Badges and Legitimacy
Kat Kanning at Keene Free Press - a nice, short comparison of garden variety and uniformed thugs. The fact that the thug is wearing a uniform and enforcing a "law" doesn't change the fact that he is a thug. Nor, say I, not Mrs. Kanning, does it change your moral right to shoot him dead to stop him. As a practical matter, of course, it is very different, since the uniformed thug is a member of a well-armed, well-trained, extremely vindictive gang that will attack you if you defend yourself from any one of their number.
A tiny woman drives down the road. She's is bothering no one, harming no one. Her angry boyfriend stops her, drags her out of her car, ties her up, locks her in a little room and doesn't let her out for over a week.
One might rightfully call that man a thug.
A tiny woman drives down the road. She's is bothering no one, harming no one. A police officer stops her, drags her out of her car, ties her up, locks her in a little room and doesn't let her out for over a week.
One might rightfully call that man a thug, too. The badge doesn't change the nature of the act. She still hasn't harmed anyone, he's still used force against someone who hasn't harmed anyone.
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