| I have stated throughout all of my works that there | | | | many philosophers, sometimes even admiringly, and |
| is one undying principle that I will abide by. This | | | | they will write volumes upon volumes on their love of |
| principle is freedom. When I can go to a library or | | | | freedom and they will disregard every social taboo as |
| book store, and pick up any book that captures my | | | | simply preference, but then there is one taboo that |
| imagination, and delve through the pages as I begin | | | | they could not discard as cultural superstition. They |
| to think -- to know that I can do this, is freedom. | | | | will praise Homosexuality as moral, claim that |
| When I can walk into any business or public building, | | | | Euthanasia is justifiable, defend the rights of every |
| without being told that I have to leave because of | | | | race, but when it comes to the question of |
| my race or social class -- to know that I can do this, | | | | Pedophilia, perhaps, they will discard it as an |
| is freedom. Knowing that I can believe any religion | | | | indecency. Yet, it seems to make all of their other |
| that I judge to be accurate, knowing that I can | | | | works seem so fickle, almost meaningless. With all |
| make my own decisions in what my creed is, | | | | that I have written on the matter of liberty, how |
| knowing that I can associate with whomever I | | | | could I still respect myself if I condemned |
| desire, knowing that it is not a crime to love another | | | | Masochism?Masochism may be defined as the |
| -- to know that once the doors to my home are | | | | concept that causing physical pain can cause pleasure, |
| closed, that I am allowed to do anything that causes | | | | often times linked with sexuality. There may be |
| no suffering, this is freedom, and it is what I believe | | | | numerous arguments against it. They can call it |
| in. The Puritan laws that made human affection a | | | | indecent. They can call it irreligious or "unChristian." |
| crime, the McCarthy laws that made support of the | | | | They can claim it is brutal. They can use every word |
| workers punishable with prison, the Comstock laws | | | | invented by mankind to oppose the onward march |
| that made knowledge of the human body illegal, the | | | | of freedom. The facts don't change. Those who |
| laws of the government have been oppression. As | | | | oppose a person's right to Masochism are my |
| they take away our freedoms and put our heroes in | | | | enemies, because all creeds that unite to arrest the |
| prison, when we cannot walk down the street | | | | individual's right to happiness are my enemy. I will not |
| without fear of being attacked by the police, when | | | | fight this battle with weapons but with logic. I |
| the United Sates government uses the same tactics | | | | support a person who desires to engage in |
| as the Gestapo and the Councils of Safety, this is | | | | Masochism, as much as I support a person who |
| not freedom. Yet, despite the repressive nature of | | | | wishes to be an artist, a writer, a poet, a philosopher. |
| organized government, as much as organized religion, | | | | Happiness is a value in itself, and every one should |
| every poet who hides underneath these jungle | | | | strive for it in the manner that best suits them. We |
| branches will become an artist, and draw pictures in | | | | should not be restricted in this. If a person reaches |
| his mind about the dream of freedom. It is this which | | | | into the interests of their culture, and they find |
| my life has been composed of.Now, when we come | | | | themselves attracted to physical pain, then there is |
| to the question of Masochism, I cannot imagine a | | | | no reason to deny them this right. By supporting a |
| great deal of intellectual arguments against it. Yet, | | | | person's right to Masochism, we are supporting |
| with all my writings, in defense of one's right to | | | | freedom and liberty, the sources of order and |
| sexual promiscuity, to drug use, to believe whatever | | | | happiness. Life,Punkerslut (or Andy Carloff) has been |
| they wish, is it at all fathomable that I would come | | | | writing essays and poetry on social issues which have |
| to the question and say, "If a man wants to believe | | | | caught his attention for several years. His website |
| in any religion, it is fine. If a man wants to associate | | | | provides a complete list of all of these writings. His |
| with any political party, that is his decision. Yet, if a | | | | life experience includes homelessness, squating in |
| man wants to inflict physical damage to his body, to | | | | New Orleans and LA, dropping out of high school, |
| cause his mind pleasure, that is to say, if a man is a | | | | getting expelled from college for "subversive |
| Masochist, he is immoral." Is it ever possible to think | | | | activities," and a myriad of other revolutionary |
| that I would respond to the question of Masochism | | | | actions. |
| this way? Perhaps so. I have followed the work of | | | | |