Posted by
novelator on Sunday, April 05, 2009 9:20:00 AM
You say the word revolution to some folk and they immediately think blood, guts, gore and fighting in the streets. Can't blame them--blood was shed in the formation of this great nation, a fact that, fortunately, is still taught today in our increasingly homogenized schools.
For others, however, revolution means change that can be effected without a single shot being fired. Mahatma Ghandi and Martin Luther King both showed the world that peace is a far more effective weapon. Peace is also a greater shield than it appears on the surface because those who war against peace come out looking violent themselves.
While I advocate a second American revolution and a return to the Constitution, I would choose peaceful means if I could. A march upon Washington DC by millions from all parts of the country to "fire" our so-called elected employees, our senators and representatives, even the President if need be, would be my first choice.
But even now, our right to assemble in peaceful protest of a government grown so big it feels it can ignore our Constitution with impunity is being assaulted. In cities and towns across America, the right to assemble is being abridged by the imposition of fees for permits and, in some cases, the arbitrary requirement that organizers obtain costly insurance before being allowed to purchase the permit.
Where in our great Constitution does it say that fees must be paid and insurance obtained before we the People can exercise our most basic right to assemble and protest?
This is but one example of the abuse of power going on across America. This is but one small reason among the larger abuses of power that, if they continue, will make a second American revolution necessary.
Would I choose peace first? You bet.
Will those abusing their power let us choose peace? Your guess is as good as mine. Apparently, our right to assemble, to protest, to try through peaceful means to effect revolution and a return to the Constitution depends on how many permits we can afford and how much insurance we can obtain from those we would ultimately dismiss.
To my way of thinking, our "fees" were paid in blood at the birth of our nation to "permit" our Constitution to serve as our "insurance" against tyranny, whether the enemy be foreign or Federal.
We may soon find ourselves with no choice left but to make the same type of payment again. Still, I would choose peace first, and blood only as a last resort.