The Revolution
As promised, further notes on the revolution. I know as moral and upright citizens we are compelled to obey the lawful authority of the land. But as lawful authority is such a nebulous term, I wonder how and where and why a government might lose this privilege.
How seems pretty clear - by losing the consent of the governed. But this is again a pretty loose way of looking at things. How much consent? If one man gives consent is this enough (if there's one good man in Sodom. . . )? Is this a case of simple majority? When is governance simple majority? If the states reject the authority of the federal government does this qualify? Yes or no, depending on your Civil War stance.
Where seems pretty clear too. There have been numerous revolutions throughout history, and some of them even legitimate (I imagine most of us could agree that the American Revolution was just such a case - others get a little more picky).
How. How is difficult. Perhaps if the government disregards its own law. Perhaps if, for example, habeas corpus were suspended. Perhaps if taxation increased beyond bounds necessary to pay for things not in the interests (for the common good) of the people so ruled.
Obviously, we can agree or disagree about the particulars in this regime. I have a feeling that the bleeding hearts and flock-like mentality of the modern American keeps us in line no matter how un-lawful the authority becomes. Rock fights? Molotov cocktails? Hardly. But I have a suggestion, just to get the ball rolling:
