Avoid Bradley Manning treatment; don't talk to officialdom

Libertarians are little surprised that Bradley Manning supporters were arrested at Quantico over the weekend by the paid minions of the Police State Empire that used to be known as America.

Quaint old ideas like freedom of assembly, freedom of association, freedom of speech and the right to peacefully petition government for redress of grievances used to be respected, but now apparently they're legal only in Wisconsin and only if you're a union member.

Among the many lessons that Bradley Manning has taught us (courage, honesty, integrity, commitment to truth and decency among other concepts cherished by libertarians) there is one other that every libertarian should take to heart.

Never tell the truth to any public official. You now know that they will clap you in irons and throw you into a cage for telling the truth.

Under the oft applauded but little applied concept of equal application of the law (If he robs, she robs, you rob, equal punishment is meted out to all) if Bradley Manning can be jailed and tortured for telling the truth so can we all.

But of course we can’t lie to the paid minions of the Police State Empire either, because they will clap us in irons and throw us into a cage for doing that as well.

That leaves everyone with one option; invoking the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination by keeping our mouths shut in every encounter with the ruling class's junkyard dog enforcers whenever possible.

Don't talk to cops. Even the well–intentioned ones can misquote you and land you in deep doo-doo.

Pre-prepare for unwanted encounters with public officialdom. Find yourself a law firm and arrange to hire one of their number in advance. Pay a retainer if you can afford it but at the very least talk to a lawyer and get a business card and keep it with you at all times.

Stopped for a DUI? Refuse all breath and blood tests and demand your right to a lawyer. In a car accident? Don't volunteer any details to anyone. Cops want to question you about…anything? Politely refuse without your attorney present.

Bradley Manning has proved that honesty is not the best policy; it's just one more policy that can get you clapped in irons and thrown into a cage.