Governments are supposed to protect us from criminals, but what if the government commits crimes?
Can we still call it a government?
I think we should at least use scare quotes – “government.”
I would go further . . .
An institution that commits crimes is NOT a government.
Honesty requires a more accurate label, such as “criminal gang,” though many will find that shocking due to the Stockholm Syndrome.
So I suggest we call our criminal “government” The State. It’s technically accurate and sounds appropriately ominous.
But what is crime? If you or I assault, steal, or defraud, we are criminals. The same moral standards must apply to government. After all, it’s merely a group of people, and no group is so large or so special that it can magically turn wrong into right.
So does The State initiate violence against us? Of course it does.
Nearly everything The State does is INITIATED violence. Maybe as little as 10% of its actions can be described as defensive retaliation. This means . . .
The State is 90% criminal and only 10% governmental.
But why quibble. Round it off . . .
The State is NOT a government.
The State is an uncontrollable criminal gang.
I think we’ve had it backwards . . .
We’ve been talking about reducing the size of “the government,” when in fact, we should have been talking about . . .
Creating the FIRST true governments.
What we need are governmental institutions that shun initiated violence, and only use violence defensively.
Well, by now your head may be spinning. What does this mean? How would it work?
The Zero Aggression Project is designed to answer those questions.
We want to . . .
Make heads spin. That’s the first sign of an intellectual revolution. Teach people how true government should work, so that their heads stop spinning and arrive at a new paradigm.
This message is a step on that journey. Please consider doing the following . . .
- Stop thinking of The State as a government.
- Stop calling it government. Call it “The State” instead. Describe it as “an uncontrollable criminal gang.”
- When you think you must use the word government to describe The State, put it in scare quotes — “government.” You can also use air quotes when speaking. This will provoke questions and discussions.
- Finally, become a Co-Founder or an Associate member of the Founders Committee for the Zero Aggression Project.
To become a Co-Founder of the Zero Aggression Project do this . . .
You’ll be listed at the top of the Founders Committee along with me and Jim Babka, and the other members of our team.
Founders will be ranked by the size of their gifts. You’ll also have the option of adding your picture next to your name at a later date.
To become an Associate member of the Founders Committee do this . . .
We’ve made it so cheap to support this new effort that nearly everyone can afford it. Get your John Hancock listed on this new Declaration of Independence.
NOTE: If you already have a monthly pledge with the Downsize DC Foundation, then you’re automatically a member of the Founders Committee. Your name will appear on the roster unless you’ve chosen to NOT have your name listed on public rosters. But you can increase your ranking on the roster by giving more.
We hope you find this project inspiring.
ZAP The State and have a nice day,
Perry Willis
Co-Founder
The Zero Aggression Project