The blogosphere keeping this important story in the forefront.
From Simon Black of Sovereign Man
New Hampshire Man Lights Himself On Fire To Protest America’s Decline
Late last week, Thomas James Ball reached his breaking point. Driven to desperation by a system that bankrupted him and destroyed his family, Ball walked up to the main door of the Keene County, New Hampshire courthouse, doused himself with gasoline, and lit himself ablaze.
Hardly anyone seems to have noticed.
Conversely, when a 26-year old Tunisian man lit himself on fire a few months ago after police confiscated the fruits and vegetables he had been selling without a proper permit, it launched a wave of revolution across the Middle East.
People were shocked into taking action… protests and riots swept the region and one regime after another crumbled.
Rather than sparking an “American spring” and shocking US citizens into taking their country back, though, Mr. Ball’s act of self-immolation seems to have been largely ignored. There has been scant coverage (and scant is being extremely generous) of Mr. Ball in the mainstream media, and what little coverage there is generally discredits the man as a troublemaker.
This is how the system’s gatekeepers have been so adroit at maintaining the status quo– by suppressing dissent, marginalizing the detractors, and distracting the populace with meaningless, irrelevant drivel.
Mr. Ball left behind a lengthy missive prior to his suicide, which covers a range of topics from political corruption to why the family court system in America is utterly disgraceful. He was, to put it mildly, a staunch advocate of violent change, and it’s clear he hoped a great deal of others would follow in his footsteps to literally burn the system down.
(Ball even left instructions for how to make a proper Molotov cocktail along with specific vulnerabilities of police stations in his area…)
Perhaps the most interesting part of his final post, however, was the observation that the United States is no longer a nation of laws; Ball described what he calls the ‘second set of books,’ which is essentially the collection of policies, procedures, and protocols that courts and executive agencies rely upon.
This includes police departments and other ‘enforcers’ across the country that come up with standardized responses to take judgment out of the equation. TSA agents, for instance, are only following procedure when they fondle children at airport checkpoints. Even the guys who drove the trains to the concentration camps were just following procedures.
Ball argued that the nation is now ruled by such procedures, even in such institutions as family court where judges (by policy) pass the buck down the line to mental health case workers.
His anger and desperation for this system, which tore apart his family and bankrupted his finances, led Ball to light himself ablaze at the local courthouse in a state whose motto is “Live Free or Die.” Ball chose the latter.
The next day, life went on in America. There was no shocking front-page cover story or award-winning photograph to spark a national debate… let alone propel droves of fed-up citizens to flood the streets demanding change.
Rather, the New Hampshire courthouse cleaned up his charred remains and meticulously scrubbed the floors to eliminate all trace of the event. 24-hour news networks ran a quick blurb in their scrolling tickers amid more important coverage of the Miss USA beauty pageant and President Obama’s Father’s Day plans.
In other words, business as usual… suggesting that if there is, in fact, going to be a fight for the soul of the country, it’s a long way off, and many more degrees for the boiling frogs who are stuck in the pot.
My assessment of this situation, however controversial it may be, remains very clear: the great faceless enemy that opposes us, irrespective of our country of origin, is the institution of government.
Over time, this institution has inserted itself into nearly all aspects of life, such that a man cannot so much as enjoy a pint of beer, discipline his children, ride on the train, go to the doctor, open a bank account, apply for a job, go fishing, or watch a sporting event without the heavy hand of government being involved.
This is a beast that feeds on citizens; the more it feeds, the larger it becomes and the hungrier it gets. Of all the solutions out there, including armed conflict, civil disobedience, self-immolation, active democracy, etc., the only one that truly destroys the beast is starving it– take away the feast of productive citizens and accelerate its collapse.
R.I.P. Thomas James Ball… You unfortunately won’t be the last..
MA
Very tragic story, I read the 15 pages on another site.. I doubt his sacrifice will make much of a difference because the masses are still captivated by bread and circuses and a SNAP card that let’s the eat at Red Lobster. Take away the “goodies” that are supplied and then it may be a different story. John
Man smacks his 4 year old daughter in the mouth. He didn’t cut her lip, she “got” one.
