The individual vs. the state

Interesting news today. In Egypt, apparently a popular uprising has erupted. The dictator, Mubarek, has shut down all media and declared a curfew, while thousands of people are burning down the local TV station and Mubarek's office of some kind in Cairo. This is after about four days of rioting, the police gasing people, the military called in. One report says people are happy to see the military because the police are so brutal. Others say the police are breaking rank and joining the protesters.

Anyways, a mess.

Mubarek is a dictator. He has complete, autocratic control over Egypt. It seems the Egyptian economy has been hurting -- like everyone else's -- and that has been one source of discontent. Then they also get Al Jazeera and the like, urging them to trade Mubarek for a Imam of some kind, apparently, trading one type of autocratic rule for another. But I doubt you'd convince them of the folly of that.

Hillary Clinton has issued a statement asking Mubarek to meet with the protesters and find out what their problems are and try to offer some kind of solution. But I think the problem is what it always is -- a lack of personal freedom.

Of course, the USA is not without violence either. This morning in Takoma Park, Md., a guy walked into a Capital One bank with something he said was a bomb. (Turned out to be Styrofoam.) Anyway, someone called the cops, and they showed up in 20 seconds. Must be a doughnut shop across the street. At any rate, the guy apparently gave up on the robbery thing and grabbed a woman to use as a human shield so he could get his sorry butt out of the bank.

Outside, backing toward the parking lot, holding the woman in front of him, the robber stepped on a chunk of ice, slipped, and the hostage made a break for it. The cops shot and killed the robber.

So what are the parallels?

Well, I suppose the Maryland bank robber was dead broke, saw little hope in his life, and believed robbing the bank would solve all his problems. It didn't, but that's another thing.

While in Egypt, people are dead broke, see little hope in their lives, and believe they have to topple the government to solve their problems. While the revolt is still in play, I don't think this is going to end happily for anyone involved.

See the parallels between a free, capitalist system and a government-run dictatorship? I think the advantages and disadvantages are pretty clear. It comes down to a matter of scale, and how many people are unwillingly impacted.

And the Comrade wants us all to be more like Red China.

I just don't get it. Do you?

Save the Republic.