You don’t have to support violence to understand it. It’s possible to defend violence on purely logical grounds.
Given my clearly stated distaste for Western logical forms, that should hardly indicate I don’t get it. Part of my objection is the absolute impotence of such logic to address eternal issues. But most of America is rooted in that Western rationalism with linear analytical structures.
The standard mainstream repulsion against violence is purely cultural, in the sense it is so very easy to trace it back to the newly rising middle class at the end of the Middle Ages. There are several good books on the subject, but the point is the final death of feudalism was the foundation for the Enlightenment, itself a mere revival of ancient Hellenistic philosophy, which posited man in this world is the measure of all things. The fear of a soul which believes this is all there can be is the result of that logic, so our modern middle class American society fears violence it can’t control. Don’t be fooled; the middle class would gladly slaughter anyone who threatens to expose their vacuous lack of moral substance, which explains the unconscionably harsh sentencing against some things, but the complete lack of logical consistency which allows drug dealers life in prison while while rapists get off with a few months.
Fear is the given; the logic must flow from that unquestionable source.
So we have this public denunciation of mere threats against a Congressional member. The threats are tied to discussions about public policy regarding government regulation of medicine. If you buy all the unspoken assumptions, you’ll go, “tsk, tsk” and wonder if it’s not funded by the HMOs. (Take a moment to note I support neither public health provisions nor HMOs, but that’s another story.) However, if we deconstruct all those assumptions, we get a totally different picture. This is not illogical and brutish at all.
First, we must simply dismiss the fiction our election process bears any relation to public will. The entire process is manipulated from the start, and it’s rare when your local Dog Catcher doesn’t gain office by corrupt dealing. That is the nature of influence in modern America. You will never, ever be permitted to vote for the person you honestly believe is best, nor even gain an honest appraisal of those who might be qualified. All public notice regarding elections is thoroughly manipulated to funnel all discussion into foregone conclusions, channels favorable to the current ruling regime. You can choose Socialist Party A, or Socialist Part B, but you will most certainly have socialism. Don’t ask.
Second, the ancient pretense the people elected give a rotting rat’s patootie what you think keeps that system in place. When they dare to suggest they want to hear from you, that means they want you to line up in favor of what they plan to do anyway. Yes, you’ll get choices. Same as before: You can have corporate fascist rationed medical care or communist rationed medical care. Either way, certain select groups of people will get their fat cuts from overcharging you, so shut up and hand over that wallet. Oh, and sometime down the road we might consider giving you something which resembles medical treatment, but you can be sure the doctors and nurses won’t even be allowed to think outside the prescribed boxes. That system was lined up long ago, too.
Thirdly, a small handful of our national Founding Fathers dared to write their honest thoughts about this process they foresaw in some degree. Knowing nearly all men could be had for the right price, they said we should take care to arm ourselves with modern combat weapons and prepare to threaten, even wound and kill, those who would pretend to rule us. They called this idea the 2nd Amendment. Almost immediately the majority of those who actually held government offices back in those days began dismantling that idea. By no means should we see the incremental weakening of that ideal as some series of accidents of history. That was the plan from the start. Those hotheads who dared to state the obvious were in the minority, and seldom held office very long. As soon as possible, the wedge of alienation was driven between the governing and the governed. Despite pretty words to the contrary, the bulk of government activity, in all three branches of the federal machinery, have steadily ground away at any notion of liberty.
So let’s get all proper and whine about threats from people who dare to oppose the proposal without first submitting their contentions to the mangling machinery. By now, the logic is clear. Some portion of the governed have come to realize no portion of the federal government would dream of submitting to public accountability. What they think of that idea is too obscene for me to type here. And the people are starting to get it. Since no effort at calling government officials to account will get anywhere, they offer what little is left them. “Stop raping us or we will kill you.” You understand, of course, I’m still being nice and choosing gentle words.