Wife calls police on advice of a “mental health provider” already “providing” for one of their kids.
“So I no longer trusted her judgment.”
His, however, is sound. “This country is run by idiots.”
Cue 10 years of misery for three kids and that hated symbol of feminist oppression, their mother.
Cue 15 pages of rambling paranoia, innumeracy, first grade nicknames and self aggrandizement.
He torches himself, not over $3k which “I could have made a phone call or two and borrowed..”, but because he’s “done being bullied for being a man.”
What a hero, Joe (I’ve already forgotten his name), in his repressed misery like a “Jew in Germany in the 1930’s” he had a glimpse of the Answer. “Burn it”.
I have been wondering how a 3-year-old “gets” a cut lip just from having her face slapped.
He was a gutless fucking bastard. If burning yourself alive is supposed to make some kind of statement about the unfairness of the system, welcome to the USA in 2011. The only legacy he leaves his children is remorse and a lifetime of doubt. His was a wasted life that ended in shame and suicide.
Pray that your countrymen do not shrink from their responsibility and duty when the time comes as this man did. Be warriors, not weaklings.
Could’ve been a legend, now is less than a footnote.
I think there’ll be a particular event that’ll be the “official” beginning of the Fourth Turning, but it’ll be unpredictable. It appears we’re a little ways off until more people are aware of what’s going on. The 2012 election year might provide just that opportunity. Time will tell…
John
The Fourth Turning began in the 2005 – 2008 time frame with the collapse of the housing market and the financial system crash. We are in the lull before the storm.
Thanks, Admin. What would you consider the appropriate term for the American version of the Tunisian who set himself on fire?
Admin – I don’t think we’re in the lull of the storm. I just think the storm is currently worse about 3000 to 5000 miles east of here for the time being and that’s what’s getting the attention. You and most of the rest of the TBP community either have jobs and/or are financially ok (or better) at the moment. I’m not. I can tell you from my perspective that this ain’t no goddamned lull out here.
I spent my late teens and early twenties cooped up in a submarine while Wild Bill and HRM Hillarious Clinton tried to fix the Balkans with bombs. Then I spent the next 12-13 years as a civ contractor fixing helicopters and spyplanes so Emperor Bush could go kill brown people. I built Blackhawk gunships for the UAE that are most likely RIGHT NOW being used to kill and suppress protesters and demonstrators in the sandbox at the behest of Emperor Obama. I spent the past two and a half years with DHS/US Customs and Border Patrol/Coast Guard building interceptor boats to catch drug smugglers and terrorists. Then I had my final run-in with the soulless fucking assholes that run US companies and got ‘released’ a week before Christmas. Reason? The said I don’t play well with others. Translation: I don’t suck balls and I don’t put up with blatant hypocrisy and I don’t take kindly to being compelled to participate in the most egregious wastes of MILLIONS of tax dollars by scumbag egomaniacal bureaucrats and spineless backstabbing managers with nothing better to do than find ways to justify their own paycheck and ruin other people’s lives.
I more than did my job to try and fix this country and honor the Oath I took at MEPS all those years ago in every fucking way I possibly could. Now what the fuck do I do, having been tossed out like a used rubber because a couple of nameless shitbags decided I didn’t kiss their asses with enough enthusiasm and thus should be left out here to starve? There’s nothing out here. Compassion is weakness. Honesty is a character flaw – a fatal one at that in the FSofA. Integrity might as well be a four letter word the way these corporatist and government snakes operate any more. There is no honor left to be found. This isn’t any lull. While we all sit around here and talk about collapse, I’m living it. And it fucking sucks.
ecliptix543
I’m very sorry to hear about your circumstances. You are not alone. I know that myself and many others on the site have lost their jobs at various times in our lives. It sounds like you have a good skill set. It is difficult to fight off the depression from not being employed. It is real and it has a lasting impact. Keep the faith and don’t give up. We need tough battle scared people to get us through the next 15 years.
ecliptix543..Yep the government loves to waste money on the military. It seems like if they don’t then maybe the system is bad. We take brand new armored vehicles…fresh of the “Assembly Line”. Strip out parts of newly installed systems and replace them with different equipment .The cost…hundreds of thousands of dollars per vehicle.
