Western Rifle Shooters Association

Do not give in to Evil, but proceed ever more boldly against it

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Reynolds: Out-of-Doors Political Activity

Having previously commented on the efficacy of political violence, Professor Reynolds discusses the utility of lesser steps along the action continuum:

***
SO I’VE
WRITTEN IN THE PAST ABOUT “OUT-OF-DOORS POLITICAL ACTIVITY,” and that’s led to some reader questions about what it might involve today.

As I’ve suggested, I think an early phase is internet satire. Tea Party protests are another. Or pranks.

But what if you’re in the Hugo Chavez world — not quite outright military government, but not exactly democracy, either? Or just afraid you’re moving that way?

One step going beyond mere protests and mockery, but well short of violence, is something like the U.K. fuel protests. Or what would happen if a lot of people showed up at banks and started withdrawing a lot of cash all at once? (Most banks couldn’t deal with much in the way of cash withdrawals — a few dozen people withdrawing a few thousand each at once would overload many, no doubt panicking the powers-that-be). Heck just a bunch of people driving at exactly the speed limit might have a drastic effect on some areas . . . .

I don’t have any answers, and we’re pretty clearly not at that point yet. At any rate, I’d encourage those interested in this to read Pauline Maier’s book. We’re not in colonial times any more, but while the specifics might change the principles are evergreen.
***
Withdraw your consent.

Encourage others to do the same.

Prepare to stand.

3 Comments:

Blogger Loren said...

What is that a picture of?

October 12, 2009 at 7:25 AM  
Blogger Concerned American said...

That is a picture of (in simulation or re-enactment, I assume) a man who has been smeared in tar ("tarred") and then covered in feathers ("feathered") before being run out of town on a rail, as the phrase goes.

October 12, 2009 at 11:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Concerned American: Your response to Loren's question contains a very minor misstatement. For some stupid reason I'm a connoisseur of the practice illustrated. The phrase is, correctly, "ridden" out of town on a rail. Abraham Lincoln is said to have joked about a man in the dilemma we see. He quoted the main as saying, "If it warn't fer the honor, I'd as soon walk."

October 13, 2009 at 12:35 PM  

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