Saturday, September 17, 2005

The state

"It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets." -- Voltaire

... It does not make sense to me that the state is allowed to do things that individuals may not. The state is just the collective will of the people. But apparently this collective will, having the ultimate power, decides that it is above the usual rules guiding men. It can imprison men and call it "justice". It can steal and call it "taxes". It can murder and call it "war".

People say that people who take the law in their own hands are vigilantes and criminals. Only the state may handle justice. But there is nothing holy about the state, it is just a large group mind. It is just a five hundred million pound gorilla. ("Where does a five hundred pound gorilla sit in a bus? - Wherever it wants.")

2 comments:

Craig C said...

Nice site. I have been an avid fan of Domai for three or four years.

http://blogresponder.blogspot.com

Zeppellina said...

Ahh...getting interesting Eolake, an agent provocateur, no less...!!