I guess I do have a little more respect for a guy who takes out the bureaucrat that caused his problems then killing himself. One day you’ll see a public execution of one on TV by a man or woman feed up with TPTB .
Buckhed – I have been waiting for that day for a long, long time. 🙂 I still have a handful of things I could lose before I lose it, so it ain’t gonna be me smoking some meatbag in DC for shits and giggles. But, if it happens, well.. that calls for a round of shots!
I have seen so many birds come through my shops where they were literally brand new, been flown once, and we took them halfway apart to change or upgrade avionics systems and all the brand new shit got tossed because some book said it can’t be used twice. Each little screw, washer, nut combo might add up to a couple of bucks, times thousands of sets of hardware, times dozens of aircraft. Then all the instruments, wiring, hydraulic components, various computers, etc. Just because some 1-star dipshit general buried in the bowels of the Pentagon decided he wanted to move this switch from here to there and that screen needed to move over a half inch so he could get another star. Sickening wastefulness every day..
John Angelo – “What would you consider the appropriate term for the American version of the Tunisian who set himself on fire?”
I’d say the term would be “Missing In Action”
Sort of like Bradley Manning?
ecliptix543
Now, hold on there, sport. The description of your past work life indicates you have a broad skill set associated with rotary wing aircraft, but you’re not being specific about what those might be. In addition, you probably had a security clearance for that type of work. Those are big pluses in many markets. And one thing IS clear, no make that two. You’re intelligent, and your written communication skills are excellent.
You appear to have had a bad experience with the defense industry and have a chip on your shoulder. You ask, “Now what the fuck do I do?” I can’t answer that with the incomplete information you provided, but I do know that any intelligent person who holds honesty and integrity in high regard will prevail.
So let’s put all that together. Intelligent, skilled worker who has two invaluable VIRTUES, honesty and integrity. Sounds like a good start to a resume to me.
ecliptix543
Ah, more information. You worked with U.S. Army defense contractors. Predators. I worked with those morons as an Air Force officer in the U.S. embassy in El Salvador in 1982 after the FMLN blew up the Salvadoran Air Force’s fleet of Hueys. Jumped in their shit big time and refuted their claims that “we can fix some of those birds.” Bullshit. The choppers were destroyed for all intents and purposes. I won. Saved ten of millions of dollars.
The thing that cracks me up is each branch of the military use the same vehicle but it is “Customized” to their specs…..the damn things are going to the same place,being used for the same mission etc. . What a waste !!!!
SSS – As far as choppers, the most recent OH-58’s and Apache’s are the only current US Army rotor wing aircraft I haven’t got time on in some capacity or another. I haven’t played with the Navy’s birds much at all but the Seahawk only has a few key variances from the standard Blackhawk. Most of the OH-58’s are getting phased out since the Longbow Apache can do both surveillance and attack roles. Chinooks are still invaluable as the Ospreys are mostly pigeonholed by the Marines. Then there’s corporate jets from little Falcon’s up to G550 Gulfstreams I’ve played with at one time or another. I also have considerable time with most of Boeing’s current offerings from the 737 to 767. Most of my time has been in prototyping new countermeasures systems and in-theater installation and mods. The rest was heavy maintenance or new production. So yeah, except for blimps and gliders, I’ve pretty much been around the block a time or two.
My experience with the defense industry overall has been positive. However, my observation is that throughout the past, oh, six or seven years is that the processes of executive administration, project management, and procurement have become irreversibly corrupted. The techs and inspectors still do the best quality work as we are allowed to. The military personnel are professional, attentive, on average Good people. The failure – the nauseating, clusterfuck of a failure – rests squarely on the collusion of modern corporatist culture and the career officer corps. That is why I say we do the best work we are allowed to. In order to maximize upper management’s and the bureaucrat’s personal gain, corners are ordered cut. Refusal or even prolonged questioning of this policy WILL cost you your job. There’s a hundred people lined up out the door to take your place so you can and will get fired for NOTHING. People such as myself and thousands of others have gone from being respected professionals and treated as human beings to being nothing more than a disposable battery with a man number and some tools. They will half-ass the engineering, scrimp on parts, shortchange the stockroom and define completely unrealistic schedules at their whim. The disconnect from reality grows relentlessly.
