Remember, Remember the 5th of November

As the 5th of November dawns and we remember the “gunpowder treason and plot,” I can’t help but muse about the ethics of intentionally killing politicians or other government officials. Was Guy Fawkes’ justified in attempting to blow up Parliament? If so, would similar actions be justified in the present day? It’s easy to pretend that the governments of long ago were somehow more brutal or more deserving of revolution than those of today, but the same principles (or lack thereof) have been at the foundation of all governments throughout human history — primarily the false notion that some individuals have the right to rule over others. So the question remains: Is actively taking part in the corruption of the state a crime worthy of death? To me at least, the 5th of November seems like the perfect day to ponder such questions.

Parrish