Politically Speaking: October 1991

There is a document published by Harper and Row which discusses different aspects of the US government, indoctrinating innocent, young school children into the nightmare of history. One passage, in particular, is about the legitimacy of the US Government. The passage quotes Max Weber, eminent sociologist: “The government is the institution in society that has a legitimate monopoly over force.”

Legitimate, as defined in the American Heritage Dictionary is: 1. In compliance with the law; 2. In accordance with traditional or established patterns and standards; 3. Based on logical reasoning; reasonable. Of course, we see the inherent paradox in the very definition of the concept of legitimacy; relating lawful practice to reasonable process is not only nefarious but impractical and dogmatically stupid.

The aforementioned document does, however, provide us with their definition of what is meant by “the legitimacy of government” which is “that the people accept the exercise of force as right and proper.” The author goes on to give an example relating to everyday experience. A parent beating their child is an example of the use of legitimate force, while a stranger beating the child is not. Therefore, violence under state authority is “right and proper” just as a mother beating her child is “right and proper.” 

The government is legitimately responsible to hire and arm a police force, to built and fill prisons and punish wrongdoers by taking away their rights. Of course, we see that our government is only accepted as legitimate insofar as it can threaten, sanction, imprison and liquidate its opposition. The American Civil War is a prime example of the ruthless attitude which has been our nations guiding light in establishing itself as a world power. Nixon, Reagan and Bush are contemporary examples of gangsters/warlords who will stop at nothing to keep  their “fragile seat at number one” (quote from Fugazi). In short, politics (US and world) is based on violence and the threat of violence. As Gandhi said, “Poverty is the worst form of violence.” Without violence, politics as we know it would virtually collapse. So, lets’ stop fighting, love one another and let the politic go the way of the dinosaur.

Do you accept the use of force by the government (or any group or individual) as being “right and proper?” Do you feel the government is adequately serving you? Do you feel satisfied being represented and governed by lawyers and politicians? If not, then change it! Yes, you can.

Voice your opinion. Accept what you can’t change, change what you can’t accept. After all, you get what you settle for. Take a few minutes out of your day to do something about anything you find unacceptable. There are many avenues available to change things. Free communication is not illegal, yet.

As Jello Biafra has said, “Don’t hate the media, become the media!” A cop can’t bash your head if he knows it’ll be on prime time. A politician can’t give a bullshit runaround to an informed electorate. 

A good way to begin to affect positive change is to join a group committed to accomplishing at least some of the things you’d like to see done. The Anti-Defamation League, the Libertarian or Socialist parties, or any group you like—or, start your own group, such as Free Utahns Committed to Killing Every Republican (F.U.C.K.E.R). This is just a joke—I do not advocate violence, as much as I’d like to see the Republicans “choke” on the negative public opinion I’ve seen running rampant. It’s interesting to note, as a sideline, the casual manner in which a national newscaster mentioned, recently while discussing Israel’s impatience with Bush over this loan thing, that they (intimidating all of us) would have to put up with Bush for another five years. The ‘92 election are over a year away and it already seems like it’s in the bag for Huge Berserk Rebel Warthog. Say it isn’t so!

Or you could join a such esoteric group such as the Church of the SubGenius or the Fundamentalist Christians and just sit back, waiting patiently for an imminent Armageddon, praise God, praise Bob. And remember—every 26 seconds another wannabe Christian “takes the plunge” and every .026 seconds another wannabe SubGenius sends in his/her 20 dollar membership.

By now it should be painfully obvious to each and every one of us that our government is nothing more than the gang with the most guns of all. What’re you going to do about it? Continue paying taxes and debts to the local monopolies and bitching about your impotence at effecting change? That doesn’t sound wise to me. Contact organizations that are struggling to fight the capitalist dictators. They need your support. And not just your money. Your vote, your presence, your opinion. If you like to smoke pot, join N.O.R.M.L., and write your “elected representatives.” Tell them that their time in office is up, that we, the people, who salary these 

Demorepublicats who are fostering the conditions of industrialized capitalism that we are enduring are out of a job come November. It’s time to think for ourselves, to use our Head, to get Rich, and to smile.

Next Month: Sex and drugs—is there enough of it around? Adam Weishaupt is the leader of the Bavarian “Washington’s” picture Illuminati, who is alleged to have died some two centuries ago. He believes that the time is ripe for the immunization of the eschaton and feels that SLUG is the only publication in the valley that he can trust to print his transmissions without editing or running subversive, subliminal Bush propaganda.

For more from the SLUG Archives:
U.S. Film and Video Festival
Tape and Record Reviews February 1990