Just because some flow chart or PowerPoint says such and such assembly should be done by a certain day, they expect the airplane to just magick itself together because they decreed that it must be so. It doesn’t matter if we have been working 90 hour weeks for 4 months straight through the summer, heat-stroking and dehydrating and completely exhausted. It doesn’t matter if it is out of sequence. It doesn’t matter if it compromises Safety of Flight. They tell us what they want. We tell them what it will take. They ignore us. Then they blame us when it doesn’t work. Then they fire us and hire some kids just back from the sandbox who are more than willing to say ‘Yes’ to anything because they don’t know any better. Experience in the biz is more of a liability – they want ignorant Yes Men, not Professionals. They want people that will question nothing as the answers may very well indicate criminal negligence in the event of a crash, or as they say, an incident.
I gather you have at least some aerospace experience, given your background. You probably know the one thing that every (good) aircraft mechanic holds on to is Safety of Flight. We will NOT cut corners that endanger lives first, equipment second, in order to make a deadline on some arbitrary PowerPoint schedule or some bean-counter’s P/L projections (no offense, Admin). This commitment was the primary aspect of my trade that allowed me to be proud of what I did, in addition to the contribution I was making to ACTUAL national security issues. That commitment and pride is now a liability in the eyes of management. Experienced people that care cost too much, only hollow lip service about integrity and quality is affordable. I doubt I could in good conscience continue to participate in a system that has specifically chosen to compromise crew and employee safety in exchange for executive bonuses and accounts receivable. It is a virus that is killing my industry as surely as $500/bbl oil would, only this was an inside job and deliberately implemented.
I’m not going anywhere and I wouldn’t miss this period in history for anything. It’s getting close to time for a little Divine Retribution to get rolling, and the elite don’t even know that this time they’re the ones at the bottom of the hill – right where all that rolling shit is going to end up!
The bean counters have been running everything for the last few years and that is a primary reason the mechanical infrastructure that keeps our society running has been falling apart. Bean counters only know money; they do not know the nuts & bolts that run our mechanical systems. These people are literally causing the demise of our system and running people with good skill sets out of work; replacing them with yes people only in their positions for the paycheck. I know what ecliptix543 is talking about. This will only lead to a lack of skiled mechanics, technicians, and engineers to service existing mechanical systems and engineer new systems that are durable and functionable.
There was a time in this country when that manufacturing plant managers were engineers; now they are CEOs/ MBAs with little or no experience with people or the products that made their companies in the first place. The new breed of CEOs and bean counters are ruining this country’s economic capability. Look at all the big corporations that now need government welfare to keep going? What should be happening is allowing these giant dead wood corporations to go bankrupt as they should, to be replaced with a new breed of corporation. I am also for the elimination of the military/industrial complex. The engineers and technicians from these companies have important skills that could be used in the growth of new consumer oriented manufacturing. Only thing is the government regulators and regulations also have to go because they are the problem blocking new consumer based manufacturing. These regulators block new innovation and promote monopolies imposed by the present large corporations. Without government support these big monopolies would fail.
On another note, answering to what this article is about, the reason this story did not make mainstream news is because there is no more free speech in the controlled media. Again these are monopolies that control the news. What good is the first amendment when the media is controlled by monopolies and large corporations that use the media to promote their products and idealogies at the expense of the news. I think if Mr. Ball’s story would have made front page news it would stir up quite a conversation in the public about our corrupt court system and arbitrary administrative laws. Then I read comments by some condemning Mr. Ball for his adverse actions against his daughter and totally ignoring the injust actions against him by the court system. These are the dangerous people in our society that do not understand Justice. Justice without Mercy is not Justice. If someone repents of their ways there should be mercy through forgiveness. Some people only want perpetual revenge. Our administrative laws pretend to be Justice, but are not because they only know how to be punitive and administer punishment that lasts a lifetime; even if one repents and change one’s life. There is no moral foundation to administrative laws. These laws impose an arbitrary will over others. In a jury trial these laws are not on trial like the defendant. The jury is instructed to condemn if the law appears to be broken; period. What if the law has a flaw in the defendant’s circumstance? The law is always right and the law was broken; doesn’t matter. Sometimes the judge will dismiss the case but the law still stands for the next sucker and the next judge to decide; but the law always stands. This has to change. We cannot have justice until the law goes on trial with the law breaker.
