No government program could do what the Trinity Hill UMC church family did for me after my surgery. No politician cares enough about me to show up at my bedside at 5:30 a.m., or to sit with my wife, or to come to my house and sing Christmas carols to cheer me up. So why do we count on these people?
What role, if any, should anarchists should play in world of politics?
The concept of “the people” is nothing more than a political construct. Those in power, and vying for power, use the “will of the people” to wrap their actions in moral legitimacy. But does the existence of a majority consensus within an artificially constructed group really provide any kind of moral authority?
Where do we find the greatest value in life? through our relationships and our shared traditions. Institutions that foster those relationships – family, churches, civic organizations, communities – enrich our lives. Politics and governmental structures don’t.
If you agree that force, violence and coercion are not moral/ethical ways to interact with your neighbors, I would implore you to start looking at other ways to make the world a better place than using political processes and the power of the state to impose your conception of the greater good on the world. It’s always wise to remember that every tyrant in history claimed to be acting for the greater good.
The brutal reign of Fidel Castro strips the mask right off the face of government.
But what of this notion that there’s no sense in opposing war and actively pursuing peace because “it won’t work in the real world?” Should we abandon active, vocal opposition to war because pursuit of peace does nothing but chase an unattainable utopian dream?
The vast majority of people I know take a default position in defense of war. I find this bizarre. Earlier this year, I posted this…
“If we want a better world, we should not hope for an Obama and we should not fear a Donald Trump. We should build it ourselves.” – Edward Snowden
We’re all citizens of another kingdom which is fundamentally at odds with other kingdoms seeking to rule the world, or part of it. We are outposts of heaven living as strangers and foreigners among the nations. And we need to be reminded of that identity every single day.
