Editor:
In Daniel D’Amico’s column, “Anarchist Against War Activism,” September 5, he makes some interesting points concerning the nature of the Iraq war, but seems to be short-sighted concerning the natures of activism, war, and government.
His views seem to represent a philosophy that is based upon strict separatism and naivete.
For example, he disagrees with the Iraq war, but chooses to distance himself from left-wing protesters because of their solutions to the war and their supposedly misguided motives for protesting.
But the nature of protest has always been to bring together groups that would otherwise be opposed, in order to fight for a common cause.
If he truly cared about the aggression against innocent Iraqi citizens, he would not let his ideology prevent him from speaking out against the issue immediately at hand, which is the act of war.
His criticism of the typical peace activists for their government-based solutions is misguided in itself, due to the fact that removing government will certainly not put an end to war.
Man has engaged in war since the early days of humanity, and as long as nations, boundaries, and collective pride exist, there will continue to be war.
War between countries is nothing more than an extension of the natural, anarchic, hostile state of man that philosophers as far back as the Enlightenment identified.
Unless the world erases its borders, abandons the concept of nations, and humans become completely humble (ideas which don’t seem very plausible), war between countries will continue, no matter what a country’s governmental and taxation policies are.
We do not live in an ideal world, which is the only place in which the idea of eliminating governments and nations to provide peace could possibly become a reality.
I also was opposed to the war, but it’s important to recognize that governments, despite some definite flaws (that have more to do with policy than with identity), provide many benefits that wealthy nations often take for granted.
No matter what their political ideology, people should realize that taxes finance many essential parts of society, such as roads, schools, public transportation, police, and firefighters.
In short, taxes protect us from descending even further into poverty, danger, and anarchy, or, as it is commonly defined, “utter confusion.”
Jason Lafonpsychology senior
