Wednesday, March 22, 2023

'Legal' not the same as 'ethical'

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for February 19, 2023)




You may think I only object when it's government doing the bad things. Nope. An act isn't wrong or right based only on who's doing it.

Theft is wrong no matter whether you're a burglar, a mugger, or a government tax collector "just doing his job". To imagine it's only wrong if it's done by the government revenue employee is as crazy as saying it's right because it's called "taxation". The act is wrong in itself and no rules can make it right. Not even if those rules have been around for thousands of years. Time doesn't magically change wrong into right.

The difference between a regular criminal and a government is an imaginary difference instilled in us from birth. This doesn't make it true.

If it's wrong for me to do it to my neighbor, it's wrong for someone else to do it even if it's in their job description.

I have no right to tell my neighbors what they can grow in their gardens or how darkly they can tint their car windows. I can't hire someone to do things I have no right-- as an individual-- to do. A right doesn't spring into existence if I gather a crowd who wants the power to do the same thing. My neighbors have the right to defend themselves if I try to force my will on them in this way.

Most people don't like this reality. They want to justify violating others if they feel it is necessary. Especially if they can say it's not up to them, but it's "the law".

Once upon a time, it was legal to act as though you owned another human being. People were legally required to kidnap an individual who escaped and return him to the person who pretended to own him. The law-- written and enforced by people who had no right to do so-- said this was right, but it never was.

Later, "the law" required businesses to serve people differently according to their "race". They had to separate customers by skin color. It was "the law" and again, it was wrong to require this.

"Legal" never has meant "ethical". What unethical things do you support today just because they are legal and you like them? Would you feel the same if the person committing the act wasn't acting on behalf of government? Or, do you oppose wrong things being done no matter who is doing them?
-
I couldn't do this without your support.

Dominoes are toppling, but...


I'm glad that judges across the country are throwing out so many anti-gun rules.

However, it's ridiculous to imagine anyone has to wait for a judge to throw out an unethical rule before they ignore it. That's as bad as imagining slaves had to comply with their enslavement until slavery was declared illegal. 

It's also ridiculous that the anti-gun political monsters are allowed to keep violating natural human rights and fighting to keep their anti-human rules while they beg the courts to agree with them. And they are allowed to keep making up new rules every time they get smacked down. It should be "You were scolded for your misbehavior and now you're done. Go home and never molest anyone ever again."

That it doesn't work that way illustrates how illegitimate all legislation, politicians, the court system, and the entirety of the whole mess truly are.

If I weren't in the midst of my troubles I'd buy a Polymer80 kit, just to have on hand to finish at my leisure. But, maybe, there's no need to rush now.

-
I'm entering the last week before pre-payments are due.