Has it ever occurred to you, or any other extreme libertarian types that just because someone isn't an anarchist-libertarian he isn't a "boot licking yes-[man] for LEOS"?
There is a lot of room for honest disagreement about what laws are proper vs which are an unjust infringement of rights before someone moves into the realm of "boot licker". That is a grossly offensive, derisive term to apply to another person.
I don't subscribe to an anarchist social theory. I believe anarchy yields far more human suffering that does a properly functioning government. But, I do not believe that human suffering is the goal of most anarchists. Anarchists/Libertarians may well be grossly misguided, but I do not believe they are evil. And so, much as I disagree with them, I try to avoid imparting evil motives to them. I try not to impugn their character. Their ability to explain their positions, their thinking skills, even their intelligence and command of history and language are all fair game. But one better have more than mere socio-political disagreement before impugning a man's character.
The term "boot licker" is an affront to character. It implies cowardice, lack of moral compass, complicity in evil. To use that term toward another is to demonstrate your utter contempt for him.
I commend
this nice, short article in my local paper, the Deseret News on the topic of "Curing our contempt."
If those who share so much in common in support of RKBA can't or won't avoid holding each other in contempt, or imparting evil motives for every disagreement, who possibly can or will?
Is there something inherently evil about earning a living providing honorable public service? From the men who built the InterState highway system, the guy who keeps our sewers running smoothly, to the geeks whose job it is to maintain the standard weights and measures for the nation, there are honorable, essential, constitutional public services that need to be performed. Most "sensible people" (as you recently typed) are quite happy to have firefighters and paramedics when they are needed, without regard to whether a particular unit is volunteer, privately run, or taxpayer funded. Most such people are thrilled that there is someone who investigates murders, muggings, and rapes, makes arrests, and mans the prisons that keep horribly violent scum away from the rest of us.
An intelligent, thoughtful man can disagree with some laws or how they are enforced without wanting to throw the baby out with the bath water.
Charles
