This news story gives rise to the question: What is the first duty of all government officials?
“As the Internal Revenue Service seeks to bolster the ranks of its weapon-carrying Criminal Investigation unit, a former special agent described the inner workings of the division and said its key function is “to put the fear of God in people” and intimidate Americans into tax compliance.” Epoch Times, 22 Feb 2023 | Gun-Toting Wing of IRS Wants to ‘Put the Fear of God in People’: Ex-Agent
The answer is found in the first sentence of the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed...”
The first duty of all government officials when interacting with the people is to secure their rights, not to intimidate, not to punish, not to abuse them in any manner.
We do not forfeit our constitutionally-guaranteed natural rights under any circumstance of engagement with a gun-wielding officer of the law, whether federal or state.
“The greatest tyrannies are always perpetuated in the name of the noblest causes.” Thomas Paine
John White
Rockwall, Texas
John N. White 