I sometimes worry about irresponsible calls for civil war or armed revolution, and I have pointed out till I am blue in the face that if such an event happens, I will fight against it.
But so far (fortunately), most of the people I’ve heard clamoring for such things have no real power, and perhaps that is one of the reasons they rail impotently against the Powers That Be.
What I find infinitely more worrisome than calls for civil war is when I hear about members of the ruling class (the Powers That Be) actively talking about using illegal dictatorial methods to impose their will on the citizenry:
If you live long enough, you get to meet interesting people, if you pay attention. One party guest was a Judge, and we got to talking. We were both soberish. He was sober as a Judge, anyways. He asked me a question during the course of the evening. Paraphrasing, “If you had to, do you think that you could you feed this county’s population with nothing but what is in the county?”
“Sure, but not legally. You’d need martial law.”
We had an interesting conversation on how to do it, and who you’d need to do it, and how long you could do it. I’ve never had that sort of conversation with someone with political power, and I wonder why they’d be asking the question.
We live in what is soon to be interesting times, I think. People are starting to ask the sort of questions that are worrisome. I don’t like that. I like it calm, safeish, but fun as Friday night after payday. I liked America, back when it still was America, as I knew it.
I liked it too, and I hate using that word in the past tense.
Whether they realize it or not, guys like that judge — and all who are trying to take away Americans’ constitutional rights — are sowing the seeds for popular insurrection.
I hope it never happens.
Comments
13 responses to ““I liked America””
Eric, this is my point about just letting it Burn, I love my Country, even my State (Cali)but the egregious disregard for Law, by our supposed “Leaders” makes me ask, Why Bother, why? because they want my guns, my freedom, my very Soul, and they aren’t getting any of them.
I don’t want Civil War, but I’ll be the first in line when the Balloon goes up,
Bob
I almost hope the judge gets his wish. I would like to see
His expression when the military decides they don’t need
Him anymore.
In my own view, most people don’t really understand how bad things would be if we ended up in an armed rebellion, civil war or what ever you want to call it. They just don’t. Having been to a couple of war zones as a soldier I can tell you it should be something to fear. I, like you, try to dissuade people that talk like that most of the time. Most.
One big reason I do it is because I’m afraid of what would come after. I see no reason to believe it would be a good thing. I say this because in my reading of history only the American Revolution (really a war for secession more than revolution) stands out as bringing about a better system than the one the rebels fought to leave. Most ushered in tyranny of one sort or another.
However, as Bob points out above some things are worse than death. Despite all the warnings coming down to us from the founders of the U.S. and all the thinkers that influenced them as well as us and all the champions of liberty out there today we seem to be losing the battle of ideas. Basically, I keep thinking of the Borg and how those of us who refuse to be assimilated are fighting a futile battle of ideas, and not because we are wrong. That’s the frustrating part but love of liberty is apparently a hard sell.
Also, Eric I’m wondering what you mean by you will fight against it? Are you saying you would take up arms against the rebels? Or are you using “fight” as in to argue in favor of a peaceful solution?
Other than a few on the fringe there is only person who wants civil war. He is doing everything in his power to instigate it.
“Whether they realize it or not, guys like that judge — and all who are trying to take away Americans’ constitutional rights — are sowing the seeds for popular insurrection.”
I am beginning to suspect they do realize it and are quite prepared to use insurrection as an excuse to double down on the power grabs.
http://www.aclu.org/blog/technology-and-liberty-national-security/raytheons-riot-social-network-data-mining-software
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/01/27/fbi-wants-to-monitor-social-media-for-emerging-threats
http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/12/nsa-accumulo/
Washington state’s little oopsie on their proposed magazine ban
http://www.jammiewf.com/2013/washington-state-democrats-want-to-search-homes-for-so-called-assault-weapons-its-exactly-this-sort-of-thing-that-drives-people-into-the-arms-of-the-nra/
A person could easily start to feel a little paranoid.
I was having this discussion with a friend on the left the other day – believe it or not they are just as pissed as the folks on the right – and as old time 60s guys we decided that so far wiser heads have prevailed.
But it only takes one guy to tie up a very large city (and make the rest of the country anxious) for a couple of weeks.
http://classicalvalues.com/2013/02/a-manifesto-for-the-next-act/
A hundred could do that to the whole country. A thousand could probably do that to the whole country for a year. Ten thousand could keep such a war going for a decade.
I hope such calculations have put the fear of God into those who wish to rule.
RickC,
I’m terrified of civil war for exactly the same reason. Prior to the beginning of the American Revolution, the colonial elites had spent a great deal of time thinking about and educating each other about the philosophical basis of good government. There was a political class all ready to go with a mission of securing the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness of the citizenry.
I don’t believe we have such a political class at the moment. I suspect it would take a decade or two at a minimum for such a political class to form itself and emerge. Furthermore, the personnel forming such a class would be high value targets in a civil war and would almost certainly not survive it. Without them, whatever followed a civil war would certainly be worse that what came before.
So I must conclude that there’s no way we will solve our problems with a civil war. That doesn’t mean there won’t be one, but I doubt it will solve anything.
http://www.jammiewf.com/2013/washington-state-democrats-want-to-search-homes-for-so-called-assault-weapons-its-exactly-this-sort-of-thing-that-drives-people-into-the-arms-of-the-nra/
“I’m a liberal Democrat — I’ve voted for only one Republican in my life,” Palmer told me. “But now I understand why my right-wing opponents worry about having to fight a government takeover.”
When I read the Declaration and compare the situation today with those the founding fathers faced I can understand why they revolted against their government. It will not be a civil war.
It will be a revolution. Against a corrupt government, an out of touch bureaucracy, a judiciary that legislates.
Who has confidence in our government?
The Founders had few problems at first organizing and communicating their seditious sentiments with some anonymity. In this day and age such a war would be the Government’s to lose, not the Rebels to win. And if the Government lost, every two bit group that has ever dreamed of having the power to “fix it” would battle tooth and nail for the reigns of power.
Of course, the Good Guys would surely win that battle; or maybe we just got lucky 237 years ago?
I liked America too. I then realized I was in denial. I also do not want civil war. I think I would probably be some of the first to get killed so let’s put that off for as long as possible.
The system of government we live under is truly magic and unequal anywhere. I have no intention of getting rid of it. Unfortunately, the facts are this country is corrupt from top to bottom. My master will never allow me, or my grandchildren, to be really free.
“Shit just got real” is inevitable.
“I hope it never happens.”
How much are you willing to give up to prevent it?
[…] "I liked America" […]