By Matthew Hayward In the face of growing governmental overreach and the erosion of personal liberties, there are those who choose to stand firm, refusing to compromise their principles. I am one of those individuals. Despite the passage of time and the pressure of conformity, I have chosen to maintain my stand against invasive security measures at airports, specifically the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) body scanners. But my stand extends beyond the airport security lines. It reaches into the heart of our society, where the battle for our freedoms is being waged daily. The Early Days of Opt-Out Protests When the TSA first introduced body scanners, there was a significant public outcry. Privacy concerns, health risks, questions about effectiveness, and legal issues led to widespread protests. One of the most notable was " National Opt-Out Day ," which called for a day of protest against the scanners on the busiest travel day of the year. The early days of...

By Matthew Hayward In the words of Martin Luther King Jr., "He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it." This powerful statement resonates deeply with the principles of civil libertarianism, which champions individual rights and limited government. It serves as a stark reminder that our silence and inaction can inadvertently contribute to the perpetuation of evil. The TSA: A Case of Unwitting Complicity Consider the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Established in the aftermath of 9/11, the TSA was tasked with ensuring the safety of travelers. However, in the process, it has often been accused of infringing upon individual rights with invasive searches and questionable practices. One of the most egregious examples of this was the use of full-body scanners that displayed explicit images of passengers' bodies. There were instances where ...

By Matthew Hayward COVID-19 initiated a wave of change, reshaping our societal norms with a magnitude comparable to an earthquake. First came the lockdowns. Unforeseen overreaches materialized swiftly, from closing vast forests and public beaches to dramatic scenes such as coastguards chasing a lone paddle border – an absurd spectacle of the new normal. With the onset of social distancing, establishments began operating under a limited capacity, albeit inconsistently enforced. Large stores were allowed to partially open, while small businesses, the backbone of many local economies, faced complete closure. The logic behind shutting hair salons while keeping marijuana shops open eluded many. An example that illustrates this paradox is the case of Slide Water Park in Washington State. This 40-acre outdoor park was forced to shutter, while literally across the street, the state park on Lake Chelan was teeming with visitors, defying any semblance of social distancing. The state government...

If you're frustrated by the response to COVID in Washington State, there are two important things to remember. First, Governor Inslee hopefully will not be running for reelection in 2024. While this may offer some hope for change, it's not a guarantee. Second, the Democratic majority in the legislature had the power to challenge the governor's policies but failed to take action. They could have held hearings with public comment and expert testimony and passed more thoughtful laws that would have kept our elected officials accountable. Instead, they chose to remain passive, knowing they couldn't continue supporting the governor's policies and remaining in office. This is a betrayal of their duty to represent their constituents and uphold our Republican form of government. It's important to recognize that our democratic representatives have been undermining the very principles of our Republic with their inaction. They talk about democracy, yet they enable a dictat...

To everyone who is afraid to lose their job, afraid to lose their benefits, or afraid to lose unemployment funds: my heart goes out to you, but please consider the following. I believe your fear is based on a false premise. You believe that when the October 18 deadline arrives, the state will follow through. I don't believe people will be fired if everyone stands their ground. In fact, the only hope we have for success is if everyone stands their ground. I believe we have already won, and the only way we can lose is if we surrender. I believe that if people cave to fear and get the vaccine or even get exemptions, their worst fears will be triggered, and those who are still standing on the front line will be left to face the consequences imagined by those who surrendered. Those who feared being fired and surrendered will have condemned those who had the courage to stand up to the pressure. If the state maintains the October 18 deadline and everyone stands their ground, they will be ...

For power-hungry opportunists around the country, the ongoing COVID-19 scare continues to be the gift that keeps on giving. On June 23, for example, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee apparently saw the need for the emergency powers he assumed back in March evaporating, so he ordered the state’s Department of Health to create a mandatory mask requirement . The following week, King Inslee doubled down by requiring businesses to refuse service to anyone not wearing a mask. As if it wasn’t bad enough when Inslee four months ago exercised powers, he doesn’t have to impose an arbitrary stay-at-home order that killed dozens—if not hundreds— of private businesses while his allies in state government continued to draw a regular paycheck. But his latest edict, requiring masks for every large and small public gathering, was even more irresponsible and will almost certainly set neighbors against one another through selective enforcement. If inciting violence is a criminal act, wh...