The Peaceful Satanists, Revisited

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Greetings to all!

Recently, I weaved you a yarn about my encounter with Laramie's "peaceful Satanist", a man named Jeff Archer. I encountered him at the local food bank, where he was engaging the staff in a lively political discussion.

For those who want the details, please visit my previous blog entry on the subject.

Now for the update...

Mr. Archer had told the people at the food bank of his naturally-built house, which was situated just off the city's greenbelt pathway, near one of our parks. It was sitting in a public park, and therefore in public property.

Shortly after he revealed the location of his "wigwam" to the people at the food bank, I saw a newspaper article on the front page of the Laramie Boomerang, which I deliver to 110 (or so) subscribers. The article stated that police had talked to Mr. Archer, and had informed him that he was in violation of several city ordinances, including putting up an illegal residence structure, and sleeping in a public area. He was given until the 8th
to vacate the area, and the newspaper article said that the wigwam would be torn down.

Mr. Archer made several statements to the Laramie Boomerang that are insightful on his worldview...and just how whacky that it is.

First, he said that he used to live out of his car, until the US invaded Iraq in 2003. At that time, he decided that he could not continue to live in his car because it uses oil...and he believes that the war is an illegal and unjust war over oil...so he doesn't want to contribute to that.

Toward the end of the article, Mr. Archer said that he doesn't consider himself homeless. "I don't own anything, and the earth owns me." Therefore, he doesn't have a problem constructing a wigwam and living without the comforts and conveniences of modern life. He doesn't like renting or owning a home, even if he could afford it, because that is feeding an evil system of ownership of landlords, and reliance of residents on landlords for their shelter.

Some of this is interesting. Hey, if someone wants to construct a wigwam somewhere and live like a hermit, more power to him. The problem I had with the situation is the slap in the face that Archer did toward all the rest of us, who are law-abiding citizens of the city who may wish to use the public parks.

See, almost everything in human civilization is based on the ownership of property. If you don't think so, just think of what would happen tomorrow if people all of a sudden were not able to say "I own this."

First, there would be no property ownership at all. I could walk into a store and take anything because the store does not own the products it sells. I could arrive back at my apartment and find someone else there. I would be out of luck because I don't own the apartment, and neither does my landlord.

Think about money. What money does is transfer ownership of goods and services. You go to a store, and you pay the store what the store says is the value of a loaf of bread, or whatever. In return, you gain ownership of that loaf of bread. Without property rights, the basis for any sort of economy is reduced to nothing. You wouldn't be able to trade anything because even if you could determine the value of something, since there is no respect for ownership, the storekeeper could conceivably mob me at the door to the store and tell me that that loaf of bread is his...again. This reverberates all across human society. Gas and oil are purchased at a value, ownership changes, and it is bought and sold throughout the economy. Ownership changes numerous times. The government would not be able to collect taxes, because taxes are based either on ownership of property (housing taxes), or the ownership of time and effort (income taxes), or the ownership of products (sales taxes). With no respect for ownership, the government can't collect taxes, and therefore can not spend for programs and services...for such things as business development, or even basic things like road repair and construction.

At the very basic level, the case of Mr. Archer and his wigwam was a valuable lesson in the thing that is the basis of human society as we know it...the idea that a man can not walk into a public park and essentially co-opt a part of it for his own personal use. Just like I can not walk into your home and shack up in your living room.

It's unfortunate for Mr. Archer, especially at this time of year. However, the case is an affirmation of the society we live in, and until proven incontrovertably that our society is completely whacked, I am willing to "back the system", as they say...

Ta ta for now...

John B.
Blog Guy