By Matthew Hayward Memorial Day Reflections: A Civil Libertarian's Perspective Every year on the last Monday of May, the United States observes Memorial Day, a day to honor and remember the men and women who have given their lives in service to the nation. As a civil libertarian, I approach this holiday with a profound sense of respect and contemplation. These brave individuals fought for the liberties we cherish as American citizens, from the freedom of speech to the right to privacy. However, are we truly upholding the values they died for? One key question I grapple with is whether we, as a society, are disrespecting their sacrifices by taking our liberties for granted and allowing them to be gradually eroded. It seems that we often forget the struggles endured by our ancestors for the freedoms we enjoy today. What could be more disrespectful to the people who died for these freedoms than standing by and watching them vanish because we don't want to be inconvenienced? It...

By Matthew Hayward 3/24/2025 The hard decisions and things you do today will make tomorrow easier, more pleasant, and more fulfilling. 2/28/2024 Freedom is not merely the absence of chains, but the presence of choices that allow individuals to shape their own destinies. 1/16/2024 When your greatest fear is that you will not accomplish enough in this life and you use it to motivate you each day, you become a force to be reckoned with. AI assisted interpretation: "In the crucible of our deepest fears about legacy, where the dread of underachievement burns, therein lies the forge of the ultimate architect of destiny." 8/21/2023 Embrace each new day with gratitude and courage, knowing that with faith and perseverance, we can build a life of meaning and purpose. 8/19/2023 Pushing the blurry lines between freedom and authority, challenging the comfortable boundaries we've accepted, is where liberty shines brightest; this bold defiance reveals our true freedom. 8/7/2023 Embrace ...

By Matthew Hayward  A small group of Patriots stand ready to sacrifice their lives to defend personal and collective freedoms. Yet, in stark contrast to our times, the overwhelming majority recoil at the mere thought of experiencing the slightest inconvenience to protect their own liberties, let alone step up for those of others. This is the heartbreaking tragedy, the raw truth that must be fiercely acknowledged and courageously confronted as we question the nature of our current reality. The canvas of our status quo is inked with the indifference of those who refuse to stir from their comfort to safeguard their most valued rights or rally for their fellow citizens' rights. This declaration of our times is a loud bell tolling for awareness and action. To echo the words of the trailblazing libertarian Claire Wolfe, "America is at that awkward stage; it's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards." A reflection that we stand at a critical p...

By Matthew Hayward In the realm of classified information leaks, it is important to differentiate between three distinct categories: accidental negligent leaks, deliberate acts of espionage by true traitors, and whistleblowers. As a civil libertarian, understanding these distinctions is crucial to maintain national security and civil liberties. Accidental negligent leaks occur when individuals inadvertently expose classified information without malicious intent. While such leaks can potentially harm national security, the lack of intent to cause damage should be considered when determining the appropriate punishment. An example of this type of leak is the recent case of Jack Teixeira , a young Air National Guardsman accused of leaking classified documents. Teixeira's actions are more in line with reckless behavior rather than a deliberate attempt to expose government wrongdoing or engage in espionage. In contrast, true traitors are individuals who deliberately sell classified infor...

By Matthew Hayward In a free society, there is no need for "distracted driving" laws. No law should exist that attempts to socially engineer society; we do not need laws that attempt to prevent crimes from happening, and we do not need pre-crime laws. We need to enforce rational laws and punish real crimes. In today's Tri-City Herald article  Put the phone down and pay attention, or get a ticket , we learn that the Washington State Legislature has again passed another emotionally driven bill that violates our basic human rights. First, they tell us we are not allowed to make phone calls while holding the phone to our ear, and then they tell us we cannot text; now, this most recent "distracted driving bill,"  Senate Bill 5289 , prohibits us from holding various electronic devices.  We don't need more complex laws; common-sense laws should suffice. We don't need a law that addresses playing musical instruments while driving or reading a ...

By Matthew Hayward Now here is some political analytical truth. Two factions of the Republican Party, the ‘Christian conservatives’ and the Libertarians, have been working together in different capacities around the nation to restore integrity, first the GOP and second the Constitution. To one degree or another, the Tea Party is essentially made up of these two factions;. However, there are stark differences; we all agree that the party has moved so far to the left that it no longer represents people who believe in less government. So where do the Libertarian wing and the ‘Christian conservatives’ part ways? Libertarian-leaning Republicans have some things in common with the mainstream or moderate Republicans. Where moderates and ‘Christian conservatives often differ the most on social issues, the Libertarian wing falls closer to the ‘moderates.’   In fact, it could be argued that the   Libertarian wing is the real moderate wing of the Party,   and everyone agrees tha...

By Matthew Hayward Agreeing with the following video during the Bush administration would have made me a left-wing nut job. Now I am just an American that believes in the rule of law.  This Fourth of July, I celebrate being an American who believes freedom is based on government limits. Liberal or Conservative, I don't care what you call me; I just want to live in a society and country where I can have faith in my elected officials and have a functional process to remove them when they have lost the people's trust. Sadly this is not that Country.  America is so far from being a true Democratic Republic that it is disgusting. We live in the illusion of a free society where markets are manipulated, interest rates set, and competition legislated away. We live in a time where if given a choice, more than 50% of adults in the US would vote to throw out all elected officials if given the option to do so.   Unforchantly not everyone is allowed to vote, and those who...

Who would put a political bumper sticker on their car that did not have knowledge about the candidate or issue represented? Who is motivated and willing enough to put a candidate’s bumper sticker on their car while at the same time being ignorant about what the candidate has done or has not done? I do not mean to use the word “ignorant” in a derogatory sense, but as it is defined: “lacking knowledge or information as to a particular subject or fact.” I’ve seen more and more Obama 2012 bumper stickers on cars lately. Every time I see one, I can’t help but think, WHY why would you put that sticker on your car? Though I did not vote for or support Obama in 2008, I do not blame people who did; I get it. (I voted 3rd party) I fail to understand how anyone who supported Obama in 2008 could support him in 2012. Looking at policy actions and taking into account political theater, it would logically follow that 2004 Bush supporters would be Obama’s 2012 base. The logic and reasoning beh...