June 15, 2009
For quite awhile, I have thought that one could classify people politically as one of three types.
The first type live and work under the conviction that in order for free societies to exist and for their citizens to fully enjoy the blessings of liberty, each citizen must govern himself or herself, and those for which he or she is responsible. And they do so, with honesty and self-restraint, and raise their children to do likewise.
The second type, for whatever reason, cannot or will not govern themselves, are a constant danger to others, and are constantly impinging on the liberty of others.
The first type believe that one of the few legitimate roles of government is to restrain the predations of the second type upon the first. The first type would have an easier time living their lives and dealing with the second type but for the presence of a third type.
This third type may or may not govern themselves, but can always be identified by a feverish desire to govern others. Often they belong to what is called the "governing class," and a lack of belief in either God or kings does not preclude their operating as if by divine right. Unfortunately, they are usually far more concerned with the rights of the second type of person than with those of the first type that are their victims. They usually manage to find their way into government, and there act out their desires to govern others with a baffling indifference to restraining the second type of person and a perverse interest in directing the lives of the first, all the while exempting themselves from the strictures they impose on both.
The first type are fully capable of dealing with the second type, but Lord save us all from the third.
The first type live and work under the conviction that in order for free societies to exist and for their citizens to fully enjoy the blessings of liberty, each citizen must govern himself or herself, and those for which he or she is responsible. And they do so, with honesty and self-restraint, and raise their children to do likewise.
The second type, for whatever reason, cannot or will not govern themselves, are a constant danger to others, and are constantly impinging on the liberty of others.
The first type believe that one of the few legitimate roles of government is to restrain the predations of the second type upon the first. The first type would have an easier time living their lives and dealing with the second type but for the presence of a third type.
This third type may or may not govern themselves, but can always be identified by a feverish desire to govern others. Often they belong to what is called the "governing class," and a lack of belief in either God or kings does not preclude their operating as if by divine right. Unfortunately, they are usually far more concerned with the rights of the second type of person than with those of the first type that are their victims. They usually manage to find their way into government, and there act out their desires to govern others with a baffling indifference to restraining the second type of person and a perverse interest in directing the lives of the first, all the while exempting themselves from the strictures they impose on both.
The first type are fully capable of dealing with the second type, but Lord save us all from the third.
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