No More SRR Updates

As of now, there are no plans to update the States' Rights Review blog. While I will continue to speak out in support of states' rights, I believe that my other politically oriented sites (EverVigilant.net and the PaleoBlog) provide ample opportunity to do so. Having a separate blog dedicated to issues I already write about elsewhere seems rather redundant. It also seems rather redundant. I will, however, leave this blog up for the time being for those wishing to access the archives.

In liberty,

Lee

A Not-So-Shameless Plug

I am blessed to have married into a very musical family, and my lovely wife, Dawn, happens to be a wonderful singer. With that, I would like to invite you to check out her debut CD, Because I Love You.

This collection features her interpretations of such all-time favorites as "Pennies from Heaven" and Gershwin's "Our Love Is Here to Stay" (where she is joined by yours truly), in addition to refreshing renditions of Norah Jones' hit "Come Away with Me" and Al Green's "Let's Stay Together." Dawn also demonstrates her song-writing talent on the album's title track.

Here is a track listing along with a few audio samples:

1. My Love Song to You
   
2. 'Deed I Do
   
3. Come Away with Me
   
4. Pennies from Heaven
   
5. But Beautiful
   
6. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)
   
7. Embraceable You
   
8. Let's Stay Together
   
9. Our Love Is Here to Stay
   
10. Because I Love You
    
11. Let's Fall in Love
    
12. Someone to Watch over Me
    
13. Everything Happens to Me
    
14. They All Laughed

One of the reasons I mention this is that everyone appreciates great music (and since you're reading this blog, you obviously have pretty good taste), so I know you will enjoy this CD immensely. The other reason is that Dawn and I are in the process of adopting a little girl from China, and all proceeds from CD sales will go to fund that adoption.

So, if you'd like to help out a good cause, if you're looking for a perfect Valentine's Day gift, or if you just like good music, check out Because I Love You. Click here for ordering information.

Resistance to the Real ID Act Spreads

From FoxNews:

Several States Seek to Kill Federal 'Real ID' Requirements

WASHINGTON - Risking broad penalties for their residents, lawmakers in several states are fighting implementation of the Real ID Act, a federal measure that seeks to prevent non-compliant cardholders from boarding airplanes or entering federal facilities.

Opponents say national standards for drivers' licenses would be a costly creep into the arms of big brother. Supporters say it is intended to protect Americans' from fraud and potentially terror-related crimes. ...

... Montana is just one of at least 10 states considering bills to reject the Real ID Act, signed into law in May 2005 as part of the emergency supplemental relief bill to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and for tsunami relief. Maine lawmakers last week passed a resolution rejecting the federal Real ID legislation and calls on the state to ignore the rules. Since it is a resolution, it does not require Gov. John Baldacci's signature.

Initiated by the Republican-controlled House to keep illegal aliens from obtaining drivers' licenses and state identification and to prevent would-be terrorists from gaining access to legitimate identities, Real ID takes its cue from recommendations by the Sept. 11 commission, which said a fraud-resistant ID system is necessary for better homeland security.

(Full article)

Maine Stands Up for States' Rights

What's this? Yankees taking a stand for states' rights?

Maine overwhelmingly rejected federal requirements for national identification cards on Thursday, marking the first formal state opposition to controversial legislation scheduled to go in effect for Americans next year.

Both chambers of the Maine legislature approved a resolution saying the state flatly "refuses" to force its citizens to use driver's licenses that comply with digital ID standards, which were established under the 2005 Real ID Act. It asks the U.S. Congress to repeal the law.

The vote represents a political setback for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Republicans in Washington, D.C., which have argued that nationalized ID cards for all Americans would help in the fight against terrorists.

The Real ID Act is one of the biggest threats to liberty in recent years, and it's about time someone did something about it. Legislatures in the South should be ashamed for not thinking of it first.

Introducing Liberty Theater

There is always construction on the Information Superhighway. Fortunately, since we don't have to rely on publicly funded work crews managed by bloated bureaucracies, travel is usually enhanced rather than impeded. And thanks to innovations like Google Video and YouTube, vital information is more readily available than ever before.

So, in the spirit of freedom that is inherent to the World-Wide Web, I would like to announce the opening of Liberty Theater. This will be a collection of films and videos that seek to expose government corruption and promote critical thinking among concerned citizens.

We are starting things off with three very important films. First, we have America: Freedom to Fascism, from producer Aaron Russo (The Rose, Trading Places). This film exposes the dangers of the Federal Reserve and the IRS, and how such organizations have eroded our civil liberties and continue to pave the way for a police state. What's interesting is that this project started out as a simple quest to find the law that requires Americans to pay an income tax. (SPOILER ALERT: There isn't one.)

Next, there is the Mises Institute's Money, Banking, and the Federal Reserve, which delves deeper into the history of the Federal Reserve. With no Gold Standard, the cash you carry around in your wallet is virtually worthless. Men like Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson recognized the dangers of allowing a centralized banking system to control our nation's economy, but most Americans today are clueless. This film is an eye-opener.

Finally, we present The Future of Food. Do you take for granted that the food you consume is safe? This film "offers an in-depth investigation into the disturbing truth behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods that have quietly filled U.S. grocery store shelves for the past decade." The problem is that current government policies ensure that you are kept in the dark.

I wish I could say, "Grab the popcorn, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show," but you'll most likely end up on the edge of your seat, fists clenched, yelling at the screen and spilling your popcorn all over the floor. Watch at your own risk.

Of course, the alternative - meandering through life in blissful ignorance until it all comes crashing down around you - is probably riskier. Your best bet is to stay informed.

Happy Birthday, Lee and Jackson!

Today is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Robert E. Lee. On the 21st, we celebrate the 183rd birthday of Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. Both were outstanding leaders. Both were defenders of liberty. And both were great men of faith. We could use more men like them today.

Some essays to mark the occasion:

Robert E. Lee
Praise for Lee and Jackson
Remembering Two Great Americans
Why I Celebrate Robert E. Lee's Birthday
Lee's Most Enduring Quality
The Unvanquished General Lee
Stonewall Jackson, Champion of Black Literacy
Ignorance and the Ongoing War Between the States
Where Are the Great Southern Leaders of Old?

Scotland the Brave?

From across the Pond:

Blair warns against Scottish independence

Prime Minister Tony Blair has warned against any bid to break Britain apart, saying it would be "a crazy" step 300 years after Scotland and England united.

Blair's warning Tuesday came as the Scottish National Party (SNP) used the anniversary of their union to launch a fresh drive for independence, while some opinion polls suggested a majority of Scots and English want to separate.

Speaking at his monthly press conference, Blair said Britons should celebrate "with pride" Tuesday's tercentenary of the merger of the Scottish and English parliaments. ...

... "Separation is a retreat into an old-fashioned view of the world that would be bizarre in the 21st century," Blair warned. "It would be an incredibly regressive and reactionary step to break it apart now."

Blair, who was born and schooled in Edinburgh, warned that even the prospect of a referendum on Scottish independence would damage economic confidence.

However, he stopped short of echoing a warning by Gordon Brown, his Scottish finance minister and heir apparent, of a "dangerous drift" toward separatism in Britain. ...

Nothing will probably come of it, but it's always interesting to see this kind of thing.