From: Dale Thorn <dthorn@gte.net>
Date: Sun, 22 Sep 1996 18:43:36 +0800
To: Black Art <blackart@ctrl-alt-del.com>
Subject: Re: Going AP Shit on the Internet
In-Reply-To: <3.0b16.32.19960921222547.00e3e3e0@www.ctrl-alt-del.com>
Message-ID: <3244F383.4743@gte.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Black Art wrote:
> At 06:22 PM 9/21/96 -0700, Dale Thorn wrote:
> >[more examples of "why it wouldn't work" deleted]
> >This is like Buliosi hyping his superior strategy all over TV (at 
> >least
> >he had the decency to say the jury was basically honest).  It's still
> >strategy, folks.  It doesn't say anything about the people's right to
> >have more control over what is already happening.  I just wish
> >entities like Black Art would say "I'm doing all I possibly can to
> >make sure the people DO get involved when govt. *decides* to murder
> >someone".  Then, entities like Black Art wouldn't be able to stand
> >back in their righteousness and say that they're NOT responsible for 
> >what their govts. do.

> What do you mean "when"?  Government murders people all the time.  As 
> for when you will find out about it...  Most of the time, you will
> not. Governments have gotten very good at hiding their crimes.  Either 
> by orders of secrecy, appeals to patriotism, or doing it out of view
> of the general public.
> I realize my limitations in taking on an enitity as large as Uncle
> Sugar. I do what I can to foil his plans (which is not much), but I do 
> not believe for a moment that he actually listens to the cries of the 
> peasants unless he wants to.  Government is like a servant.  He 
> wanders about your house at
> all hours.  Sneeks up on you when you are not looking.  And will slip
> something nasty into your drink if you become too much of a pain and
> beleive that they will benifit by your death.
> Governments are groups of individuals.  Since they are not me, I have 
> no responsibility over their actions.  (Any more than I have over 
> yours.)
> Are you responsible for what your government does?  Can we hold you
> accountable for them?  Punish you for those crimes?
> I didn't think so.

I'm hearing even more strategy, it would seem.  I don't see the 
relevance of how govt. behaves (i.e., like a bad uncle who hangs around 
too long and molests the kids, etc.) to who's responsible.  If you live 
in the U.S., that govt. is your agent, carrying out your 
representatives' instructions, and paid with your tax dollars.  Unless 
and until this becomes a literal dictatorship (and there is a valid 
argument that it applies even then), you are responsible for whatever 
your paid agents do, from the street cop to the top politico.

It's too bad your fellow citizens shirk their duty and watch TV instead, 
but issuing the above kinds of denial doesn't take the blood off of your 
hands or mine.  Now maybe it would take God (for example) to judge 
whether you, I, or Joe Blow is more guilty, for lack of participation or 
some other citizen crime, but you can't put all the blame on your hired 
agents for their crimes, when you know very well what kinds of things 
they do, and you continue to fund them.  You have to be considered an 
accessory, at least.