A recent comment on this column, a column that had nothing to do with government, makes me think that some people don't see that evil is evil, whether it is committed by government or by freelance thugs.
A commenter using the name "oddtime" said
I'm failing to follow you in this. Are you implying the government made this
person follow you? The person was breaking laws, trespassing, and assault. These
laws are enforces (sic) by the government. Go to the government you dislike and
get a restraining order. Done!
To which I replied
Who said anything about government? Government is not the only force for evil
out there. There are freelance ones, too. Like psycho, aggressive individuals. I
solved the problem without depending on another evil: government. There is no
situation so bad it can't be made worse by adding government to the mix. Why
would any "adult" have someone else do their job for them, especially someone
else financed by theft? I don't need government and neither do you.
I'm not sure about the local "laws" concerning restraining orders, nor do I care, but I do know that in some other places you must have some intimate connection to a person to get "protected" by those flimsy pieces of paper, and that is, thankfully, not the case in this instance. The "advice" from "oddtime" also ignores the fact that a restraining order does nothing to protect anyone. I had a very dear friend who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend while she had a restraining order against him. It was apparently the "last straw" that made him snap. Yes, "oddtime", she was "Done!" alright. I am better off taking care of the problem myself, as would anyone else be. I am not a victim, nor will I beg anyone to turn me into one.
Coercion, aggression, and theft are the issues. The only reason government actions are targeted as much as they are by those who love and understand liberty is that the state is the focus of these evil forces. Using coercion, aggression, and theft wielded on your behalf by the biggest gang of thugs to deal with a threatening individual is simply wrong and pathetic.
You and I can deal with individual aggressors (like the one mentioned in the previous column) by ourselves, unless we refuse to act as self-responsible humans. Evil acts are evil due to their nature, not because of who is doing them. Don't fall in to the trap of thinking that only government does bad things. Government is bad because of the things it does, not because it is "government".
A new blog: Our friend "Black Flag" has a new blog out there that I just became aware of. Visit Freedom Flies a Black Flag soon, and often, for some great wisdom!
And don't forget to check out my books Indy-Pindy and Kent's Liberty Primer
