In that regard, I've reflected on what to do about this, what sort of additional constraints need to be imposed on Federal authority, and what added definition is required (see links here here and here.) Assuming that the appropriate amendments could indeed be drafted and passed, however, what good will it do if none of them are enforced? The biggest single problem we have with the present government and Constitution is just as Lysander Spooner said- Those who would rule us are not obeying the Constitution. None of these additional constraints, however wonderful they are in concept, will have any effect if they continue to be ignored as the present Constitution is. Even an enforcement clause might be ignored.
So why do intelligent people pursue these remedies? Those who seek Constitutional remedies ARE NOT YET PREPARED TO TAKE UP ARMS. They have not yet internalized the implications of various policies, or are not willing to admit to themselves what they are seeing, and are still trying to make changes more or less within the present broken and illegitimate system. As some have asserted, some of the people promoting such ideas may be stooges or stoolies for the forces of tyranny, but most of these folks I have met are honestly trying to find a way to move this country back towards freedom. They are standing up for Liberty, are promoting the ideas of the Enlightenment as they do so and are getting people previously uninvolved in the Liberty Movement to become active supporters. They run the same risk of the gulag or worse as the rest of us, whether they know that yet or not. As such, I count them as allies and am willing to support their efforts.
After all, my assessment may be wrong. They may, contrary to my evaluation, in fact be able to overcome the forces of tyranny and to change the present direction of these presently united States, and the course of history. Further, if the forces of oppression do move farther down the road towards tyranny, and things get kinetic, many of them are likely to become willing to resort to arms, or at least to support those who do. As many other commentators have pointed out, there is much more to a resistance movement than simply having shooters, so the bigger the pool of potential recruits, the better for FreeFor. Finally, after the 2nd Revolution is over and we've won, we're going to have to figure out how to structure the successor government to prevent tyranny from regaining a foothold, so such discussions are worth having if for no better reason than planning for the future.
With that in mind, it seems to me that FreeFor must pursue several strategic goals which include but are not limited to the following:
1) we must spread our ideas, and inculcate knowledge of the rich history of liberty among those around us. This is critical; without ideological support among at least a significant minority of the populace for the ideas of Liberty, we're in trouble. Town hall meetings, candidate debates and meetings, political questionaires, local talk radio programs, letters to the Editor, every bit of that helps spread the message.
2) We must take the offense and point out the failures of socialism as they become more and more evident. Not only must we point them out, we must suggest better alternatives rooted in the Enlightenment and the idea that people can best solve their own problems when left to their own devices.
3) We must continue to use the myth of the Constitution to promulgate adherence to the ideals it espouses but often fails to protect. Oathkeepers is one example of this effort, and OK is evidently worrying our would-be masters. This means it is worth supporting, in my book. Any chair in a bar fight, as the saying goes.
4) Having the enemy fight on your ground is always better than fighting on the enemies ground, so pressing for reinforcement of the Constitution is worthwhile on several levels.
-Even if implementation of proposed reforms never happens, discussion of the principles of Constitutional government and the rule of Law, as well as discussions of the present shortcomings and abuses of the current document are great tools for both educating the populace as to the real nature of the present system, and for recruiting supporters.
- With the power of the myth of the Constitution in mind, it is extremely useful to force the current regime to overtly attack or oppose the Constitution, demonstrating by their own words and actions that they are domestic enemies of the Constitution. Governments lose their ability to govern when
they are recognized as illegitimate.
-Eventually, FreeFor will win this battle in the war of ideas, one way or another, and we have to have a plan for what to do in the aftermath. Just as the Federalists did with the original coup that established the Constitution, we want to get there "Firstest with the Mostest," and having a mature proposal that a number of people have already reviewed and discussed is a good way to start.
5) We must encourage the general populace to withdraw their consent from the current police state. Encourage folks to go Galt, to trade outside the system for all sorts of goods and services. Local barter trading services or goods you can provide in exchange for goods you need is one example. Strangle government by reducing their tax revenue wherever possible by whatever means come to hand. Shun the FedGoons where-ever you can. Make them use force to get what they want; don't allow them the fiction that we are willing to help them.
6) We must make the power of an armed citizenry real and viable. Local low-level organization is an essential first step, but not the only one that needs to be taken. On a personal level being in good shape physically and having the requisite skills and equipment is going to be very important. A modern day Minuteman probably won't have much if any warning before the ball opens. You will have to run what you brung, so be prepared.
7) Focus at least 80% of your effort in your home town and county. If we each take care of our home area, then the larger state and Federal problems are a lot easier to handle. (If you are in a hopeless location, then think seriously about moving. The German Jews who emigrated earliest did the best, but leaving home anytime before they loaded you onto a cattle car for the concentration camp was better than taking the train!)
Putting all of our effort into one particular initiative is probably a losing strategy; why make it easy for the bad people? Let's put the forces of darkness on the strategic defensive, and make them respond to our initiatives, the more the merrier. Rather than viewing those pursuing other alternatives as wasting their time pursuing a dead end, and wasting your time criticizing them, think of them as tying up FedGoon resources and causing the enemy to have to spread themselves ever thinner trying to shovel against the incoming tide. Pick the ones you like and pursue them, and when somebody else wants to try something different, think of that new effort as another caltrop in the tires of tyranny.
You don't have to be a hero to win this war, you just have to make yourself a nuisance, a roadblock, an obstacle. Be obstinate, be cooperatively uncooperative. Monkeywrench, undermine, fold, spindle and mutilate. But always try to remember who the enemy is; the fact that someone agrees with you does not necessarily make them your friend, and somebody who disagrees with you about means and methods is not necessarily your enemy.
With regard to all who serve the Light,
Historian