Our prison system; called corrections, does not help our society by helping people to repent. It actually produces hardened criminals then puts them on the streets to cause more mayhem. On top of that the system keeps their records public after serving their time so anywhere they go one cannot get a job. So one ends up in more criminal activity just to live which eventually gets them back in prison.
This is why I do not support the prison system by refusing to do jury duty.
In any society most of the people are as sheep. This is why shepards are needed. I cannot blame the sheeple for being sheeple. Our most intelligent and educated people that have; and take the responsibility for leading the people are responsible for the welfare of the sheep; according to the good book. The problem all over the world is the intelligent and educated people that have taken over all the responsible positions in government have not only failed in their responsibility, but have become irresponsible takers of the substance produced by the sheep; and thrown them under the bus. They have forgotten God, the source of all intellectual and material substance; to be shared in degree by all. When the sheeple finally are driven to the point of rebellion it will be the intelligent and educated in all the government positions; and the bankers that aid & abet them and their corrupt schemes, that will reap the Whirlewind.
Went through all that trouble to write all that shit for SSS and he doesn’t even bother to drop in and check… damn CIA agents… I see how it is!
( 🙂 )
ecliptix543
I apologize for the slow response. Thumbs down for your impatience. I was busy searching Admin’s computer activity and phone records for DHS. He hasn’t got too much more time before we shut this site down.
I was an Air Force pilot for 20 years prior to my CIA emplyment. I know something about the business, but not from your angle. You said, “The failure – the nauseating, clusterfuck of a failure – rests squarely on the collusion of modern corporatist culture and the career officer corps.” I can’t argue with that. I’ve met those guys and don’t have any time for them.
I was a line officer all my career. None of that staff weenie shit for me. All I wanted to do was head for the flight line, strap that puppy on, and blast off. You also said, “You probably know the one thing that every (good) aircraft mechanic holds on to is Safety of Flight.” Oh yeah, good buddy. Any pilot worth his salt pays all due respect to his crew chief and those who fix his airplane.
Look, I still don’t know what kind of shit you stepped in. But Admin and I are on the same page. You’ve been bloodied and scarred. You understand what’s going wrong in this country. You need to stand tall. Easy for my lazy, retired ass to say, tough for millions like you to do.
No worries, sir. If I could request one favor… call your DHS buddies and get me off the No-Work List they have that nobody else knows about yet. That’d be swell. 🙂 Then I could pick up a contract real quick like and get back on my prep schedule!
ecliptix543
I have a friend who’s waiting for a defense contract decision. And for all you assholes out there thinking I’m another defense weenie fishing the pond for something to bite, wrong!!!!
I have zero skin in the game, but this one is a super-saver for our future. I’m talking hundreds of billions in savings. Not a Buck Rodgers toy for the generals and admirals.
If it gets a thumbs up, I’ll let you know, 543. In the meantime, and you know how slowly defense contracting works, take your skills to the civilian market. Someone is looking for you.
I imagine Admin could fwd my contact info. (Admin: permission to fwd my email to the Emissary of Dark Side granted, if it is requested.) At this point in the year, no new contracts will get funded until after September at the very earliest even if it was awarded tomorrow. Not a problem. Much appreciated, SSS.
Who thumbed down? Fuckers…
ecliptix543
I have many “admirers” on this site. Some of my views, starting with illegal drugs, are not winners. I could run a “Mom and Apple Pie” article and get thumbs down by the dozens just based on my screen name.
That’s ok. TBP is what it is. And to quote Popeye, “I yam what I yam.”
If we could just get the politicians to set themselves on fire it would be a step in the right direction!