On war and revolution

Og has an interesting post regarding the Left and the erosion of the American Republic. I agree with most of his points, other than what appears to be a disappointment we did not try to take the nation back to our Constitutional and Conservative rights by force. I was one of those who argued the time for revolution was not ripe.

Before I expound on my arguments, I have to be honest, and I have thought about this a lot. It takes more than ordinary courage to start a revolution.  It takes a passion, almost a religious fervor, a single minded belief in your cause. One has to believe that force of arms is the only answer. I believe our country is on the wrong path. Do I have the courage of my convictions?  I honestly do not know. I will protect my family and home to the best of my ability. The life of a non-family member is not equal to that of my wife, my kids, my parents, my brother. The life of a non-American is not equal to the life of a fellow citizen. I know it is not politically correct, but I would gladly sacrifice the lives of ten Armenians, Kurds, Chinese, Congolese, Cubans, Brazilians, French, Arabs, Germans, Japanese, British, Swedes, and even Canadians for the single life of an American. Do you find that attitude offensive?  Too bad. I also bet my beliefs are more common than your garden lefty/progressive cares to admit.

I do not believe all cultures have equal value. I believe I was fortunate to be born in the greatest nation not only on the face of the Earth, but in the history of Man. I believe our forefathers founded this Nation with a flash of inspiration that had to be born from Divine guidance. Our Constitution is so perfect.  I challenge anyone to prove the Constitution is outdated, that Freedom for the individual is not protected better than any other Government's efforts. If followed, show me how the Constitution fails to work as perfectly as it did in 1783, 1894 or 1950. It is the weakening of the founding principles, the growing Federal Government  -- the Democrats over the past 100 years -- that have pushed our country the wrong direction. Progressivism, Liberalism, Socialism, Communism are all sides of the same coin and all put the power of the State over the rights of the individual.  All is done in the name of common good. Too bad under those ideals the boats do not rise with the tide, but sink under despair and lack of freedom.

But I digress. A modern revolution is doomed to failure. Remember the American Revolution was carried out by a very determined few and supported by a minority of the populace. We like to imagine the Colonists rose up en mass. It just was not so. Best estimates are that about 1/3 of the population supported change. Even fewer actually participated either directly or indirectly. A review of history will show even fewer supported the French Revolution and Russian Revolutions. Most people are focused on living and surviving and the greater philosophical arguments of war and revolution have no impact or bearing upon their lives.

Most people are afraid of change. They would rather be sheep, hoping beyond hope things will work out for the best. Many believe conditions may be bad, but loss of life or property is worse.

During the American revolution the arms of the general population were for the most part equal to that of the Government (the British Army). The small arms were roughly equal. Today, some posses a trove of guns and weapons, but few of us possess military grade armament. Automatic rifles and machine guns are not common, and were outlawed by the leftists with reason. Those of you gung ho for armed rebellion, how long do you think you can fight a pitched battle against modern weapons, body armor, secure communications, tank and air power?  Do you think you are pretty hot with that .30-06? How long will you last against a platoon of Rangers?

You may think the military will be on "our" side.  I say at best they will remain neutral. At least in the beginning. The problem is the early days of any revolution, even if coordinated and nation-wide, will face a strong and determined police force. Have no doubt which side the police will choose. Most cops are great people individually, but the collective mindset is we are all criminals. The police are exclusively an arm of the State.  Who controlled the populace in Germany, in Russia, in Cuba, in Italy? In all despotic regimes it is the police who provide the power, the enforcement, the security. It is no coincidence so many cops joined the SS. Most urban police have a semi-military arm. These SWAT teams have tanks, body armor, modern weapons. They are designed to stop the very revolution many propose. Your local police force will not be joining the revolution, even if many of the individual police may partially agree with your stance. They will be on the side of law and order, and law and order is determined by the State.

Thanks to the Bill Ayres types of the 1960's police forces in even the smallest of cities are armed and trained to deal with small insurgencies. The very tactics of the so-called revolutionaries created the means these same leftists will control us in the future. The irony is delicious.

The bottom line is Red Dawn was a movie.

Call me a nay-sayer, call me a coward. Realty is what it is. Until there is a general groundswell of discontent, until the People rise up there can be no successful revolution.  until tens of thousands of us show up to tear down our own "Berlin Wall", there can be no revolution.

The time is not right.

One final parting thought. Do you know what happens after a transition Government comes to power after a revolution? They kill the revolutionaries. Only America escaped that historical truth.  Further example of the superiority of our system.