They didn’t think they were thieves…
It’s probably because I’ve recently read Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, but that’s what I thought when I saw some protesters today.
There were lots of people protesting in front of the local campaign office. The group of handicapped people had signs said that they deserved to have a home of their own.
The mental conversation that I had with them (don’t ever engage protesters, it’ll drive you as nuts as they are) went something like this:
- Me: So you are homeless?
- Them: No, we live in group facility.
- Me: And you want a home?
- Them: We want to live on our own, just like you do.
- Me: So why don’t you buy one, or rent your own place?
- Them: We can’t because we can’t live alone.
- Me: Can’t you hire someone?
- Them: We can’t afford it.
- Me: Well why don’t you get a job that pays well enough so that you could afford it?
- Them: We don’t have the skills for a high-paying job.
- Me: So you want me to pay for it?
- Them: No, there’s a government program that would pay for it.
- Me: And that program is paid for by …?
- Them: The government.
- Me: And I pay for the government.
- Them: I guess…
- Me: So you want to steal from me to fund your program?
- Them: It’s not stealing
- Me: Then you’re begging?
- Them: Of course not
- Me: So if you aren’t begging, then how does that program get funded?
- < cut several circular iterations of how government programs are funded >
- Them: So yes, you would pay for it.
- Me: So you’re thieves.
- Them: < vapor lock >
- Me: Look, if you make me buy something for you that I don’t want to, isn’t that stealing?
- Them: < vapor lock >
- Me: So if you want the government to buy something for you, they have to get the money from me. And they do it by threat. Stealing, plain and simple.
- Them: < finally no longer vapor locked > But what about the military. Your taxes pay for that.
- Me: Yes, and it is a service that the entire country benefits from. What you’re asking for is only to benefit you. It doesn’t make it any less stealing just because you are hiding it in layers of government and spreading the cost around to everyone.
