I was sitting here trying to ‘understand’ the reason why the crazy ones shoot up ‘innocent’ people and I struck on something that might be of interest and if nothing else, a good argument for future philosophers.  That in a Republic, where the citizenry are part of the process of government, that anyone available to the system, is not innocent.  That is to say that, because this person has the right to effect the policy and the people in the government, that he is just as liable as the leaders for the outcome of his decision.    If for example a vote was put to the people about going to war with Iraq, and it came back 64% to 36% in favor of war…then it would be the people directly declaring war against another nation.  What instead with do, in this Republic is elect officials to represent our views.  So by this logic, if the representatives vote on a policy for war against Iraq, then the people they represent are agreeing with that policy.  This makes the people part of the system.  But it also precludes the citizen from the potential wrath of this war, because the citizen has become a member of the government at large.

In this view, there are no innocent people (except maybe children), because, accordingly, all the members of the Republic are in fact members of the government, therefore they represent potential enemies to those that would oppose it.

From the insanity of my mind, would it then be so difficult to see why so called innocent people might be targeted by enemies of this country.   Sure, the obvious reasons of terror and fear are valid, but could there be a softer under tone, that we just avoid discussing because it never occurred to free men to think themselves integrated into the system?  If the sniper, for example, had some kind of grudge against the government for stealing his children, could it be that when he looked at you and me, he saw ‘voters’.  He saw foolish policy makers.  That instead of seeing just Joe America, he saw everyone as part of the problem.

We are free to do just about what every we want.  And it is because of this that we’ve neglected the socialistic tendency of the rest of the world.  From other standpoints, other viewpoints, were they view their government as a interwoven mesh, it would only seem right for them to look at us and think envies thoughts about our ability to change policy at the drop of hat.  It would probably disgust quite a few as well…especially those that think god some how has the time to write laws for us to follow and we don’t have any business altering them.

I don’t know, just a thought.