One of the difficult parts of actually being in the "business" of making knives and trying to make a living at it is that, like any other business, it comes with rules and regulations that actually make us work against ourselves and work for someone else. It is a fact of life.
Most makers I know are independent, some are anti-government and nearly all have a wee bit of a rebellious streak in them.
I am one of those with more than a wee-bit of rebellious streak.
I've learned over the years that being forced to work for someone else generally takes the fun out of what you're doing.
In response to this, I've adjusted my attitude so that I pick and choose what situations I'm willing to put myself into.
There are things in this business I just won't do any more.
That's because those things bring out the worst in me and take away from the best.
So when faced with these kinds of issues, try and ask yourself what you really want out of knifemaking, what you do no want to put up with, and then YOU CHOOSE to put yourself in whatever situation suits you best.
If you are stuck collecting taxes, and it's worth it to you so you can get other things that you want..............so be it.
Stay true to yourself and your core beliefs.
Politics and politicians being what they are.......................good people who stick to their guns and do what is right will win out in the end.
Choose your own path, stick to it, vote on election days and remember that there are too many good people out there for any government, business or other entity to really hurt us.
At some point you may have to stand up and fight for what is right.
You can't do that if the ground you are standing on is shaky.
CHOOSE your OWN ground, and be true to it.
If you do that, none of the rest of this will matter.
IMHO
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