image: Public domain. I spoke a little while ago with David Forsyth of the "Freedom Adventure" podcast, about my article "The Panemic Isn't the Threat, the Paradigm Is" (on LRC, April 28.) You can listen to the whole thing here. Continue reading

Posted Jun 13, 2020 at On the Banks

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A Young Girl Learns the Value of Questioning Authority

Back in March, Kirkus Reviews had a profile of me, in which I discuss my writing, my life, and especially Annabel. You can check it out here. From the profile: In Annabel Pickering and the Sky Pirates: The Fantastical Contraption,... Continue reading

Posted Jun 13, 2020 at On the Banks

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WTMWD #16: Kerry McDonald on Homeschooling and the "New Normal"

I speak with Kerry McDonald, unschooling mom and vocal advocate of homeschooling, about how governments may have inadvertantly sparked a homeschooling revolution, and about what homeschooling families can do to continue giving their children "old normal" lives. Kerry McDonald is... Continue reading

Posted Jun 9, 2020 at On the Banks

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WTMWD #15: Jim Bovard on holding the state accountable for its crimes

I speak with the great Jim Bovard, about his recent article "Will the Political Class Be Held Liable for What They've Done?" the question of holding the state accountable for its crimes against the rest of us. Jim has been... Continue reading

Posted Jun 5, 2020 at On the Banks

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Why the Lockdowns Need to Continue Forever - JP Sears

Every time I say JP Sears has outdone himself, he goes and does it again. Here he is on why the lockdowns must continue indefinitely: "Authorities have extended the lockdown until we can find a vaccine to bring people back... Continue reading

Posted Jun 5, 2020 at On the Banks

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WTMWD #14: Rosemary Frei on what to expect next on the path to totalitarianism

I speak with Rosemary Frei, MSc, molecular biology; medical journalist for 22 years and now an investigative journalist, about her article from back in March, "Where's the Evidence Supporting the Drastic Measures Against COVID-19?" We talk about the extent to... Continue reading

Posted Jun 3, 2020 at On the Banks

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WTMWD #13: Brandon Ferdig on the Minneapolis Riots, and the role of shallow conversation in fueling unrest

I speak with Twin Cities writer and videographer Brandon Ferdig, about what he is seeing in Minneapolis now, and about how the quality of our conversations plays a role in feeding–or not feeding–unrest and violence. Brandon can be reached at... Continue reading

Posted May 31, 2020 at On the Banks

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Re-posting: Must We Choose Between Mob Justice and the Police State?

I wrote this back in 2016, and it is just as relevant today. I will give one caveat, which is to say that I originally wrote this as a blog post, not an "article." My intention was to do a... Continue reading

Posted May 31, 2020 at On the Banks

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Lockdown Truth from a Stranger #3: "Can You See What Else Is Crumbling?"

This is from Sufey Chen, on Facebook, who seems to be both brutally honest and brutally optimistic. We need so much of both now: this morning, at the park. two young girls, maybe 7 or 8, one pushing the other... Continue reading

Posted May 27, 2020 at On the Banks

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WTMWD #12: "Where Do We Draw Our Line in the Sand?" A Conversation with Sara Brady

I talk with Sara Brady, the Idaho mom who was arrested for "trespassing" on a park playground that had been closed off as part of that state's lockdown measures. We discuss what happened on that day, her upcoming court battle,... Continue reading

Posted May 26, 2020 at On the Banks

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Everyone's talking about some "New Normal" we're all supposed to get used to. Here's mine: A world where people figure out how to live with each other without coercive force and without living in existential fear of each other. Continue reading

Posted May 26, 2020 at On the Banks

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