As someone strongly opposed to the Obama Administration's policies, I am finding myself embarrassed time and time again by its opponents--Republicans, libertarians, and other. There are some very good and on-target spokesmen for principles of limited government and individual freedom, but they seem to get little attention; instead we seem to be deluged with superficial, ignorant spokesmen who don't even mouth clever soundbites, or hysterical loonies weeping and drawing absurd conspiracy theories on blackboards. All of that is sad enough, and then we get this. This not so subtle piece of work is brought to us by a county Republican party. Not an isolated bunch of kooks, but a bunch of kooks with the official Republican Party name, suggesting violent overthrow of the duly constituted, democratically elected, government of the United States.
This will not do. I believe strongly in the right of revolution and I believe strongly that much of what the federal government does today is unconstitutional and immoral. But Barack Obama is my president, and this government is my government, whatever its very serious flaws. This remains a great, free, strong nation that can, as she has in the past, restore herself to her principles by free democratic and constitutional action. She is a free and great and noble country and my loyalty to her Constitution does not rise and fall based simply on who wins elections. If the day comes that revolution is called for--if a long train of abuses, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce us under absolute despotism--then I will lend my hand to that work. But until then, those who suggest that the present Democratic administration is worthy of instigating criminal or terroristic activities, or Civil War, cannot deserve or hope for my support or the support of the good people of this country. "I believe this...the strongest Government on earth," wrote Jefferson. "I believe it the only one where every man, at the call of the law, would fly to the standard of the law, and would meet invasions of the public order as his own personal concern." That remains true today.
There are all sorts of reasons to criticize Obama. But the opposition must be based on serious ideas, responsibly advanced--not this demagoguery and childishness.
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