Ron Paul Shocker: Obey international law, pay taxes to authorities, & abstain from all offensive subject matter
By Martin Hill
LibertyFight.com
http://libertyfight.com/2013/ron_paul_obey_law_pay_taxes_say_nothing_offensive.html
With retired Congressman Ron Paul's new 'Ron Paul Channel' in the news, I thought I'd check it out. There's quite a bit of discussion on various sites about the business model Paul's new venture has adopted, with speculation about whether it will be successful. Personally, I don't think it's a good business model to charge for video content. Look at Alex Jones Infowars for example. He encouraged reproduction and distribution of his work and built a very large audience in the process, who then bought his products and even supported his network by donating to it. But to each his own. If someone wants to pay $10 to watch Ron Paul videos, more power to them. $120 a year isn't very much money after all. Although if the real goal is to 'spread the message of liberty,' the best way to do this is to allow publication of the videos on a mass scale on youtube for example. Many more people would then see the material, because the fact of the matter is that not too many people are going to pay the $10 a month; especially those who aren't already interested in Ron Paul or liberty issues.
Nevertheless, I went to the Ron Paul Channel website for the first time to check it out. The front page offers a menu of videos, and I clicked on one advertised with Judge Andrew Napolitano. It allowed the viewer about 40 seconds of a free preview.
Clicking the SUBSCRIBE NOW Button, viewers are then offered an oportunity to pay $9.95 per month for 'unlimited access' to the channel.
Perusing the complex myriad of 'TERMS OF USE' on the Ron Paul channel webpage was quite amusing, if not a bit of a shocker.
Reading over all these rules, one might be prompted to ask 'Are these the terms of a voluntaryist/hard-core libertarian freedom advocate, or does this look like a nitemare web of complex rules and regulations written by a homeowner assocation type busibody statist?'
For starters, the Ron Paul Channel terms of use states that no 'offensive subject matter' is allowed; neither is vulgarity, or 'objectionable content.' This begs the question, who exactly determines what is objectionable or offensive? Someone like Jesse Benton or Jack Hunter, who have worked with Paul in the past? What if Ron's son Randy, with his yarmulke, decides what is "offensive or objectionable?" Ha!
Paul's list of rules also warns that users must pay all taxes and penalties associated with his products to the 'relevant tax authority;' and tops it off by chiding users not to violate any 'international law.' Wow. I thought we weren't subject to 'international law', Ron? Isn't this America, with a cherished 'Constitution?' Oh wait, I forgot. I guess it's okay to run to the U.N. for help if it suits your purpose. Right?
Ron's website also forbids users from promoting 'discrimination, bigotry, racism' 'against any individual or group,' and forbids content that 'promotes illegal or harmful activities.' In other words, Ron Paul's rules could have very well been written by Nancy Pelosi.
Paul's rules also state "We reserve the right to cooperate with local, state, provincial and national authorities in investigations of improper or unlawful activities and this may require the disclosure of your personal information." So they may investigate not only unlawful activites, but 'improper' activities? Why the disctinction between those two words? Ron Paul's company may give your data to police or FBI if your posts are 'improper'? Again, who exactly decides what is improper?
Paul's page states "You may not post or submit for print services a photograph of another person without that person's permission." Really? What about all the pictures and videos I post of loon cops and other government goons? I don't ask their permission and don't need it. But I guess in order to post the videos on Paul's site, I'd need written persmission from the jackboot? Absurd.
The rules also state "You may not share your Account or password with anyone." What's the punishment if I do, control freak?
It states "You agree not to create an Account using a false identity or information." Do you know how many of those stupid 'grocery store 'saving cards' I've signed up for using completely bogus names and info, such as Fred Flintstone, 1234 Pebble drive? Whooo, against 'the rules!' Booga booga!
The 'free-market' king who has praised price gouging then forbids any market transactions whatsoever on his site: "You agree that you will not, under any circumstances... Market any goods or services for any business purposes."
I sure hope that poking fun at Paul's rules is 'allowed.' (Actually, I didn't sign up for his service, so I'm not legally obligated to adhere to any his laundry list of regulations like his users are.) At the very bottom of this page are some of the low-lights. I sure hope Paul doesn't 'sue me,' like he unsuccessfully tried to do to a youtube user in a ridiculous lawsuit which was rightly thrown out of court by a federal judge.
Martin Hill is a Catholic paleoconservative and civil rights advocate. His work has been featured in the Los Angeles Daily News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, The Orange County Register, KNBC4 TV Los Angeles, The Press Enterprise, LewRockwell.com, WhatReallyHappened.com, Infowars.com, PrisonPlanet.com, Economic Policy Journal, FreedomsPhoenix, Haaretz, TMZ, Veterans Today, Jonathan Turley blog, The Dr. Katherine Albrecht Show, National Motorists Association, RomanCatholicReport.com, Republic Broadcasting Network, WorldNetDaily, OverdriveOnline.com, Educate-Yourself.org, Dr. Kevin Barrett's Truth Jihad radio show, Strike-The-Root.com, ActivistPost.com, Los Angeles Catholic Lay Mission Newspaper, KFI AM 640, IamtheWitness.com, Redlands Daily Facts, BlackBoxVoting, The Michael Badnarik Show, The Wayne Madsen Report, Devvy.com, Rense.com, The Contra Costa Times, Pasadena Star News, Silicon Valley Mercury News, Long Beach Press Telegram, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, L.A. Harbor Daily Breeze, CopBlock.org, DavidIcke.com, Whittier Daily News, KCLA FM Hollywood, The Fullerton Observer, Antiwar.com, From The Trenches World Report, and many others. Archives can be found at LibertyFight.com and DontWakeMeUp.Org.
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