Statist Philosophy: What’s Yours is Mine

FBI goons from the government of the United Statists of America swooped down recently upon the home of Donald Miller, an innocent 91-year-old Indiana man, and confiscated his entire private collection of thousands of cultural artifacts painstakingly acquired over eight decades from his travels around the world.

Miller, who was a local teacher and involved in the Manhattan Project to build the atomic bomb during World War II, might also face criminal charges for innocently possessing his own personal property.

His collection includes artifacts from Native Americans, Russia, China, and many other nations. No one is claiming that any of the artifacts were stolen or smuggled.  He’s insisting that he "absolutely" is the rightful owner and is cooperating fully with the investigation. "I have been in 200 countries collecting artifacts," he said. Now he can kiss his collection goodbye.

"I have never seen a collection like this in my life except in some of the largest museums," marveled Larry Zimmerman, a professor of anthropology and museum studies and one of several experts assisting the FBI agents in cataloging and preserving the collection. Since the items were assembled over several decades, it will likely take a lot of time to determine the age and origin of all of them.

"The cultural value of these artifacts is immeasurable," FBI Special Agent Robert Jones said at a news conference, but he refused to disclose details of any of the individual items taken from Miller's property. "Mr. Miller has made an attempt to safeguard and protect the items," he added, but claims that the collection was: “wrongfully” in Miller’s possession and that the items will be repatriated to their “rightful owners.”

In short, the government goons have decided to steal all the property now and ask questions later. The statists allege that some of the items were acquired “improperly,” but admit that most of it was obtained legally and before any laws affecting them were in existence. So just who are the so-called “rightful owners?”

If an innocent person has an artifact of which the statists believe has “cultural significance,” they simply deem the person a criminal and seize his property. Let’s say, for example, you are digging in your garden on your own private property and happen to find an ancient Native American skull. If the statist goons want it they’ll take it and perhaps brand you a criminal in the process if it suits their interests.

That’s the philosophy of government agents in the United Statists of America: What’s yours is mine, and if we want it, it’s ours, whether you acquired it legally or not.