I saw it written once that the definition of insanity is repeating the same process over and over and expecting the outcome to suddenly be different. I am finally ready to stop this insanity. Well, Mr. Big Brother IRS man, let's try something different; take my pound of flesh and sleep well.
By now, most of us know the story of the demise of Joseph Andrew Stack. We know of the anger, the frustration, and the desperation. Whatever is or will become known, there can be little doubt that Stack's attack on the IRS was a tragedy of the first order. That it didn't need to happen and perhaps could have been prevented should go without saying...though it really does need to be said.
If you're so inclined, you can read Stack's final manifesto to try and gain some insight. It's not a trip into the heart of darkness that I'd particularly recommend, other than to say that Stack clearly had some issues. That a man could reach a breaking point such as Stack did, burning his own house down and then flying a plane into an office building, is difficult to comprehend.
We live in an era rife with an intense hatred and distrust of government. To a large segment of the population, government is seen as the problem, not the solution. That this is by and large untrue is really beside the point. If you fear your government, no amount of rational discussion is likely to disabuse you of that notion. Joseph Andrew Stack had clearly had a long and unpleasant history with the IRS. Unfortunately, the very nature of most IRS enforcement efforts lends credence to those who fear and despise what they view as the heavy hand of government.
Of course, flying a plane into an office building is a damn poor way to express one's frustration with government. While I can't pretend to live in Stack's head, that someone would feel driven to take such a desperate, tragic step should serve as a wake-up call for all of us. While I neither know nor particularly care to know the details of Stack's issues with the IRS, I can't help but wonder if the historically heavy hand of the IRS may have contributed to this outcome.
I'm not about to jump on the bandwagon of those who feel that the IRS is the instrument of Satan. This is not an ideological issue for me. This is a matter of simple human dignity and decency. Yes, Americans have a legal duty to pay their taxes; that's not in dispute here. When one looks at the tax code, though, one can come to the conclusion that it's set up by and large to benefit the wealthiest among us. In light of that, it's east to begin to understand why some feel so wronged. You can begin to understand why some a bit further down the economic food chain feel as if the deck is stacked against them. The rich get away with more because they can afford tax attorneys, while the middle class gets hosed because...well, because that's the way the game is played.
Joseph Andrew Stack will undoubtedly become a hero and a martyr to those who fear, despise, and distrust government...all while they enjoy the benefits provided by said government. Being an American doesn't mean that safety, security, and opportunity are birthrights. Someone has to pay the freight, so to argue against government while you sit in safety and security is nothing if not hypocritical. Of course, if your issue is the inequity and unfairness inherent in our tax code...well, you've got my attention. There can be little dispute that our government is constituted of, by, and for the wealthy among us. Same as it ever was. It's not fair...but then it was never designed to be fair.
Having said that, of course, there's no excuse for flying a plane into an IRS office...no matter how much you feel you've been wronged. Taking innocent lives and destroying property is a damn poor way to convince Americans of the righteousness of your cause. Never mind that committing suicide in a grandiose and very public manner is a specatularly ineffective way to resolve grievances.
