Actually I did read to the very end. In fact I read it two or three times. It did not come across that way to me. I saw your comment about self-governance, but I did not 'see' your "devil's advocate" argument in the way it was presented.

I agree with you. If people DEMAND that the government keep them safe, they must also recognize that they are petitioning the state to engage in violence against others to do that. That means any violence that takes place, whether it be children being ripped from the arms of their parents, bombs dropping on villages, etc is also the responsibility of the people as well as those who physically do the act of violence.

It is also the peoples responsibility to ask questions to ensure they get full disclosure so that they can get informed consent. The vast majority fail to do that and few fail to know how to do it.