Tell Me It Ain't So

by Clyde N. Wilson
http://www.chroniclesmagazine.org/
December 6, 2008

The federal government has been morphing into an authoritarian state for some time now—uninterruptedly.

Two things stand in the way of the consummation of American dictatorship (in fact if not in name). Certainly not elections, which are predetermined. Certainly not the complicit Republican Party and Big Business and mainstream churches. Certainly not the cowed press and military.

The first barrier to the total state is freedom of speech. Though everywhere threatened, freedom of speech and publication still flourishes in the U.S. to an extent remarkable in today’s world. This makes criticism of government policies and disobedience to rulers possible, as in the recent grassroots defeat of the illegal alien “amnesty.” Second, a large part of the American population is armed, something always frightening to rulers. Our rulers aren’t worried about criminals, jihadists, or Mexican fifth columnists, but armed Americans frighten them. Is there any doubt that the government already has in place arrangements for detention camps for recalcitrants?

Underlying these two factors is a fundamental condition. Freedom of speech and an armed citizenry are still valued by an indeterminate but very large part of the population—generally people who think the country should belong to those who made it rather than to the government and whatever alien population the government chooses to import. That is to say the obstacle is a portion of the population that is still actually American.

Given the recent elections, we can expect soon hate crime legislation that will punish any honest discussion of public policy in regard to minority groups. This legislation can be infinitely expanded in interpretation—for instance, an American who harms a minority criminal while defending himself may be guilty of a hate crime. American law enforcement is already federalised and militarised and a massive gun seizure can easily be imagined. It won’t be easy or a complete success but will provide an excuse for further regimentation of the “citizens.”

You can bet that these policies for “fairness” and “safety” now stand a strong chance of implementation. All the institutions of respectability and a considerable part of the populace can be expected to rally around them, including the Republican Party. There will be a scattering of no votes in Congress from a few sincere old Democratic civil libertarians.

Tell me where I am wrong. Please.

Clyde N. Wilson :: Dec.06.2008 :: The Old Republic :: 17 Comments »