This Outlaw thing

When I think of an Outlaw, I think of one who’s:
Free
Daring
Unpredictable
Stealthy
Honorable and trustworthy
Tireless
Gallant
Passionate
Prepared to defend himself
A loner, but an attractive personality, and with many friends
Strong, handsome, and clad in a long black cape (okay, I AM a girl, y’know! But girls are Outlaws too.)

If you’re Outlaw material, you know it. You’ve got that special dash of derring-do, that sparkle of courage and fun, that crystal determination to live free and to see that others can do the same.

But notice that second to last line. A LONER, but not without bosom friends. Friends who’ll help the Outlaw achieve his freedom projects. Friends who are just as much Outlaw material as the Outlaw herself.

When I first joined The Claire Files, my initial post asked “Is it time yet?”

Now, those of you who are Claire fans know that “Claire Wolfe time” refers to that point of no return, where we’re in open, utter rebellion against the state. And most of us think that time is on the horizon.

But it occurred to me to wonder why we often ask each other “is it Claire Wolfe time yet?” And I found the answer in a post of Bill St. Clair’s yesterday. He wrote: “If enough people simultaneously decide not to take it any more, however, then active resistance can win. It really won’t require many non-breathing government agents to cause the rest of them to chicken out. ” (Gulching forum, “Why I don’t fly” thread.)

THAT’S why we each want to know if you, and he, and they, and most of us think it’s time yet. Because we can’t fight alone and succeed. Because, for all that we’re loners, we’re also part of the firefly militia (thanks, Junker!) – and we know the value of coordinating with others to accomplish the big goal.

Yes, we can win small battles alone, if we’re that daring or crazy. Look at suijurisfreeman.

But the machine of state is so vast today, and intent upon its purpose, that any battle we win might, at most, distract the beast temporarily, or force him to outflank us.

The beast will always come back for more. Until it has no more energy to move. Until it’s good and dead.

Friends, this is why we’ve got to build community. Because the beast can only get its fix by feeding off OUR life energy. If we, in great numbers, refuse to feed it, it’ll die of starvation.

But timing is everything, and for us to survive, we’ve got to put the damn beast on a hunger strike together, in unison. (We’ll talk more about ways to do that as we go along here.)

And what good is your own freedom, if you’ll have to enjoy it all alone for always? We’re all independent enough to be loners at times – but we’re social critters too. And we can’t do everything alone.

So today, make contact with one fellow or sister freedom fighter you’ve been meaning to meet. Send a PM to someone on a forum board whose posts you’ve enjoyed. Get hold of someone you haven’t talked to in a while, to see how your respective gulch plans are shaping up and how you might help each other out. Start up a gulching business together. Talk about your emergency plans or agree on a meetup location for a cup of coffee and/or a shoot with your new freedom pals. Make friends. Out of that will come the next step.

When things get toughest, people will be the best gift in your life. Think about it. And make sure now that you’ll be there for each other.