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It is a common belief that local news outlets tend to be more honest than national journalistic organizations. This is an example showing how even localized outlets can be just as corrupt as the establishment press.
The Current, which bills itself as San Antonio, Texas’ “premiere multimedia source of alternative news, events and culture since 1986,” published a piece deceptively insinuating that a local Libertarian Party leader threatened violence over the city’s effort to use eminent domain to steal a man’s bar in order to do renovations to the Alamo. I wrote about the whole story here.
JR Haseloff, the head of Bexar County’s Libertarian Party, addressed city council recently to argue against the city’s plan to steal a bar from its owner, Vince Cantu. The article claimed he “suggested that some property-rights advocates may resort to violence if San Antonio uses eminent domain to take over downtown bar Moses Rose’s Hideout.”
“While out of an abundance of caution, we marked this as a peaceful protest, I am here to testify to you that there are men, women, organizations and individuals across the state of Texas that are very much prepared to sacrifice much more to prevent your theft of this man’s property,” Haseloff said while addressing the city council. “I can only pray that you and politicians across Texas are receiving this message.”
Haseloff added: “Let me be clear, we will not stand idly by and watch you steal property from one of our fellow Texans. We will fight, and we will win.”
On its website, the Libertarian Party of Bexar County refuted the content of the report and published Haseloff’s remarks in totality to fill in the parts The Current left out. The author wrote:
Taken out of context, this may seem to indicate that the Libertarian Party will resort to violence. It is important to note that the principle of non-aggression is a core belief that has bound Libertarians together since the party’s founding in 1971. This principle asserts that individuals have the right to pursue their own interests without interference from others, as long as they do not initiate force or fraud against others.
“Cherry picking sensationalist quotes may drive clicks, but the intent of the remarks as evidenced below is to prevent violence,” the author continued. “In ensuring this end is met, it is vital that our politicians have a correct read on the pulse of their constituents. Again, we only pray that City of San Antonio and Texas politicians are receiving this message.”
Here are Haseloff’s full remarks:
I stand before you today to voice my firm opposition to your eminent domain vote which takes Moses Roses Hideout from Vince Cantu. It is an absolute travesty that you were willing to take it away from him in order to checks notes expand the footprint of the Alamo.
The Alamo? A location where grown men found it quite reasonable to fight and die for the ideas of individualism and private property rights and in order to stand against the VERY similar government overreach that you yourselves are exhibiting today.
The Alamo is a symbol of freedom and liberty, and as much as your staffers fill your twitter timelines with fake reverence to the ‘great Spirit of Texas’, your actions spit in the face of Texans who truly value what it stands for. Your use of eminent domain is an affront to the very principles of the Alamo and upon which this great nation was founded.
I don’t want to parse words… What you are doing is nothing short of theft. You are taking property that does not belong to you and giving it to someone else for their own purposes/profit. This is unacceptable and must be stopped.
I call on you, members of the City Council, first, quit hiding behind the City Attorney’s instructions of “Just don’t publicly comment on it”, next, take immediate actions to engage with the Alamo Trust, develop new plans that don’t require the use of stolen property, engage the GLO Office and Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, quit letting them bully you. Stand up for what is right protect a private property owner here in San Antonio. This is your job. If you forget your job voters will remember you 24April (as early Voting begins) through May6th, your reelection day.
And to the people of San Antonio, I urge you to join us in our fight. Make your voices heard, replace these tyrants on City Council, and signal that the people will not stand for this injustice. Not in Texas, Not in San Antonio, And DEFINITELY NOT on the grounds of the Alamo.
To finalize, last week, I was honored to emcee the COME AND TAKE IT eminent domain rally at Travis Park. And while that rally was, out of an abundance of caution, marketed as a “peaceful protest”, I have to testify that grown men, individuals and organizations alike, once again are now signaling that they are prepared to sacrifice much more to prevent your theft of Moses Rose’s Hideout. I can only pray that you and our Texas politicians are receiving this message.
In conclusion, let me be clear: we will not stand idly by and watch as you steal the property from our fellow citizens. We will fight back, and we will win. Thank you.
I spoke at the rally Haseloff referenced, and I can assure you, nobody was violent or even called for violence. This is a naked attempt to deceive people into believing that Haseloff and others in San Antonio are willing to engage in terrorism to stop the city from stealing Cantu’s bar. Nothing can be further from the truth. But, as libertarian activist Murray Rothbard said, “The media’s role should be to hold those in power accountable, but instead they act as cheerleaders for the status quo.”
This is yet another story proving that Rothbard knew what he was talking about.
You can watch the speeches at the protest below:
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