A Telegram For Freedom

Telegram’s Founder, Pavel Durov, has been arrested in Paris. August 27, 2024 [WEBSITE]( | [UNSUBSCRIBE]( A Telegram For Freedom SEAN RING I loved The Adventures of Robin Hood with Errol Flynn and Olivia de Haviland, even as a child. I wasn’t ready for Bogart yet, and Cary Grant’s masculine perfection escaped me. But a man with a bow and arrow? Saving the people and getting the girl? Robbing the ill-gotten tax revenue of the Sheriff and Prince John and returning it to the people? Now, that’s a man I could understand. What I couldn’t understand was why he entered that stupid archery contest. It was so obviously a trap. Win, and you’re caught. Lose, and you’re not the greatest archer in England. There was no upside. None at all. Of course, not only did Robin win the contest, he split the damn arrow from his competitor’s previous bullseye. That’s plain showing off. Then, Robin was swiftly arrested and put into jail. If Maid Marion hadn’t put her life in danger by warning The Merry Men about Robin’s impending execution, Robin would’ve been hanged. Well, we’re seeing this play out all over again in France. Pavel Durov, the owner of Telegram, knew a French arrest warrant was out against him, but he decided to fly to Paris with his girlfriend anyway. Really. Don’t Tempt Me, Frodo! Before we get to the gist of the case, I must say I find the libertarian case for immediately releasing Durov refreshing. But like many libertarian positions, it just doesn’t correspond to reality. In truth, I know I’d be the worst tyrant ever. I remember when Frodo offered Gandalf The One Ring in The Fellowship of the Ring. (In this case, I prefer Peter Jackson’s screenplay to JRR Tolkien’s prose.) GANDALF You cannot offer me this ring. FRODO I am giving it to you! GANDALF Don't tempt me, Frodo! I dare not take it, not even to keep it safe. CLOSE ON: THE RING IN FRODO’S HAND… GANDALF (CONT’D) Understand, Frodo ... I would use this Ring from a desire to do good ... but through me, it would wield a power too great and terrible to imagine. I relate this to you because I love classic movies and see Macron’s point, much to my annoyance. In a perfect world, there would be no state. We’d be happy, peaceful anarchocapitalists. There would be private law and no rulers. All trade would be voluntary. There is no coercion; only charity would exist. Taxation would not only be considered theft, it would be codified as such. We will never see that perfect world, but it’s worth aspiring to. In our world, The State’s number one job is keeping its citizens safe. It often fails at that because it cares more for the residents who aren’t citizens than the citizens themselves. The State monopolizes violence, tax collection, and money printing. That’s why The State is currently undefeated. It’ll take a sea change in our conscience to alter The State’s fate. But that’s beside the point. You see, I’d be the worst dictator imaginable. That’s part of the reason I never want to be a politician or, worse, a bureaucrat. If someone offered me the equivalent of The One Ring and I took it, I would undoubtedly wield a power too great and terrible to imagine. But consider this scenario: What if Le Petit Roi, also known as President Macron, decides not to arrest Durov and demand his app’s data? What if, as a result, someone uses the Telegram app to sneak a dirty nuke into Paris? If that nuke goes off, the entire world wonders what the hell President Macron was doing, letting a French citizen like Durov run around Dubai with impunity. If only he had demanded Durov hand over this data, none of this would have happened! Macron fiddled as Paris burned, and so forth. No communications app is fully secure. Signal? Oh please. It’s pretty much assumed that the Deep State built the thing itself. WhatsApp? Zuckerberg would sell his mother and your data to stay close to DARPA. FaceTime and Messages? Jobs is dead, and Cook ain’t no Jobs. I’m not saying I like this, but I understand it. Let’s be clear: When you open your external borders, you must build internal ones. [[WARNING: Wednesday Announcement to Cause Market Shock?]( Vanguard Group has big exposure to this one investment… So do BlackRock and Fidelity... 6,400 other financial institutions and 7,108,893,438 everyday people… But when this shocking announcement is made Wednesday, August 28 after 4 p.m.…. A lot of people could stand to lose a lot of money. [Go here now for the urgent details.]