These people who get their own sets of laws to obey are suffering from a special form of mental retardation.
Well... considering that they’ve had around 30 years free run, I might counter that assertion. The retardation these folks seem to have is in their hearts and souls...
We are seeing what smart is when paired with evil. Dumb evil gets blown away sticking up the corner liquor store at age 19. Smart evil gets rich, famous, popular, and (often) elected.