On his Twitter account, Dan “Taxation is Theft” Behrman, a candidate for the Libertarian Party’s 2020 presidential nomination, instructed his followers to break the stay-at-home orders most states issued in response to the coronavirus pandemic. All but eight states issued orders to keep people at home (except in the case of necessity) to stop the spread of coronavirus, which has killed over 20,000 people in the United States and 100,000 worldwide.
On April 9, Behrman tweeted:
Violate the lockdown. All of you. Be safe, wear masks, go outdoors and do your thing. Open your stores. Ignore the fines. In fact, if you get a fine, I’ll give you a letter that’s made other fines go away. This is not about safety. It’s freedom.
Later that day, he tweeted:
They are locking us in our homes and talking about mass surveillance of our temperature and coughing. They want new PERMANENT restrictions on international and INTERSTATE travel. This is not conspiracy theory. It’s right in front of us in the MSM!
He then tweeted a flyer promoting a protest of restrictions, scheduled for today:
BE THERE!! Don’t let these politicians think that they can convince you to lock yourselves in your own homes. Don’t let them think you will pay their fines. #taxationistheft #nomorelockdowns #behrman2020
He later updated the flyer after facing criticism:
He continued the next day, tweeting:
If you are afraid, they have you under control. It’s time to be brave. You can be safe and brave at the same time.
Today he tweeted:
I saw this coming years ago. It’s one reason I’m in Mexico. I’m not afraid of the police, I’m afraid I’d be standing against them alone. I didn’t join this party to be a coward.
And:
When you pay your citations, remember: this is not a lockdown, the Constitution is still in place, you still have rights. This is only a shelter in place order for your own good. Now pay your masters for going outside.
As you can expect, Behrman has faced a backlash for these comments.
I don’t think he was responding to your comment, more likely to the article. He can correct me if I’m wrong.
“Robert Hansen
April 13, 2020 at 13:29
“Village Piazza”? Maybe he’s in Italy instead of in Mexico?”
“Tony From Long Island
April 13, 2020 at 15:50
Why announce your stupidity to the entire world?”
Really Tony? How and why did I deserve such a snotty response?
“Inoculation” would be a modern revisionist way to describe it. The historically accurate expression circa 1777 would be “forced infections.”
Tony: “Why announce your stupidity to the entire world?”
TK: “I’ve often wondered why politics exists, too.”
Behrman is at least honest enough to look the part, I suppose. I’d rather the LP present itself as a sober alternative to political buffoonery instead of reveling in it.
@StevenBerson: I can accept calling it an epidemic with the additional information of non-American occurance. I didn’t realize it had spread that far.
Of course, that just makes Behrmann look even worse.
“Why announce your stupidity to the entire world?”
I’ve often wondered why politics exists, too.
You realize that we were both asking the same question there, right?
Glad you’re well enough to comment, and hope you stay safe from the COVID!
Why announce your stupidity to the entire world?
“Village Piazza”? Maybe he’s in Italy instead of in Mexico?
Socratic Gadfly – actually there was an epidemic of small pox that went from 1775 – 1782 – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1775%E2%80%931782_North_American_smallpox_epidemic
It’s pretty ironic posting a George Washington meme – given the fact that he ordered a mass inoculation against small pox for Continental Army recruits and regulars in 1777 – and that he also ordered efforts to quarantine anyone from leaving Boston in 1775 (which was under control by the British at the time) in order to contain the spread of small pox as well.
https://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/GW&smallpoxinoculation.html
There was no “Smallpox Epidemic” of the kind Behrmann indicates. Were there … worrisome outbreaks? Yes. But, I wouldn’t call it an epidemic.
In either case?
Know what? Washington did forced inoculations of his troops in response.
https://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/GW&smallpoxinoculation.html
Put THAT in your libertarian A** Behrmann.
Ok. I’ll do it if Behrman lends me his funny hat or Vermin lends me his boot.
Changing the title isn’t enough. You need to sign all your money over to me, wear a funny hat, and accost people on street corners to talk about how great I am or you’re not a real follower!
I changed the title to “Twitter followers.” I can see how “followers” alone sounds cult-like.
Twitter followers
What’s this “followers” bullshit? He’s a presidential candidate, not a cult leader.
Not a bad statement. Kind of weak compared to mine, but not bad.