The Rule of Law and how to protect it

The Belmont Club is my favourite blog. It is far better written and more informative than almost anything in the "Mainstream Media".

"Mainstream"? For how long?

I've been reading a fascinating thread on the outcomes that may be expected from the recent socialist takeover of the United States. The Belmont Club is written by Richard Fernandez, a veteran of the Philippine struggles against tyranny.

He writes:

The mistake most amateurs make when faced with a crisis that may involve violence, etc is to become obsessed with underground activity, illegal actions, etc. Bringing down even a dictator is 95% legal organizing and 5% clandestine work. The reason for this is that most people are too scared or unwilling to break the law and rightly so. So the most effective resistance to tyranny happens when you take the law at its word and demand your rights. Eventually a real tyrant must either yield or show his true colors. We used this ploy time and again to force the crisis. It’s always a lose-lose for the dictator; and an aggregate win for the rebels. I must say though, that the fact that you are acting legally doesn’t mean you are risk-free. If things get bad, there’s really no distinction between acting legally and acting clandestinely because the dictator doesn’t split hairs.

But returning to 21st century America, the only advice I can give is to maximally use the liberties allowed under the law and the Constitution. There’s a lot of space there and I believe it has hardly been used. From the courts, to local politics, to media campaigns, to civil disobedience — there are lots of levers yet to be pulled. I think it would be immoral for anyone to go all apocalyptic on the Republic and take to the hills like some kind of militia group, besides being impractical, because there are lots of things that have yet to be pushed to their fullest legal extent. But there’s another reason for exhausting all the remedies under the Constitution. Afterward.

It will be a hollow to gain a political victory at the cost of destroying the framework you were trying to preserve. One day there will be another party, another political movement, another set of views in Washington. And on that day you want the Constitution whole and inviolate; because that scrap of parchment represents a hard won set of rules which by common consent defines legitimacy.

We are in the path of the storm. Men of goodwill should get involved; they should prepare to pay some price for their involvement. But for the moment, it’s all hands on deck and none below.

Richard is correct. As much as we may want to "string 'em all up" (and justifiably so), we've still got other opportunities available.

As Mr Fernandez says:

take the law at its word and demand your rights

And so, much as I too want to "string 'em all up", I'll be voting in the next General Election. For me it's simple. See who's most likely to defeat Gordon's stooge and vote accordingly.