Have own horn, will toot.

A comment I made on a Facebook thread that was getting rather shouty, largely from a couple of conservatives who felt that they had heard all the usual liberal nonsense before, and weren't heard themselves.... and few others (liberals?) who felt similarly, though they at least offered a few citations for their assertions.    In particular, I was struck by one fellow's assertion that taxes were theft, and that any means anyone, including the richest corporations, could take to avoid paying anything were unreservedly good.  I disagree.

"It seems to me that defining taxes as theft is part of the problem here.  And, granted, given that governments will compel people to pay, they can seem like similar experiences.  However, if you believe in any kind of collective societal action (paving roads, raising an army, building a school and hiring teachers, inspecting food & drugs, water & sewage, etc.) then you have to accept that someone, somehow must pay for it.  Since it is done for the benefit of all, everyone should pay something for it. Which means that seeing taxes as theft is childish, expecting something for nothing, as silly as me demanding that banks process credit cards at my store for free.  If you really don't want to pay for anything, that's cool.  However, since it would be wrong of you to benefit from OUR fiscal responsibility and community spirit, you should leave the country."