Ace Nails Another One

The Ace of Spades is maybe my favorite blog. I have followed it religiously since Rathergate. The blog would absolutely be in my blog list, if it didn't insist on generating an error when ever I try to put it there. His co-bloggers are top notch.  If you don't read Monty's The Daily Doom, and Maetenloch's Overnight Thread, you're missing some of the best daily fare blogs have to offer (I confess to "borrowing" a fair amount from the ONT).

The powerhouse of the blog, Ace, is smart, conservative, irreverent and willing to examine his own beliefs, and change his perspective (at least on potential republican presidential candidates) as information develops.  A lot of his commentary is both trenchant and funny.  And then once in a while he really hits a good one.  Today was one of those days.

I grew up on the East Coast. For a while, I lived in California.

I was blown away to learn that people could just start bonfires on the beach, whenever they liked.

Now, to be honest, I learned on this when the government was trying to crack down on the practice, but I was blown away at the idea that a private citizen could, in this country, previous to changes in this law at least, simply create a bonfire on the beach and enjoy it. Just because he wanted to.

Then I started to think like this: What kind of a mind-screw did they do on me when I should be surprised that people would be allowed to do this?

You see what I mean? My default mental state, thanks to the more statist area I grew up in (at least as far as bonfires) was that of course I wasn't permitted by The State to build a bonfire and enjoy it.

I internalized that. My default belief, absent any external stimulus, was that of course that would be an Illegal Act, and of course I should not Break the Law.

And this is where I begin to get angry:

 Now read the rest.