Yeah, shots fired and all that. Don't care anymore.
It is no longer only myself getting cop out, bullshit dismissals and knee-jerk, emotional reactions when it comes to raising valid criticism regarding Kokesh's upcoming bid for president and how it relates to/contradicts voluntaryist principle such as the axiom of individual self-ownership. Now the trolling on the part of this "future president" has begun to find new targets.
This is a dead giveaway that something is seriously wrong, folks. Say I am crazy. Call me a "purist." I don't care. When someone (who claims to be running for president, no less) refuses to even take the first step in clarifying ideas for those asking legitimate questions about their cause, or have honest discussion about libertarian and voluntaryist property ethic while claiming to be a voluntaryist, and just gets angry and starts slinging mud instead, that's a big red flag waving right in your face.
He's now taken his 100-dollar-comment-self-upvoting troll game to a recent post by @larkenrose.
Instead of addressing any of the points actually raised in the post, he calls the OP a "coward."
When I raised objections to some of the ideas contained in Kokesh's presidential platform I was told to "step up to the plate" and later simply dismissed as an "ignorant and annoying troll" in a strange knee-jerk emotional reaction. I have personally invited Kokesh to debate but I guess that since I am not very well-known, it wouldn't be worth his while. You see, full time activism isn't always about ideas. It's about bringing in money to continue doing full time activism (not just my words here, Kokesh and other "celebritarian" types have said so much themselves). Much of which, I hate to say, looks an awful lot like trying to get into jail again and again, sensationalizing it, and then asking for donations.
Kokesh’s comment to @larkenrose. The “future president” self-upvoted his comment at over 100 dollars. Great for the Steem rewards pool. Good grief.
Others feel the same way I do, and are asking calm and rational questions, only to inevitably be redirected to Kokesh's website and his very vague "platform" description.
Even one of Kokesh's self-described friends--who largely disagrees with me told me he thought that my questions were valid, and would like Kokesh to answer them. Other users, such as the one in the screenshot below understand what communication, and actual address of criticism is all about.
"EO" here means "executive order." Kokesh maintains that he will issue an executive order to dissolve the federal government, but that's not even how executive orders work. No worries. Keep supporting him. It's only trolls that point out these annoying realities anyway.
Do you get that?
Even if he magically infiltrated the government as a highly publicized vocal opponent of said government, assumed a high seat of power and illegitimate authority via the rigged electoral process, and then attempted to execute his “executive order,” he still couldn’t do it, even if he played by the rules, BECAUSE THAT’S NOT HOW EXECUTIVE ORDERS WORK. There are specific things they can and cannot do, and congress and the constitution control these things (ostensibly). One of the things they cannot do is end the government.
So not only is the plan immoral according to voluntaryist standards, it is also delusional and impossible according to statist standards.
Oh well, no need to address that. KEEP THOSE DONATIONS COMING FOLKS!
Some further thoughts and final questions.
Kokesh’s attacks often take on the same gaslighting, narcissistic pattern:
YOUR ____ SAYS A LOT ABOUT YOUR ____.
For example:
2.
3.
The pattern is clear. It’s your problem if you question me, and means something is wrong with you. What can he possible know about my motives? What a weird thing to say. Regarding his platform, I have read it multiple times. He is simply deflecting criticism and attempting to divert the attention away from the actual issue, by way of calling into question the character of the questioner, apropos of nothing. It’s really sad, actually.
Questions for Kokesh:
- Why won't you debate, if voluntaryism is so important to you?
- Why won't you answer questions about your platform without resorting to knee-jerk reactions/name calling?
- How much money was raised in total in the last "Free Adam" drive? Was the money that @thejohalfiles sent for your bail ($6,000 USD) used to bail you out? What about the other funds raised from the drive? Is there a breakdown of how the money was used somewhere?
- Why was your imprisonment used to sensationalize and sell the presidential campaign, when you may have been simply pulled over for speeding and license plate issues?
- Why did you and your team claim you did not know the charges against you when they were readily researchable and available to anyone who called into the jail/did an internet inquiry?
- Have the Shield Mutual financial discrepancies been rectified yet?
- If it is important that folks fighting the state remain unified, as you said to Larken Rose, why attack him verbally for stating his opinion? Is that the "non-violent communication" you are always talking about?
- Why does asking specific questions about your platform "say a lot" about my character or "credibility"?
- Why are you self-upvoting at 100 dollars on your own comments? In a way it's none of my business and more power to you, but that SP is being sent to you via votes from your supporters and a simple high power upvote of one or two bucks would place your comment at the top. Do you care about the Steemit community and the other authors writing full, rigorously thought-out posts in order to earn SP? Again, I don't really give a shit about the "fairness" of this shit as I am an anarcho-capitalist, but just...why?
Alright, well. I'm out of the closet all the way now (FABULOUS!). I don't like Kokesh and I don't think he is an honest person.
I used to be a huge fan back when I had heroes. Now, with the way he is treating folks who actually care about voluntaryism, and the questions he refuses to answer, something smells too fishy to ignore.
Let's debate, Adam, if you are confident in the voluntaryist nature of your presidential platform. You wish to debate Rose. Why not take me on, a small fish you should easily be able to fry?
~KafkA
Graham Smith is a Voluntaryist activist, creator, and peaceful parent residing in Niigata City, Japan. Graham runs the "Voluntary Japan" online initiative with a presence here on Steem, as well as DTube and Twitter. (Hit me up so I can stop talking about myself in the third person!)