Randall,
Thanks for clearing up the difference between Apple's previous cooperation with law enforcement, and what the FBI is trying to get them to do now. Your analysis here is very well stated. Yes, standing up to government is a good thing even when done for market reasons rather than purely anti-authoritarian motives, and we shouldn't let cynicism about the company's motives undermine the cause of liberty and privacy.
And personally I'm happy to see any individual or company avoiding the coercive confiscation of their resources via taxation. Every dollar that goes to government is helping fund things like bombing people, FBI surveillance, police abuse, solitary confinement, etc. (because money is fungible). Like or dislike Apple as a company, their corporate budget doesn't involve doing those things to people. Thus the less they are robbed by government, the better. Furthermore, corporate taxes are a form of double taxation (employees and shareholders already pay taxes on those earnings as individuals; the entity should not be taxed again on those same earnings before they ever get to employees and shareholders). Finally, much of the corporate tax burden is ultimately paid by consumers in the form of higher prices and by company employees in the form of lower wages, so it is a drain on everyone's standard of living as well as funding the police state.
Love & Liberty,
((( starchild )))