I see it so clearly in my mind’s eye. Thatched roofs, billowing smoke with flames lapping, ready to consume the pitiful mud and waddle hovel. Cruel faced men sit astride fierce mounts, demanding obeisance from cowering peasants. These are the dark days before the dawn of liberty. In this world, men and women are little more than chattel, owning nothing. Their labors are not their own. They toil bitterly for their meager existence, knowing their sovereign may require the fruits of their labor without notice or cause. Their lives are fodder for the nobles who take great joy in exercising complete power over their subjects, both for personal gain and for the twisted pleasure of wreaking destruction on helpless peasants.
The Dark Ages were called dark for a reason. Society was hallmarked by a great chasm of classes – the masses worked for the betterment of the few and the few tyrannized the masses. As we stand idly by, our world is growing dark once more.
Our constitution was written to govern free men. The wording was concise and specific. The preamble begins “We the people of the United States…..”, not “We the citizens of the United States”. It was worded thus to keep men free. The difference between “People” and “Citizen” is the difference between serf and king.
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h/t Donna and Brock
The argument for individual sovereignty flows easily from the philosophy of John Locke and the Enlightenment. Our founders understood it. Finding a way to exercise ones’ sovereignty, while living within our current society is truly problematic.
One has to be willing to nullify, i.e. ignore at ones’ own peril, all societal restrictions other than the two basic rules for civil society: (1) Do not encroach upon others or their property, and (2) Do all that you agreed to do.
Live according to Jeffersons’ definition of Rightful Liberty: unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others.
The problem we have not solved is how to restore the proper chain of authority for The People (the Sovereign Individual) when society has placed the monopoly of force in the hands of a government that doesn’t respect either People or Citizens (only respects power in the hands of government).
I keep returning to the necessity for secession from FedGov or a re-enactment of the revolution of 1776. I don’t see a political solution within the structure of the existing system.
No one in the FedGov power structure will release power; no one elected into the system can be immune to corruption by power.
“no one elected into the system can be immune to corruption by power.”
If we accept this premise as true, it would then obligate us to act in the manner you describe: secession or revolution.
FYI -- a good primer on the topic of nullification:
http://tenthamendmentcenter.com/2012/08/05/garbage-in-garbage-out/