UPDATE -- July 18, 2018:

The following e-mail was sent to David Zuckerman:

Mr. Zuckerman:

Below is a statement that has been credited to yourself:

" (T)he reality is that the paid law enforcement and fire departments are regulated by the elected leaders. They collect the costs (taxes) and distribute them (salaries and vehicles etc.) as they see best for the community. It is "socialized" cost for the benefit of all even if some never use the services. One can rationalize how that is not a socializing of the costs of something that not everyone will use. But it is socializing the cost no matter how you put it. And it is taking control away from the individual who is paying for it by collectivizing the resources for the general good. So really, it is simply a matter of deciding which of these services should be socialized or born by the individual. We seem to have decided that defending our land is better done through a national military (against other nations/states) and a local police force rather than each protecting our own without a collective force. We have also chosen to do that through our volunteer and professional fire fighters. Even the volunteer firefighters generally rely on tax dollars collected from everyone for their equipment (trucks, clothing, hoses, building etc.) And I think these are all good things. But without socializing the costs to everyone how well would they work in modern society? We also socialize the costs for mental health. A portion of the society needs those services, but we generally feel that for all of our well-being and many feel for the well-being of the person receiving services, that it is better to collectively pay in even if it (selfishly) does not appear to help the self. The reality is that all of these are socializing the costs for the benefit of the whole society more than the individual. It really is just a matter of collective decision making as to which aspects of society do we want to socialize the costs. For instance, we are also socializing the costs of water pollution for the benefit of the few. Less so today than in the past, but basically a corporation used to be able to dump toxics into surface waters (or aquifers for that matter), and not be responsible for that. It was up to all of us to treat the water or clean up the water. We also socialize the cost of sports team stadiums. The fact is, we do it all the time. It is simply a matter of who is deciding what we do it for."

I would be interested in knowing to whom you refer when you use the pronoun, "we." Certainly, I can confirm that I have neither taken part in, nor consented to take part in, any of the activities you describe here.

Respectfully,

Alex Knight