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Comment by swat535 | Hacker News Reader

Another good thread to follow is the murdering of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42317604

It's an interesting exercise to compare these threads.

My own position on the matter is the not an edgy one: political violence of any kind, is never justified, but it does signal that something deep in society requires a change.

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I'm of the view that it's violence of the non-political kind that is never justified*. Political violence can be legitimized, as an option of last resort. There's plenty of historical examples where groups of people were denied every avenue of redress until they turned violent. As an example, read up on the history of most labour unions.

* one exception being defense of life and limb.

I am european and not american, but since reddit is mostly used by americans I would say that from their prospective political violence is justified and encoded in the constitution. How would you explain the second emendment?

> A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State

Isn't really political. By my reading the clause also invalidates the entire amendement soon as the US aquired a standing army, but I'm not from the US so, who knows.

It seems odd to not quote the full amendment. It’s not like it’s long.

The phrasing in total is far more vague than what you’re presenting.

> political violence of any kind, is never justified,

I'm genuinely curious about how you reconcile this with the world around you.

I completely disagree. Political violence is the universal check on every political system that keeps it from sucking too much.

The optimal amount of crazies getting off the porch at any one time is not zero much like the optimal amount of fraud is not zero.

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