Letter to the Cabbages Pt. 2: Fighting the Wrong Battle

[tyrannosaurus vex]

In the USA, the general tactic taken to defend "liberty" and "freedom" against an increasingly aggressive, imperialist Federal Government is to quote the "Founding Fathers," in their legislative work, their extragovnernmental literature, and even their private correspondence.  The case is usually made that we are somehow straying from the path set forth in the nation's founding principles, and that a move back toward those precepts (which are supposed to be more pure, somehow) is what is needed.

Doing it this way is dead wrong, and it's like fighting a battle for a field you've already signed over to the Enemy.

Invoking the names of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson is exactly what the Empire hopes you will do.  It's the Mythology of the State that allows this Imperial government to gain a foothold in American culture in the first place.  If we're always worshiping these mythological creatures known as the Founding Fathers, then we're working to change a corrupt system from within the confines of its own corrupt culture of misinformation.  And not only that, but you're always fighting for somebody else's ideals.  That's the drive of ignorant imperial drones now as it always has been.

For a quick example -- Who cares if the Founding Fathers were Christian or not?  Even if it's proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that they did intend to instill Christian theocracy on this continent, does that mean that we today are bound by that?  Judging by the way everyone goes back and forth about the Founders and their Constitution, you'd think either side, given sufficient evidence, would concede and capitulate to the other.  That's the kind of fight we don't have time for.

Forget what Thomas Jefferson thought -- what do you think?

These men were not fighting to restore order to a collapsing republic -- they were fighting to create a republic.  They were fighting to see their own ideas be put into action.  That is the spirit of the American Revolution -- not the idea that whatever they did 230 years ago ought to stand forever, but that a truly free people must fight to govern themselves.  So, then, should you be fighting to see your ideas bear fruit; not fighting just to convince somebody else that John Hancock and Company were on your side.

Eventually, although it's nearly blasphemous to say so, the Constitution of 1786 will have to be torn down.  It will become too tattered and too corrupt; and that is something the Founders always knew (they just don't teach you that part in school for some reason).  What will fill the vacuum left where the Constitution used to stand is not up to politicians, pundits, or the media; for those are corrosive elements and therefore cannot build anything.  What is built depends on the people who are left in the rubble of the Republic -- and you might be one of those people.

Will you create a system to govern yourselves, because America is nothing without its people; or will you choose to go on pretending that America is its laws and its mythology, and that it lives in spite of its people?

[The Littlest Ubermensch]

Needs more of Lysander Spooner's critique of the constitution. Link was posted in a recent thread, and a lot of his ideas (namely that the constitution doesn't mean shit, and that any voting/taxation is just a meaningless way of screwing yourself) would be helpful to add in here.

[hunter s.durden]

This is the kind of thing that needs to be taught in school.

These men were not fighting to restore order to a collapsing republic -- they were fighting to create a republic.  They were fighting to see their own ideas be put into action.  That is the spirit of the American Revolution -- not the idea that whatever they did 230 years ago ought to stand forever, but that a truly free people must fight to govern themselves.  So, then, should you be fighting to see your ideas bear fruit; not fighting just to convince somebody else that John Hancock and Company were on your side.

This paragraph was so fresh and so full of win, that it's going into my argument bank.

[Thurnez Isa]

these letters are awesome
Im hoping there are more coming

[Cain]

Good stuff.

Of course, the ideals of the founding fathers are quite useful, but you may want to also go back to the source of these: Greek and Roman political philosophy (OK, and Voltaire, Hume, Locke, Diderot etc).

In particular, I suggest the events leading up to the Athenian constitution and the collapse of the Roman Republic, be scrutinized closely.  Both events involved a major restructuring of the government in the face of collapse or authoritarian rule -one "good" and the other not so good.

[tyrannosaurus vex]

Good stuff.

Of course, the ideals of the founding fathers are quite useful, but you may want to also go back to the source of these: Greek and Roman political philosophy (OK, and Voltaire, Hume, Locke, Diderot etc).

In particular, I suggest the events leading up to the Athenian constitution and the collapse of the Roman Republic, be scrutinized closely.  Both events involved a major restructuring of the government in the face of collapse or authoritarian rule -one "good" and the other not so good.

