In most modern cases of the rise of totalitarianism, the seeds of that rise were planted in crisis, and the fertilizer was fear.
As the rise of the Nazis shows, such a combination can be fatal on a global scale.
Even in the 18th Century, the initial authors of the American Story understood totalitarian governments well and they purposely produced a document that, while sharing the governmental structure of the Magna Carta, made a point to highlight and codify the limitations of their new government.
Now some would have us believe that the Constitution is archaic and meaningless in this age. Given the mechanics present in the document for the ruled to change the document through amendment, any such arguments must be challenged vehemently.
What all of us must understand and must teach the following generation is that as the shared knowledge of the human race expands with great speed and our technological tools become ever more powerful, the core of the human has not changed. This is why history is so important.
I believe that the authors of our Constitution knew exactly what they were doing and that for my entire life (which spans most of the second half of the 20th Century) we have witnessed every President chip away at the balance of power between the rulers and the ruled while every special interest has attempted to force their minority desires onto the majority not through Constitutional amendment but rather through vague and ever more clever “Constitutional arguments.”
I believe that we are at the tipping point. Whether you are a left-leaning citizen who believes that President Bush’s administration purposely misinformed to engage us in a was in Iraq or you are a right-leaning citizen who believes that the current Obama administration is willfully using the power of the government to target opponents, the common concern that we all share is that our voice, the Congress, has been in large part reduced to a soap opera theater with no real check to the power now wielded by the executive.
We are daily witnessing truth avoidance by the executive, lawyer-speak to justify misinformation, and a Congress that can (or will) do nothing in response.
Is this inaction because the tentacles of the government are already so entangled with our economy that de-funding any agency will create extreme hardships outside of the government, or it is because they also have joined the governing class? Both are cases for a federal government grown too large.
Are you really okay with our executive branch collecting information on everyone’s phone calls and emails in the name of security?
Are you really okay with our executive branch’s decree of what constitutes common education?
Are you really okay with our executive branch using their tax enforcement agency to harass citizens who speak out in opposition (regardless of their view)?
Are you really okay with our executive branch forcing each citizen and state to comply with mandated medical plans?
Are you really okay with the executive using their agencies to thwart the will of your elected officials when that body will not enact a carbon trading law?
Are you really okay with the Attorney General of the U.S. willfully misrepresenting facts on an affidavit for covert search and seizure of a U.S. citizen, for any reason?
Unless you can say yes to all of the above list, it is time to wake up and to wake up those around you, regardless of your party affiliation or your special interest; to remain quiet is to surrender.
The story once told (not sure if it still is) about Paul Revere’s ride was not just one of history. It was and remains a message of a common citizen sounding the alarm when danger approached.
It’s time for us all to find our inner Revere voice or slip silently into subservience and dependence.
Will our great-grandchildren be forced into bloody confrontation against a totalitarian ruling class (as witnessed recently in China and Iran)?
Or will you look beyond your pet project and recognize that we are purposely being divided for conquer and elect citizens who will rein in power back to the people?
Well, there’s always Prozac.
Alan Felts
Peachtree City, Ga.
