These are perilous times.  We find ourselves confronted with growing social and economic instability and a clouded future.

We do not want to sit on our hands.  Yet, uncertainty and unprecedented complexity make it hard to see the way forward.  How easy it would be to let emotions rule, tipping our lives into chaos and endangering the principles we depend upon.

It is with this in mind that I take up where I left off in the previous post (May 30).  There are two reasons why political violence will not get Americans where we want to go.  One is tactical.  The other is strategic and more important.

The mythic ideal of the citizen soldier remains deeply engrained in the American psyche.  The problem is that if we imagine a heroic Star Wars scenario in defense of freedom and justice we are dreaming.

Any patriot preparing today for armed resistance in the tradition of 1776 will pit himself against a formidable opponent.  He will be outmaneuvered and outgunned by fully militarized police possessing the most advanced surveillance technology and backed by massive firepower.

Marine veteran James Rock made this very clear in his comment two weeks ago (on the Facebook page).

However, there is a more fundamental problem, and it is this:  Who exactly do you intend to fight?

American law enforcement agencies and the United States military are served by loyal, committed Americans.   These are our people, our sons and daughters, friends and neighbors.  They are working people, they have families, and they care about the future as we all do.

It is our responsibility to win them over, not beat them up.  They should be approached respectfully, with persuasive argument and bighearted example.

As I wrote in the last post, violence committed by Americans against Americans would contradict the rationale behind the incentive for violence itself.   It would be self-contradictory, pitting us against one another and subverting the integrity and viability of the American Idea as a guiding force for the good.

Our views on defending the Constitution or the corruption of principles are serious matters.  But, public servants, police officers and bureaucrats, are not the problem.

We must respect these people, not just as a matter of principle, but because we need them. They are essential to a constructive solution and we need to win their trust.

Americans are not to be persuaded when we are attacked, not for some high-minded cause or anything else.  When faced with hostility we naturally close ranks, and clear thinking stops.

Even the misguided rebellion of tiny splinter groups will be destructive to the cause of liberty.  Any resort to force can easily lead to cascading consequences in which violence begets violence in a downward spiral, tearing the fabric of the Republic and threatening both progress and principle.

Furthermore, it is simply not necessary.

Change is needed that is real and lasting, built on the solid ground of principle and trust, of moral responsibility and dependable communities – not quicksand.

I never said this would be easy, so let me be clear.  The skills, attitudes, and discipline that create trust are at the heart of what we need to learn if we are to build a future for the nation as a whole.

This is more than a matter of survival.  For thousands of years local communities have formed the foundations of civilization.  The essential concern in the present hour, and the basis by which to judge constructive action, must be the spirit and the quality of the future we wish for.

It will be our means that determine the ends we seek.

This is not a theoretical nicety, but hard-nosed truth.  Understanding it will determine success or failure.

Americans are capable of being decent, patient and forbearing.  Personal values and views must be respected, but if we are to identify shared values, ensure comprehensive security, and begin to rebuild a stable civil order, it will be necessary to rise above our differences.

Going to war with our fellow citizens makes no sense.  Indeed, the ends we seek could be delayed for decades and possibly destroyed by impractical or intemperate courses of action.

Tom

A note to regular readers: Thank you for the comments, ideas, and perspectives shared (mostly on the Facebook page) in recent weeks.  This project would be impossible without you!

Please watch for the next post on or about July 4: Will the Center Hold?