Our nation’s constitution and our planet’s life support system are crumbling under the control of a tyrannical minority. It is time to put faith into action. It is apocalypse now.
The United States was founded to keep us free of religious wars and despotism. The founders knew the biggest threat to our republic was a wannabe tyrant with foreign backing. The protections they crafted against this are the constitution, separation of church & state, and the rule of law – all of which, coincidentally, are under attack by the Trump administration.
Our morally bankrupt, financially and sexually compromised Congress will not obey its oath and impeach despite clear evidence the President has committed multiple felonies, conspired with foreign powers against the American people and further violates the constitution each day he prevents legislative oversight of the executive branch.
At present, single issue protest movements do a good job of bringing issues such as unjust treatment of asylum seekers, climate change and wholesale attacks on women’s rights to light but will fail to alter policy. Battling against police, ICE or other government agencies over single issues is counterproductive as the agencies are merely executing an agenda delivered from the top of government, protestors rack up felonies which will affect their voting rights and prevent them from taking part in a future mass movement. Single-issue protests can be criminalized and defeated in detail. The country is rotten from the top down. we need to go after the head, not the hands – we do that with a national election in 2020.
The 2020 election is a little over 14 months away. There are four possible outcomes to the election:
- Trump wins a legitimate election and remains in power.
- Trump loses a legitimate election and concedes defeat.
- Trump steals the election through voter suppression and hacking.
- Trump loses the election and will not concede.
I know we’re all going to work towards outcome 2 but the President and the cabal around him have shown in both word and deed that options 3 and 4 are far more likely. That will happen in just over 14 months. Unless an immediate mass movement arises to stop it in 15 months, our Republic will tumble into the abyss.
We the people are entitled to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. The Declaration of Independence states that when a government becomes injurious to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, it must be removed.
If I were to dream a protest to save us, it would be this:
Three million men and women assembling in Washington DC, dressed in white, singing as one while walking a giant circuit passing by the White House, Congress, the Supreme Court and Arlington Cemetery 24 hours a day. Everyone would take an eight-hour shift. Brass bands from around the country would play and march with us in the day. At night, we we’d walk in silent prayer with our flashlights and we’d cover Washington’s stone facades with projections of our Rights as well as Life, Liberty and Happiness. We would walk this circuit strengthening our bond as Americans until, like Jericho, the walls of corruption fall.
The protest would begin if and when the administration loses the 2020 election and refuses to relinquish power.
How could we build such a protest?
We’d need an all-encompassing movement to protect our freedom of speech, assembly and religion. Peace, Truth, Compassion, Generosity, Humility and Forgiveness are the beating hearts of most faiths and they would serve as good guideposts on the road forward. 90 percent of Americans have some form of faith and they all guide us toward similar virtues. Faith doesn’t have a good track record with governing but it does have a good track record seeking and securing rights. Faith should be a building block of any movement: faith organizations have deep ties within their community and nationally, they have experience feeding and moving people from one place to another, they’re not looking to physically fight anyone and, most importantly, they’re all called upon to set aside part of their life for a greater good. We need a greater good.
For the sake of argument, let’s call this movement Concord, which means harmony among peoples. Concord could not be affiliated with any political party or candidate.
Concord should be run by those who do not seek power and would refuse it if offered to them.
Concord’s goal would be restoration of the constitution and our full Bill of Rights.
Concord’s demands would be the immediate resignation of the Trump administration to be followed by a Truth and Reconciliation committee.
Concord’s methods would be non-violent mass protest.
Concord would wear white because it is the color of pilgrimage, it will show our blood if violence is used against us and we take from our opponent the only color he holds dear.
Concord would reach out, through its members, to unions, civic groups and non-governmental organizations.
People want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. People want to feel solidarity with their neighbors. People want to do good. Wouldn’t it be great if we had a history-changing event that brought us together as a family? Admittedly, this is a family with an uncle waving around a loaded pistol but, hey, once we get it out of his hands, it will be a great bonding experience.
There are inherent dangers. The most obvious danger is violence wielded by an illegitimate regime and its armed supporters. Over 65 percent of all non-violent revolutions succeed, only 5 percent of violent revolutions do. The regime will attempt to transform Concord into something it can beat through violent provocation. This is where strict adherence to non-violence will play a role.
Truth and Reconciliation is a carrot to limit violence. We’re offering the easiest possible out – escape from criminal prosecution in return for the full public airing of the truth followed by retirement from public life. Bring all the corruption to light.
It won’t be easy. Concord’s greatest challenges would be logistical: toilets, food and accommodations for an extended protest involving millions of people. This will require a massive, well-organized volunteer labor force. Concord would also have to build out medics, communications and legal services. The movement would need liaisons to coordinate strike actions with unions, professional organizations and civic groups.
Hopefully I’m wrong and we have legitimate elections with accepted results next year. If not, it would be useful to figure out how to restore our constitution and republic in the least dangerous way. No one is coming to rescue us from our national descent into hell but we can save ourselves.
Long live the republic.
Wes Clark Jr. 