From the July 2005 Idaho Observer:

Fahrenheit 451 in the electronic age

SANTA ANA, Calif.—Usually, when men wrote books that came too close to the truth, governments and churches would build fires and throw such books—and, sometimes, such men—into the flames. This disposed of books and men, who too clearly described crimes of the ruling banditti.

Modern pirates no longer do such uncivilized things; instead, they "burn" websites.

More than two years ago, the IRS began an investigation of Anthony Hargis to determine whether or not he was helping people to organize "abusive tax shelters." It began as a request that he turn over all records pertaining to his customers. Anthony asserts that he had never helped anyone organize any kind of tax shelter; so he suspected the real reason for the investigation was to retaliate against him for opinions in his writings, and against his customers for supporting him.

He refused to turnover records; he was jailed, his customers’ and his property was seized, and then his website was confiscated, and "burned." The government, using arguments based on "wishful thinking and demented speech," according to Anthony, persuaded the court that 13 "pages" of his website fell into the category of "illegal commercial speech" (a term invented by courts to circumvent the First Amendment), and such pages were ordered to be "burned."

For example, he examined debates in Congress relative to the 16th Amendment, and found some half dozen, very clearly expressed reasons why the income tax and most internal taxes are unconstitutional – based, according to Anthony, on grounds that have never been litigated.

Anthony compiled these findings into his book American Inquisition. He also suggested an alternative to the current taxing scheme, namely, that taxes should be imposed only on those that make them necessary; that is, on domestic and foreign bandits. "I really irritated a few bandits," Anthony remarked, "my words were classified as ‘illegal commercial speech’—and ‘burned.’"

On another page, he explained that he researched the Social Security card and discovered that people surrender all rights when they apply for the card (see his book, Plantation America).

Over a period of more than four years he used this page and other means to ask people to join him for a lawsuit against the Social Security Administration to settle a question of law, "Do we surrender any rights when we apply for an SS card?" The curiosity of Anthony and others over concern for their rights were deemed "illegal commercial speech" and erased from electronic memory.

Anthony explains that government debt is the process by which one generation lives at the expense of future generations: The money borrowed today has to be extorted from our children and grandchildren when they come onto the scene tomorrow. Dollars come into existence by the Federal Reserve exchanging them for U. S. debt securities. Thus, the value of the dollar depends on the ability of the government to extort money from our children. This is what makes the Federal Reserve notes the "Money of Cannibalism."

Congress has mandated that, if Americans want cash in their pockets, this cash must require the cannibalization of the next 50 (and counting) generations of Americans.

The page where Anthony explained this crime was declared "illegal commercial speech"—and was "burned."

He proposed an initiative to amend the California constitution to make judges accountable for abuse of power. This was also deemed "illegal commercial speech" and the electronic page was "burned."

He attempted to organize a lawsuit to ask a federal court to answer questions about tax laws; "illegal commercial speech," of course.

This "book burning" occurred without due process: No examination of "accuser," no jury; no trial; nothing. Beside these denials, the government seized his property so, even if he had such opportunities, he had no resources to finance their presentation in court.

"The government is trying to tell us something," Anthony remarks. "Other critics of government have been prosecuted; they were allowed to keep their property before trial; and more, they were allowed a trial, jury and all," Anthony commented.

However, in Anthony’s case, his property was taken before a trial that was never held.

"Why would the government deprive me of the means to defend myself?" Anthony asked. "Does that indicate my arguments were clear and well-grounded; that I revealed major treasons; and that I recovered knowledge that has been lost for more than two hundred years, and that would make governments (official bandits) accountable? Was I denied a public trial to spare government the embarrassment of being shown the error of its ways?"

"It was simply dangerous to allow my arguments, and the government’s nonsense, near a jury; safety required that I, and my website, be thrown into the flames," Anthony concluded.

For more information, send 10 U. S. first-class stamps to Anthony Hargis, 2427 N. Tustin Av Ste B, Santa Ana, Cal. 92705 – OR, search the web for "Anthony Hargis."

OR, send a blank Postal Money Order (PMO) for either or both of the above mentioned books ($24 each).

OR, send a blank PMO for $114 for a set of six of his titles.

Note: It is becoming plain to see that there is no equal justuce under the law and that, just like everything else in this lawyer-driven world, the law is negotiable. It would be an interesting line of inquiry to discover what factors determine the severity of one’s legal abuse.