Divide and conquer being the most
potent weapon in the establishment's arsenal, before I get started I
want to draw a clear distinction between the ego identities human beings
often associate themselves with, which are illusory, and the actual
human individual, which is real. Human beings are real; our ego
identities are not. So when we identify as a particular “race” –
Caucasian, Asian, African, etc – or religion – Christian, Jewish,
Muslim, etc – etc, these are mental abstractions that have no
concrete reality. They are stories we tell ourselves that we think
define us. So although I begin with the declaration,
there is no such thing as a good cop, it should be kept in mind, especially if that statement offends
you, that “police” is a mental abstraction, an ego identity that
mustn't necessarily define the individual.
We all know of the old adage, the road
to hell is paved with good intentions. Even the greatest crimes ever
committed were carried out with what the perpetrators believes were
good intentions, for “the greater good.” As a voluntaryist, I
almost necessarily have to believe in the inherent goodness of the
individual. However, alas, otherwise good people very often believe
and act in ways that are not good, not moral, and do not even realize
it. So when I say, “There are no good cops,” as I will begin to
explain now, “police” is not what an individual is; it's a learned behavior that can be unlearned and redeemed.