( The Cost of Porous Borders When you have strict immigration policies, you’re not letting people in who hate you. And when they aren’t within your borders, you have no terrorist attacks. If you have no terrorist attacks, there’s no real need for government to monitor your communications. And they won’t. This is the reassurance that strict immigration policies can provide. I was just in Wroclaw, Poland. There have been zero – count ‘em – zero terrorist attacks in Poland. Why? Because Poland’s borders are the most secure in Europe. I walked around Wroclaw with Pam and Micah, and we felt completely safe. We drank beer in the city’s central square al fresco. It was as calm and innocuous as you could imagine. One of the West’s biggest problems is that it confuses free trade with the free movement of people. This has been an absolute disaster for us. Hans-Hermann Hoppe wrote about this in his seminal essay, “[The Case for Free Trade and Restricted Immigration]( He writes: From the outset, it must be emphasized that not even the most restrictive immigration policy or the most exclusive form of segregationism has anything to do with a rejection of free trade and the adoption of protectionism. From the fact that one does not want to associate with or live in a neighborhood composed of Mexicans, Haitians, Chinese, Koreans, Germans, Catholics, Moslems, Hindus, etc., it does not follow that one does not want to trade with them from a distance. Moreover, even if it were the case that one’s real income would rise as a result of immigration, it does not follow that immigration must be considered “good,” for material wealth is not the only thing that counts. Rather, what constitutes “welfare” and “wealth” is subjective, and one might prefer lower material living standards and a greater distance from certain other people over higher material living standards and a smaller distance. It is precisely the absolute voluntariness of human association and separation—the absence of any form of forced integration—which makes peaceful relationships —free trade—between racially, ethnically, linguistically, religiously, or culturally distinct people possible. But because The West adopted neoliberal policies regarding cheap labor (both to fatten profit margins and population pyramids), we’re living among immigrants who may very well want to burn the place down. In France, the case is especially acute because of the way the French treated the Algerians when they were Algeria’s colonial masters. “Despicable” is the first word that comes to mind when thinking about this period. What’s worse, France compounded its historical error by inviting Algerians to settle in France, get French passports, and “be French.” The Algerians didn’t have to build a horse to get through the gates. Now, imagine the 11 million illegals that traversed the Rio Grande to get into America. They’re not even Mexican, for the most part. And if you don’t think brown-skinned spymasters from the Middle East didn’t send their brown-skinned spies over that very border because they look like Mezzoamericans, I’ve got a bridge over the East River to sell you. Weapons Grade Crumpet And so to Durov. Pavel Durov is a man of principle. He simply won’t let any country install a backdoor to his app, and I respect that. But for the reasons I mentioned above, I think he’s absolutely right. But if he went to Paris to impress his girlfriend, he’s also far too human for me. Oh, she’s a hottie. Just look him up on X, and you’ll find her. But she’s not that hot. Could you imagine Elon doing something this stupid? He’d say, “Get your own private jet to take you there.” Durov knew the French had a warrant out for his arrest. It’s an unbelievable irony that he went to France and became a French citizen because of “freedom.” He obviously didn’t read Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn’s take on the French Revolution. It was nice of the French to translate to English all the charges against him: Credit: [@Kanthan2030]( And here’s my point: if I were The State, and there are no bigger lovers of The State than The Frogs, I’d throw the damn book at him, too. What they’ve done is made Durov responsible for everything that happens on his platform. Is Macron responsible for all the crimes that are going on in France? Of course not! Why? Because Macron is The State. Durov is not. I fear Durov will follow in the footsteps of Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, who is still in prison for building a platform. Wrap Up No bit of skirt is worth this. Next time you have a warrant out for your arrest, tell your girlfriend she’s on her own. Of course, the much, much more significant issue is that The State wouldn’t have to invade our privacy if they didn’t let in every migrant crossing the border. France’s problem is the same as that of the US, the UK, and Germany. If you open your external borders, you must build internal ones. The shame of that is that your native citizens have