Civil Disobedience Risk Assessment

Each of us runs risks everyday, it’s part of being alive, I think.  But what about the risk when it comes to laws, specifically civil disobedience to laws promulgated by the state?  How do you assess the risks in regards to civil disobedience?  Do you assess the risk of civil disobedience as you would assess the risk of getting in your car and driving to work?  How do you assess the risk of owning, and carrying, a gun without a permit?  How about assessing the risk of acquiring or not acquiring a fishing license?  A dog license, a building permit, or any of the other lesser intrusions by the state into your life?

When I look at my own assessments of risk regarding civil disobedience, I tend to assess the risk based on my perceived chances of being caught, and whether I would voluntarily participate in such and such a program.  For example I don’t license my dog or utilize a leash.  Low risk.  I don’t license my weapon, and I carry.  High risk, if caught, low risk overall, though, because who knows if I do or don’t carry, unless I’m foolishly advertising the fact by brandishing.  (Would writing that be considered foolish or brandishing?)

How about that fishing license?  I bought one, again, this year, though I mulled it over for quite some time, and only acquired my fishing license on opening day of trout season, though the risk of being asked to prove my legality to fish is minimal.  Why did I purchase that fishing license?  Because I would voluntarily pay to fly fish on private waters.  How about plates for my car?  Yes, I have them and a driver’s license.  If I had neither, the risk, as I assess it, is quite high for being apprehended and punished for not having them.

I’ve been thinking about this for some time and yesterday, when I stopped by Karen DeCoster’s blog, I thought about it some more, because Karen has a post up titled “Steenkin’ Permits and the Impossibility of Defeating the State" Karen has all the requisite permits, and in her post states her reasons why she does, which I can respect.  As for the impossiblity of defeating the state, I’m not certain if I would concede to that.  I may concede to some of the interference from the state into my life, but I think that where I do allow it, I am allowing it voluntarily, though the coercive force behind the state does factor in.

I think the topic is interesting.

Posted by on 05/19 at 05:41 AM

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