Legality and Morality Are Diametrically Opposed

“In Anarchy, rape is legal, child molestation is legal, sexual slavery is legal, everything is legal because nothing is illegal because there are no laws. How, specifically, will that lead to Liberty?”

Legality is an arbitrary construct fabricated by those in power to supplant one’s understanding of Morality. In reality these two concepts are diametrically opposed. If legality is used as a metric for how to behave it has failed miserably. For time immemorial many more atrocities have been committed in the name of the State than were ever committed by private individuals.

The list of political euphemisms for criminal acts committed by agents of the State is inexhaustible. It is not theft, it is taxation or civil asset forfeiture. It is not kidnapping it is the War on Drugs or getting arrested. They’re not called rape camps, they’re called prisons. They’re not called a violent gang, they’re called law enforcement or the military. It’s not called mass murder, it’s called the War on Terror. It’s not called counterfeiting, it’s called Quantitative Easing, currency creation, or the Mandrake Mechanism. It’s not called an extortion racket it’s called the Internal Revenue Service. It’s not called spying or the surveillance State, it’s called the National Security Agency. It’s not called sexual molestation, it’s called getting a pat down by the TSA. It’s not called getting a death threat, it’s called getting pulled over by the police.

Those who possess an internal moral compass or conscience have no need for laws. Those who do not possess an internal moral compass or conscience do not care for the law. Law is an appeal to authority. Law is an opinion with a gun. The slave asks “Is it legal?”. The free man asks “Is it moral?” Let your conscience be the only law you obey.

I will die a slave of principles, not men.

Emiliano Zapata, Mexican Revolutionary leader

About Danilo

A practitioner of Eastern Healing arts with degrees in Acupuncture and Chinese medicinal herbs, I have always questioned the status quo, a path which led me to peaceful anarchism. Through my journey, I have worn many hats, that of a classical pianist, avid chess player, philosopher, comedian, and now father of two little anarchists. My wife brands me as a Cultural Critic, but I am simply following my thirst for knowledge and passion for writing.