become the enemy. And sometimes, even your honest adopted ones. #FreeDurov All the best, Sean Ring Editor, Rude Awakening X (formerly Twitter): [@seaniechaos]( Rate this email Like Dislike Thanks for rating this content! Looks like something went wrong. Please try to rate again. In Case You Missed It… Bullish Bobby Kennedy SEAN RING [The New York Post]( headline read, “Democratic dynasty heir RFK Jr. endorses Republican Trump.” But let’s face it: on any other timeline, Donald Trump is a Kennedy Democrat, and RFK Jr. would still be American royalty. Trump was right when he said, “Gone forever is the old Democratic Party of FDR, JFK … even Bill Clinton.” But it’s not only the Democrat party that shifted to the left with their woke ideology, DEI, and CRT components. He doesn’t mention that the Republicans, too, have shifted left. This is no longer the party of small government and smaller taxes. It’s the party of “patriotic spending is fine by us, no matter what happens with the deficit or national debt.” That’s why defense spending has boomed since 2001. Ironically, as RFK Jr. pulls the disaffected Democrats to the right and Trump pulls Republicans left with dreams of inflation-induced riches, can Trump and RFK Jr. become the most remarkable centrist alliance since Bill Clinton hired William Cohen to be his Secretary of Defence? You Have My Permission to be Optimistic I’ll admit it: I was scared for more than a second. Kamala’s goodwill bounce was more than I thought it’d be. And that bounce clearly agitated Trump. He looked sloppy and flustered. And honestly, I don’t blame him. She has no policies to target, so he got personal. And it hurt him for a few weeks. But with RFK Jr. coming on board, it’s a different story. It doesn’t matter if you don’t agree with everything RFK Jr. says or believes. What’s important about him is that he’s happy to defy his wife and siblings and his admittedly diminished status as Democrat royalty. He already took on Fauci and wants to beat up Big Pharma. And, goodness gracious, he endorsed a Republican to thunderous applause. His endorsement could potentially influence Trump's policies, particularly in the areas of public health and pharmaceutical regulation. Now, Trump has the guns to “beat the cheat.” That means he could make the electoral map look like Reagan-Mondale in 1984. And this may sound like lunacy, but if you remember, Kamala came in third in the Democrat primaries in California, her home state, in 2020. It forced her out of the election before Biden scooped her up. Could Trump and RFK Jr. flip California? It’s not beyond the realm of possibility. What Role Will RFK Jr. Play in a Trump Administration? RFK Jr. would’ve asked for a job in the Trump Administration in return for his endorsement. And Trump would only be too happy to oblige. Here are a few possible jobs for RFK Jr.: Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Given RFK Jr.'s outspoken views on vaccines and public health, he most likely would be considered for a position related to health policy. While his views are unorthodox, Trump has previously entertained non-mainstream perspectives (thank heavens). If RFK Jr. were appointed as HHS Secretary, his focus might shift toward issues related to medical freedom, vaccine safety, and alternative health approaches. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator RFK Jr. has a long history as an environmental lawyer and advocate. Despite his controversial views on specific topics, his ecological credentials are well-established. He could be considered for a role at the EPA, focusing on water quality, pollution, and natural resource conservation, aligning with some of his more traditional environmental stances. Director of National Intelligence (DNI) The Director of National Intelligence oversees the entire U.S. Intelligence Community, coordinating efforts among the various intelligence agencies (such as the CIA, NSA, FBI, and others) to provide comprehensive intelligence to the President and policymakers. Though it would be poetic justice for a Kennedy to hold this position, RFK Jr. doesn’t have a traditional background in intelligence, national security, or military service. His expertise aligns more with environmental law, public health advocacy, and legal matters. RFK Jr.'s lack of experience in intelligence or defense would be a significant hurdle. The intelligence community traditionally values experience in these areas if only to know that “one of their own” is leading them. United States Attorney General (USAG) Could he possibly take his Dad’s old job? Probably not. RFK Jr.’s background is in environmental law. He has been involved in various legal and advocacy roles throughout his career. While he has experience as an attorney, he focuses on environmental issues and activism rather than traditional criminal law or the types of cases typically handled by the Department of Justice. The role of the Attorney General requires a deep understanding of federal law, criminal law, and the inner workings of the Department of Justice. RFK Jr.'s lack of direct experience in these areas makes his potential nomination contentious. The toughest thing about having a Kennedy in your government is keeping him safe. [Your Credit Card: Declined?]