S3 E2: Jeremy on Bitcoin and American Patriotism

Jeremy is one of these folks whose dedication and work ethic are truly remarkable. I’ve met him on Twitter just about an hour before we started recording the episode, and by the way he chose to describe himself I knew he had a lot of interesting information to share.

What I discovered did not disappoint: Jeremy is an enthusiastic bitcoiner who finds fascination in all the new technologies and applications. He runs his own node, he mixes outputs with Wasabi Wallet and Samourai, tries various Lightning clients, and feels enthusiastic about permissionless payments via BTCPay Server.

Most interestingly, Jeremy has been enrolled in the US Army and still regards himself as a patriot. However, his understanding of the term isn’t that he should be an obedient citizen who follows the leadership of those in office. To him, patriotism is about defending the spirit of the Constitution and acting according to the liberties established by Jefferson, Madison, and all the other Founding Fathers.

In this sense, Jeremy sees Bitcoin as a financial mean which extends American patriotism. It provides the kind of freedom that the Founding Fathers would have appreciated, and empowers individuals to securely store their wealth without resorting to greedy third parties.

Furthermore, Jeremy talks about his first encounter with cryptographically-secured digital money (which took place in the 1990s) and why it was Bitcoin that changed his mind about the use cases and technology.

Donate to the show and 75% of earnings go to the Free Ross campaign!

Usually, the guests of the Bitcoin Takeover Podcast get rewarded with a 50% share of all donations. However, by virtue of Jeremy’s generosity, his part will be donated directly to the Free Ross campaign. And since my half would also get sent to Ross Ulbricht’s cause, 75% of all donations to this episode will possibly help change the life of a young man whose sentence for non-violent crimes is way too draconian.

It’s a slippery slope that should concern us all, regardless of the jurisdiction under which we find ourselves. The case of Ross Ulbricht has set a dangerous precedent all around the world, as lesser democratic countries can simply prosecute bitcoiners under similar charges and with outcomes that are just as harsh. If Ross was to receive clemency or at least a second trial with another judge by taking into account the new evidence, the decision would get noticed by judges and politicians worldwide. Whether we like it or not, the USA is an example for the rest of the world and we can actually try to make a difference in a positive sense.

You can donate on the main chain at the address below, via Lightning on Tippin.me, and you can send $1 of your dirty and criminal fiat on Patreon.

Bitcoin Takeover Podcast is available on YouTube, iTunes, and Spotify.