Insurrection cannot exist in democracy. Why. If a real revolt happens, it is because the people do not support the government. if the people do not support their government, there is no democracy.
This term has been bandied about quite often in the wake of the protests on January 6th. I guess I feel ambivelent about the phaseology. On one hand I think it's a bit hilarious to call grandma's in the captial flagarant terrorists but at the same time, I have no problem with the theory of an insurrection.
Our country, founded on the ideal that people had a right, if not explicity duty to rise up against percieved injustice, tyranny and oppression, should be looking very closely at itself in light of the last two years.
If we take the NPR main line news, and agree that there was in fact a insurrection (I guess, as opposed to say a military coup) attempting to overthrow the American government what does that say about the government itself?
Google quickly reveals the definition
The definition of an insurrection is a rise against government authority or a revolt."
If our government is for The People, by The People, an insurrection can only occur when the government is NOT for The People or by The People. In fact, in the context of rebelling against tyranny, insurrection should be viewed in a positive light - a neccesary stop valve when the democracy does not function - a neccesary stop valve when the democracy does not function.
Half the country believes, regardless of truth, that Joe Biden effectively illegally manuvered a win against trump. Thus, democracy has failed. Democracy works, when people believe that it holds legitimacy. Without legitimacy derived from The People, it just falls back into being a boring Ye-Old Government.
The dis-united states government must reclaim it's legitimacy in the eyes of the people, if it does not have that, it falls dangerously close to the line of being an empire-occupier of land.
Can we just admit that the United States government is a giant empire? I think we'd all be much happier to admit that, we're an empire rather than a democracy. We don't need to worry about justifications other than "it will help the empire", we don't need to worry about second class citizens, or illegal aliens, or birthright citizen ship, or laws, or freedoms or rights, as long as it benefits the empire.
I wish that people would have the intellectual fortitude to admit that, regadless of elections, or democracy, the only thing that truly matters is Power, and the use of force.
Force, a democractic, self represented government force vs a an occupying force is determined by legitimacy.
Without legitimacy, let us move on to machievellian maneuvers, to coy diplomacy and large invading armies!
Without the need to pretend we are the leaders of the free world, we could surely make our hand much stronger.
In fact, maybe the US Empire could make life better for citizens if we drop this presumption. In fact, I think most elected officals believe, that with just enough experts and poltical ruling class left alone, they could do much better than trying to cater to the every day american.
When legitimacy, derived from it's People, is removed the government is relegated to no more than being an occupying force - with all it's good and bads. Many occupied countries benefited under empires, given access to trade routes, and education, the quality of life improved and so forth - plus they don't need to pretend they care about a dusty old document like the constitution.
My prediction is, that if the US government cannot regain it's legitimacy as viewed by a majority of its voting base, people will simply stop believing in democracy as a functional solution in the united states.
That is a very unfortunate thing. It turns libertarians into Fascists. It turns Republicans into Monarchists, it turns liberals into Communists.
A people have the right to self determiniation - unless the Powers do not approve.
Are you a russian living in former Russia under a new banner of Ukraine? Did you vote to leave and join a new independent republic with the goal of rejoining russia? TOO BAD. YOUR VOTE DOESNT COUNT. We don't care.
Did you vote to succeed from the union to preseve slavery? To bad, war!
Are you a YPG member, fighting for autonomous, decentralized leftism in syria? To bad, we just needed you to fight Daesh.
Are you part of California but wish to be in a new state more representative of your interests? To bad, we don't care!
Don't want to pay ridiculous taxes on Whisky? Too bad! King George version two, George washington, will ride you down.
A people must have the right to self determination, even when the current goverment does not support it - otherwise, there is no democracy. Democracy does not exist by forcing a minority to be a part of it - because they'll have no input.
My solem hope is for the USA to become inward facing, more decentralized, and more focused on the american principles that have gotten us so far in this great experiment, otherwise we are like to end up as The Weimar Republic,
Not random texts I claim no copyright. Random texts, I do not claim copyright.
recipitating internal and worldwide conflict.