( Take a moment and picture this scenario: The line at the gas pump is getting longer as you insert your credit card for the second time. It’s not just you. Everyone is declined. Something doesn’t seem right. A sinking feeling sets in as you realize something has gone terribly wrong. [Click here now for an urgent new prediction from a former advisor to the CIA and Pentagon.]( [Click Here To Learn More]( Market History: 2016-2017 Now that I’m assuming Trump wins with RFK Jr. getting a cabinet-level position, let’s look at the last time The Donald won. I’m only using August 26, 2016, to January 20, 2017, to see what happened before the election up to the inauguration date of January 20, 2017. The S&P 500 Hilariously – to me, at least – is that the market was tanking in anticipation of a Hildebeast victory. Market History: 2016-2017 Now that I’m assuming Trump wins with RFK Jr. getting a cabinet-level position, let’s look at the last time The Donald won. I’m only using August 26, 2016, to January 20, 2017, to see what happened before the election up to the inauguration date of January 20, 2017. The S&P 500 Hilariously – to me, at least – is that the market was tanking in anticipation of a Hildebeast victory. The day before the election, the market rocketed 2.22%, perhaps knowing Trump would pull it off. On Election Day, it was up again. Once Trump was confirmed as election victor, the market was up another 1.11%. And then, we were off to the races. I reckon the sooner Trump looks like he’s winning for good, the smoother the sailing will be. Russell 2000 The Russell Rally was even steeper than the majors’ rally. The Russell rally nearly 20% from the election to the inauguration. That bodes well for the Russell this time around. Gold From the peak just prior to the election to the trough before inauguration day, gold fell 14%. It then recovered. Then, it recovered roughly 50% of its losses going into the inauguration. If The Donald wins again, we could see severe turbulence in the gold market. After all, if investors think the stock market will rocket, they won’t want to hold a non-dividend-producing asset at that moment. But I’m still convinced that gold’s long-term trend is up. Way up… to $3,000… at least. The big difference this time is that Trump will have Biden’s ridiculous budget busters, the Inflation Reduction Act and Build Back Better, at his disposal. That’s right, the cash is all his, and since Congress already voted in favor of them—to its everlasting shame—Trump doesn’t have to ask permission to use those funds. Will he blow out the national debt further… or will he repeal them and save the money? Honestly, I can’t see him doing that. Trump will spend. And that will keep gold elevated later on. Wrap Up The good news is that RFK Jr. is in Trump’s camp. The better news is that Trump will almost certainly carry the day in November. The best news is that this is very bullish for the stock market. I just checked the charts, and nothing in them screams, “Sell now!” In fact, it gives the opposite message. The Monthly Asset Class Report will be out next Monday. It's doubtful that things will change between now and then. Have a wonderful week ahead. All the best, Sean Ring Editor, Rude Awakening Twitter: [@seaniechaos]( ☰ ⊗ [ARCHIVE]( [ABOUT]( [Contact Us]( © 2024 Paradigm Press, LLC. 1001 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. By submitting your email address, you consent to Paradigm Press, LLC. delivering daily email issues and advertisements. To end your Rude Awakening e-mail subscription and associated external offers sent from Rude Awakening, feel free to [click here.]( Please note: the mailbox associated with this email address is not monitored, so do not reply to this message. We welcome comments or suggestions at feedback@rudeawakening.info. This address is for feedback only. For questions about your account or to speak with customer service, [contact us here]( or call (844)-731-0984. Although our employees may answer your general customer service questions, they are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular investment situation. 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