Freedom Currency for the Freedom Convoy
with BJ Dichter
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Freedom Currency for the Freedom Convoy with BJ Dichter
On this episode of Magic Internet Money, host Brad Mills invites Freedom Convoy activist and Bitcoin advocate BJ Dichter onto the show to discuss his experience with the Freedom Convoy movement and the consequent protests in Ottawa earlier this year. BJ tells the story of how he got into Bitcoin and blockchain technology slowly but surely during his time at Ryerson University. The pair discuss the nature of politics in Canada and the up-and-coming conservative politician Pierre Poilievre. He’s a bit of an oddball in the Canadian political landscape, given his libertarian leanings and being a hodler of Bitcoin. Brad and BJ talk about their experience learning about how the money supplies work and who runs them behind the scenes, namely the Federal Reserve. The two wrap up the show with a discussion about Roger Ver’s visit to the ‘What Bitcoin Did’ podcast and his anti-Bitcoin antics, as well as how the cryptocurrency space differs significantly from the Bitcoin space.
Introducing BJ Dichter
BJ Dichter joins the show on this episode discussing his experience with the Freedom Convoy, a large act of protest that lasted for weeks in the Canadian capital city of Ottawa. He talks in detail about how he’s been harassed by a number of people who’ve misunderstood his political positions and largely blames this on biased media reports about the Freedom Convoy. Before BJ was a Freedom Convoy activist, he was a gemologist, a field of study specializing in precious gemstones. BJ found this career path was not for him, but that wasn’t his only frustration before getting into Bitcoin.
During his time at Ryerson University, BJ became disenfranchised with the growing extremist wing of people holding liberal political views and their preference for the post-modern philosophy often associated with Michel Foucault. BJ expands on this by discussing some topics about controversial professor, Jordan Peterson and an author who holds similar views, Steven Hicks. This disenfranchisement culminated in BJ’s so-called colleagues quietly telling his corporate partners that he held right-wing sentiments that were distorted into something he didn’t really believe in while he was starting up a business for motorcycle parts, attempting to shift out of the gemology field.
Between these events, BJ had been educating himself on how blockchains, the monetary system, and other financial instruments work, and adding his voice to the pro-Bitcoin choir. BJ holds a balance of political views and discusses his experience being asked to get involved in politics, which he is vehemently against, as he claims that it’s not for him outside of the field of activism.
The Canadian Political Landscape
After the introductions, Brad and BJ discuss the up-and-coming Canadian politician, Pierre Poilievre, who’s been highly involved in the media drumming up support for his candidacy as the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. Poilievre is an interesting political candidate since he holds (uncharacteristically for a Canadian politician) libertarian leaning sentiments and is himself a Bitcoiner. Pollievre has expressed support for Bitcoin and cryptocurrency legislation that would strengthen the environment in Canada to support growth for the field of cryptocurrency. Alongside his support for Bitcoin, Poilievre is for anti-covid mandates and seeks to return the Canadian economy back to business as usual.
In addition to the commentary about Poilievre, the pair of podcasters have a lot to say about the remaining covid-related mandates the Canadian government has still been maintaining, namely about requiring a covid passport to access air and rail travel.
The Bitcoin Landscape
The pair switch gears and discuss the impact that anti-Bitcoiners have had on the whole cryptocurrency space, such as Peter Schiff and Roger Ver. Brad and BJ both remark about the resilience of Bitcoin during the trying times it has been put through both currently and in the past. Brad cites examples of this resilience such as remaining strong after several Chinese bans, and a number of disparagement campaigns from other cryptocurrency projects. Brad then recalls several times when Bitcoin’s competitor’s have failed miserably in spite of their claims, a key example being the infamous DAO hack.
Before wrapping things up, Brad and BJ explain that in their opinion, the problem with contemporary economics is to be found in monetary policies relating to central banking. The real shifts were the implementation of the Bretton Woods system and post-1971, when the USA went off of the gold standard. This was a significant economic development because it introduced the petrodollar and was a precursor to contemporary Modern Monetary Theory (MMT), which both Brad and BJ agree is the culprit to be blamed for a number of economic woes. Wrapping up the show, Brad offers to introduce BJ to Justin Rezvani, founder of the Zion platform as well as other Bitcoiners and events.
Links to Mentions in the Show
Honking for Freedom Tallycoin Fundraiser
Steven Hicks and his work on post-modernism
The What Bitcon Did podcast hosted by Peter McCormack, with guest Roger Ver