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A comment on FBI releases documents that confirm they proactively spy on anarchists. Parent comment

Re:FBI releases documents that confirm they proactively spy ... by ojiikun on Wednesday October 24, 2012 @02:48PM (#4694403)
All joking aside, because the government is created by the people to serve the people. It is not in the slightest sense the job of the government to sustain itself. That behaviour is the sole result of overpaid, power-hungry politicians who don't want to have to go find a real job.
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Re:FBI releases documents that confirm they proactively spy ... by pnathan on Wednesday October 24, 2012 @03:03PM (#4694484)
> the government is created by the people to serve the people.

Be careful, this is only true in certain countries. Sometimes governments are created by someone who is the best warlord & administrator, c.f., Charlemagne.

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Re:FBI releases documents that confirm they proactively spy ... by storborg on Wednesday October 24, 2012 @11:32PM (#4696243)
In this case it's clear that "the government" is short for "the US government".
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Re:FBI releases documents that confirm they proactively spy ... by bbq on Wednesday October 24, 2012 @02:50PM (#4694417)
How can the government serve the people if it can't sustain itself?
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Re:FBI releases documents that confirm they proactively spy ... by yock on Wednesday October 24, 2012 @02:58PM (#4694455)
Government is sustained (or abolished) by the people who employ it. Government that can self-sustain seems dangerously close to a government that doesn't need the people it serves.
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Re:FBI releases documents that confirm they proactively spy ... by jlgreco on Wednesday October 24, 2012 @03:00PM (#4694468)
A government, if it is to serve the people, should only exist as long as the people will it.

If the people present a democratic threat to the government, the government should fade from existence peacefully. If people present a non-democratic threat to the government, then the government should act to protect itself.

Anarchists do not, categorically, present (or seek to present) a non-democratic threat to the democracy.

Do you want to keep tabs on violent* anarchists? Knock yourself out. I have no particular issue with that.

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Re:FBI releases documents that confirm they proactively spy ... by chao- on Wednesday October 24, 2012 @02:57PM (#4694449)
The issue is not that of government is trying to preserve itself. This is a desirable outcome, if all else were equal. The issue is that, in this case preservation was given priority above other goals, among them preserving the right of people to freely associate.
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