The Exigent Duality
Principles - 16:34 CST, 12/29/20 (Sniper)
Long time readers will know that I'm a philosophical anarchist: accepting that someone has sovereignty over another's body implies that they don't have sovereignty over their own body, which makes no sense.

Nonetheless, I've gone along with paying taxes all my life, even though that money is being used to bomb the hell out of innocent people overseas, to spy on American citizens, to provide the power levers for censorious tech companies, to grope elderly people and children at airports, plus all manner of other insane ventures.

But the State finally drew a line I wouldn't cross when Minnesota's governor, with the stroke of a pen, denied me access to health care and the ability to buy food for my children, unless I wear a "Star of David" armband.

For the first time, as a citizen of America, I refused to comply.

"But Sniper, what's the big deal? It's just a piece of cloth."

The problem is the precedent it sets: because not enough people were strong enough to resist as I have, now we live in a world where governors can deny people access to a doctor and food, unilaterally, for any reason they make up.

Minnesota's governor could decree tomorrow that to be allowed into Hy-Vee, people have to wear GPS ankle bracelets, live in camera monitored cages in their homes, and engage in self flagellation like Sancho Panza. And what could anyone say, as they'd already accepted the principle?

In fact, if he did make such a decree I'm positively certain you'd see searches on eBay for cages and ankle bracelets explode.

But perhaps I'm no better: how many mistaken principles did I accept while spending my whole life paying taxes, following "speed limits", getting permits before I purchase firearms, and all sorts of other things?

Principles matter, and Pandora's Box is wide open now.