Mark Small

Hamilton County, north of Indy, has been solid GOP in one of USA’s most “solid” GOP states. Above the bench of the County Commissioners, in large gold letters, is what one may reasonably infer is some official’s philosophy: “‘That government is best which governs least.’” 8/15

Thoreau began “On Civil Disobedience” w/this quote, then added: “Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which also I believe - ‘That government is best which governs not at all;’ and when men are prepared for it, that will be the kind of government which they will have.” 9/15

Chaos today has been fostered by those on the right who unwittingly (they have few wits), quiver in fear at the “anarchy” and violence of the “deep state” or the “antifa.” One hell of a lot more people have been killed by the right wing, than by the left, since June. 10/15

Historically violence has been used this way. trump loves the taars. C.B. Zubatov, a tsarist police director is quoted: “We shall provoke you to acts of terror and then crush you.” Marx, Gary T., MIT, “The Agent Provocateur and the Informant,” Amer.J.Soc., 1974. 11/15

Much violence of late ‘60s was carried out by people working w/govt who sought to discredit the anti-war movement. “Prince Crazy” was an FBI informant and enjoyed creating that favorite ingredient of the far right - chaos - into otherwise peaceful protests. 12/15

The castaways got along fine on Gilligan’s Island. Most “utopian” beliefs have an anarchistic end to their philosophical rainbow. Christianity, in its final days, also has a world without formal government. 13/15

In the meantime we have to deal with dictators, such as Putin, who seek to make people fear the chaos the dictators themselves create - as an excuse to further dictatorial rule. We have to vote down autocrats and would-be dictators. 14/15

Putin is not all bad, he is also far more complex than you think.