June 30, 2005

“Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever; “ Thomas Jefferson, 1781. We are at that point – not even 150 years since slavery was officially outlawed in the old American Union, the people of that land have been corporately introduced into a new slavery – a slavery with chains more craftily forged, more difficult to break.

In part 1, we looked at the mess and this massive grab of power by five people whom I’ve even heard mild-mannered people describe as “idiots.” In part 2, we looked at some of the possible responses; do nothing, recall (impeachment), constitutional amendments, even secession or the next thing to it. None of them seem able either to solve the problem, or be feasible. We can’t win; we can’t break even; we can’t get out of the game: the gambler’s dilemma. In the last three days, I’ve been hearing the greatest outcry I can ever recall – and from a fairly broad spectrum of Americans: liberals, conservatives, libertarians, independents: only the most authoritarian or “pragmatic” have dared to speak out in favor of the ruling: the local government groups and unions, and the self-admitted socialists (excuse me, progressives).

I’ve heard a few more suggestions, some of which shocked even me: Rush Limbaugh, for example (and not in his teasing, kidding mood, either – as so many people fail to realize, he has a very dry sense of humor and loves to pock fun of himself), on Monday, telling people in so many words to NOT rely on the courts but to immediately resort to threats of armed resistance, and make as big a media splash as possible. And he is not the only one, or the most surprising, I’ve heard say that self-defense – violent self-defense, may be the only answer left.

A lot of people, including some I respect very much for both their devotion to the cause of liberty and their common sense, have said, basically, “Drop out. Use civil disobedience and passive resistance. Network and respond to ANY cry for help in an eminent domain case. And be prepared to defend yourself, with arms if necessary.”

Wow. This may indeed be the Line – the straw that broke the camel’s back – the lit match touched to the fuse.

But will armed resistance, house by house, as Rush boldly encouraged, work? It surely didn’t work for the Weavers, or the Branch Davidians, or the Freemen, or a dozen others the width of this nation. No matter how loud the outcry against this outrage, you know that at least 1/3 of the people in this country (based on past experience) either AGREE with it: that government should have that much power, or are willing for whatever reason to go along with it. And that 1/3 is probably over-represented in the various levels of government. Maybe they are not all thugs, but enough are to make it deadly, literally, for single families or churches or other groups to resist.

But what about dropping out? It is, really, a version of the succession game I talked about earlier: an extension of the Free State Projects. Go away- I ’ll go away and you leave me alone. If you can live like the Unibomber, it MIGHT work. For a while.

To Maverick, that leaves just one answer: break up the game. Break up the game. End the game. It may be the ONLY answer. We can’t take the country back from the thugs. We can’t escape the thugs. We are bleeding our liberty dry. But this has happened before. For more than a decade, our Founding Fathers tried to keep the Empire, the British Empire, going. But it didn’t work: every compromise was met with another kick in the gut; every attempt to resist INSIDE the system was met with a kick in the groin. Finally, they had to take that next step. What they wrote rings through the ages.

In fact, we can see it in the very first section of the Wyoming Declaration of Rights: “97-1-001. Power is inherent in the people. All power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their peace, safety and happiness; for the advancement of these ends they have at all times an inalienable and indefeasible right to alter, reform or abolish the government in such manner as they may think proper. “Inalienable and indefeasible right,” it says. “…in such manner as they may think proper.”

Whew! Quite a lot to think about. And a lot of responsibility, too. Now, you don’t punish a dog for leaving a mess in the kitchen by taking a butcher knife to him. You don’t punish a child for marking up the wallpaper with crayons by locking them up in prison. You don’t respond to someone who turns and drives up your driveway by shooting them. But when the dog leaves a mess because they just ripped the face off your child, the butcher knife comes out. When the “child” is thirty and the crayon is a can of spray paint and the wallpaper is five hundred feet of retaining wall, prison is there. When it is an armored car with four goons all in their gang colors pulling into your driveway, that battle rifle needs to speak. You apply the force AS needed, WHEN needed – in the “proper manner.”

It is time to withdraw that authority. It is clear that those people no longer represent or serve us. For those of us who are religious, and in particular Jewish or Christian, it is clear that one thing these people are NOT is “ ministers of God” for the punishment of the wicked. They have demonstrated that they do NOT meet this criteria which would demand obedience by Christians. Jews face the same dilemma as David did under Saul’s rule and persecution: the need to rebel while still not harming “God’s elect.” Neither Tanakh or New Testament prohibit withdrawal of authority granted “by the People” to these evil men.

Next: Withdrawing authority.

What now? (Part I – Consequences)

What now? (Part II - Responses that won't work)

Archives

Do We See A National ID Coming?

Where Is His Mind

A Baker’s Dozen Tips to Preventing Home-Invasions-

Cop killing continues · can this be allowed to go on?

Bush Begins Second Term

Symbol Over Substance

How to kill a woman in broad daylight

A Diatribe for Memorial Day

Baker’s Dozen- Tips for Rebuilding Disfunctional Societies

Thoughts on Fathers' Day from a Libertarian

What now?
(Part I – Consequences)

What now? (Part II - Responses that won't work)

Complete Archives for Nathan Barton