This gets kinda philosophical, but - military action isn’t murder for the same reason arresting a murderer isn’t kidnapping. Motives count for a lot. The whole point of entrusting the state with a monopoly on violence, instead of expecting no violence whatsoever, is that some violence is necessary. Otherwise self-defense would be identical to assault. Schoolchildren can explain why that’s unjust. Even the most granola anarchist will eventually describe dragging someone out of the commune and putting a sandal-print on their ass.
The real problem is with hierarchy-brained conservatives Not Getting It and figuring the police are just a special class of people who are supposed to get away with whatever. To those dingii, prison is kidnapping, but sometimes kidnapping is good somehow. This is why they’re confused when an off-duty cop murders a neighbor over a personal disagreement. They don’t understand the difference between that, and officers suddenly resolving a hostage situation.
The issue right this second is that all systems intended to restrain authority are saying ‘there are no limits, he doesn’t need a reason, he can get away with absolutely anything,’ and we the public are short on ways to say no thank you.
This gets kinda philosophical, but - military action isn’t murder for the same reason arresting a murderer isn’t kidnapping. Motives count for a lot. The whole point of entrusting the state with a monopoly on violence, instead of expecting no violence whatsoever, is that some violence is necessary. Otherwise self-defense would be identical to assault. Schoolchildren can explain why that’s unjust. Even the most granola anarchist will eventually describe dragging someone out of the commune and putting a sandal-print on their ass.
The real problem is with hierarchy-brained conservatives Not Getting It and figuring the police are just a special class of people who are supposed to get away with whatever. To those dingii, prison is kidnapping, but sometimes kidnapping is good somehow. This is why they’re confused when an off-duty cop murders a neighbor over a personal disagreement. They don’t understand the difference between that, and officers suddenly resolving a hostage situation.
The issue right this second is that all systems intended to restrain authority are saying ‘there are no limits, he doesn’t need a reason, he can get away with absolutely anything,’ and we the public are short on ways to say no thank you.
This was the oldest way.