IRS Suicide Pilot Statement

February 18th, 2010 a fifty-four year-old engineer flew his private plane into the building housing IRS offices in Austin, Texas. He left this statement in which he expressed strong feelings about unfairness in US society.

While I can see how people might view the author’s life as a reflection of his own failures, I also can empathize with his views. I think we’ve much to gain by questioning what we’ve been taught, and by considering perspectives inimical to our own, even when the possibility that we’ll find accurate information in them entails fundamental changes to our own lives.

I think this incident impetus to wonder how many feel as the author did, and how others will manifest these feelings in action. I wonder how to both respect such feelings and contribute to others’ acting in ways that further common good. I wonder in particular how to shape a society in which we treat each other more respectfully and feel more often appreciative towards, and less often fearful of each other.

http://www.t35.com/embeddedart.txt