That's true and maybe I'll expand on that in something later.  The idea behind these letters now, though, is to attack the stuff most people take for granted that isn't necessarily true or helpful.

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

Two Scoops!!

[navkat]

I agree with the basic sentiment that the people need to rewrite the doctrine to reflect the needs of the people--the concept that one has to unlearn before the can relearn--however, in the current climate, the idea of tearing down the safety net and relying on the current governing body to use integrity and righteousness to rebuild is a little scary.

If what yr saying is that the people need to rise up and initiate total, militia revolution...well that's just not going to happen. Any serious attempt at a forceful coup will undoubtedly end in a state of martial law, but truthfully, those ideas are stamped out quickly and labeled "terrorist uprisings" these days. People don't see groups who use violence as "revolutionaries" or "heroes," they see them as scary groups of people resorting to violence to get their point across.

And even if something like that WERE to occur: let's say you can get the entire 33% of eligeable American people who gave enough of a shit to register and then vote in the last presidential election PLUS an additional 20% to retrain their institution-educated minds,  get riled up enough to take some days off work, give up their homes and their iPods and their flat-panel TVs, obtain, take up and bear arms and go to war with the current system, then by some miracle; WIN that war...how long do you think it would be before China or S. Korea or fuck..FRANCE steps up in the throes of self-righteous/bitter/mock-humanitarianism and completely anihilates our hard-won, newborn, struggling neo-human-ocracy with their well-meaning-but-severely-misguided "humanitarian efforts" or their marxist, "people's republic" regimes...and bombs?

Not happening, my friend. Not in this day and age.

Our only hope is to fight on the intellectual front. If we can't organise and change minds and re-educate and EMPOWER people with those medums...if we can't handle THAT, then we have no fucking right to take up arms against another living being.

Because let's face it: NONE of us knows for sure wtf we're doing.

[tyrannosaurus vex]

navkat: my position on revolution will be explained in detail in something i'm working on now. it doesn't involve violent uprising or convincing a lot of dumbfucks to be smartasses.

[navkat]

navkat: my position on revolution will be explained in detail in something i'm working on now. it doesn't involve violent uprising or convincing a lot of dumbfucks to be smartasses.

I truly look forward to that.

[Cain]

Good stuff.

Of course, the ideals of the founding fathers are quite useful, but you may want to also go back to the source of these: Greek and Roman political philosophy (OK, and Voltaire, Hume, Locke, Diderot etc).

In particular, I suggest the events leading up to the Athenian constitution and the collapse of the Roman Republic, be scrutinized closely.  Both events involved a major restructuring of the government in the face of collapse or authoritarian rule -one "good" and the other not so good.

That's true and maybe I'll expand on that in something later.  The idea behind these letters now, though, is to attack the stuff most people take for granted that isn't necessarily true or helpful.

Well, true.  But I feel like a twerp if I just cheerlead a rant, without adding something that can actually help.  Which is why I tend not to respond to many nowadays, despite reading them all.

[Torodung]

I might add...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0X7-9Wl9jk

Enjoy.

[Doktor Loki]

Good stuff.

Of course, the ideals of the founding fathers are quite useful, but you may want to also go back to the source of these: Greek and Roman political philosophy (OK, and Voltaire, Hume, Locke, Diderot etc).

In particular, I suggest the events leading up to the Athenian constitution and the collapse of the Roman Republic, be scrutinized closely.  Both events involved a major restructuring of the government in the face of collapse or authoritarian rule -one "good" and the other not so good.

That's true and maybe I'll expand on that in something later.  The idea behind these letters now, though, is to attack the stuff most people take for granted that isn't necessarily true or helpful.

Well, true.  But I feel like a twerp if I just cheerlead a rant, without adding something that can actually help.  Which is why I tend not to respond to many nowadays, despite reading them all.

Way to be passive-agressive, Cain. 

I kid, I kid...

[tyrannosaurus vex]

I might add...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0X7-9Wl9jk

Enjoy.

this thread is toolbox-proof. sorry to disappoint, you botched mastectomy.