The path of least resistance
Written for High Plains Journal
If you read much of what I write, you know that I am one of the world’s largest proponents of the cow. I believe the ruminant animal, in this case the cow, is absolutely key to our future freedom. She grazes land that otherwise has no use and will, ultimately, become fuel for massive wildfires. Not only does she prevent these major fires, she upcycles this cellulose material into the most nutrient-dense food substance on the planet. While all of that is true, as I walk or ride my pastures, I marvel at the cows’ instincts to choose the path of least resistance almost every single time.
The cow will acquire her daily needs with the least amount of energy necessary. If you are riding a pasture, you always want to follow the cow path because they know where to walk to find the most reliable trail through any hilly region. That is great news for the cow but as human beings, who have a higher level of cognitive skills (although that seems questionable today), we recognize there are long term ramifications for those cow paths. If you live in a region that gets any measurable rainfall, those cow paths become wash outs.
Now back to that statement about humans being smarter than cows. We should have the potential to be more knowledgeable but today I see far too many examples of people taking the path of least resistance instead of walking straight up the hill. I have many friends in county government, on school boards or even just landowners in this great nation who are not standing up to the tyranny being thrust upon us and they say it is not worth the fight because we just can’t win.
Every day I become a better student of history and the historical period that it appears we are destined to repeat is the formation of the Soviet Union and the government of the Lenin-led Bolsheviks of 1917. From 1918 until 1922, Russia was truly in a Civil War and 100% of it had to do with land. Property rights were thrown aside and the “Central Control” wanted the peasants to have a path of least resistance by just working for the government.
You don’t need to worry about anything, you just tend to the land, do what we tell you and everything will be good. The problem is that the Bolsheviks first agreed, thinking they didn’t need to own anything because they could just provide for their families and the government would take care of them. Much like my herd of cows, they work for me but when their useful life is over we eat them.
It is becoming very clear to me that the removal of private land ownership nationwide is in overdrive. The underlying approach seems to be through the school system. The public school system was set up to be funded by the resources available in the given area. The taxes that come along with making that happen are creating an environment where we don’t actually own the land, we just lease it from the government.
Look no further than the timber areas of this nation if you want to see what’s coming. We shut down logging and the timber mills are gone. The coal areas are following suit. Wyoming was once an energy producing state and now that has been decimated. All that is left is the property tax payments to continue to produce food on the land, and we can’t afford to pay the ever-increasing cost of private land ownership. The land, coal, timber and steel mills in the east from yesteryear are basically dead. How long will we continue to go along the washed-out trail because walking straight up the hill is hard work?
I grew up with a set of parents that instilled in me that not every day is going to be easy like walking on flat land. Once in a while, you must climb the big hills because if you don’t you will be washed away when the “big rain” comes. Stop taking the path of least resistance and let’s get control of our private property rights before we are all marching to the beat of a dictator’s drum.