The Coming Rise of the "Violent Fringe"

Speaking as one of the millions of disenfranchised Americans without a political affiliation but who desperately wants to see real change in America, I feel it imperative to warn our nation of a coming threat which will inevitably be ignored as all threats are and, though completely avoidable, will be met with the usual question of "Why?"

We have a political system based on a "choice" between two ideologies that, while superficially different, seek the same ends in maintaining government power and control to the detriment of individual rights. Similarly, the disenfranchised feel no reason to become involved in the political process which they see as merely talk radio sound bytes, bickering, pandering, and overall hypocrisy. Finally, when those who feel it important to ask questions like "how can we afford this?" "what does this policy accomplish?" "why does the government feel it better qualified to control my personal life than I?" only to be labeled "conspiracy nuts" or "anti-government" or "fringe loonies", or course they will begin to resent the institutions that are ostensibly created to protect their right to ask such questions.

The violence exhibited by a man pushed too far in Austin will repeat itself a thousand times in the coming years because we as a society felt it sufficient to label these individuals as "crazy" "fringe" "loony" "terrorists" rather than attempt to understand the why and wherefore they pursued such desperate actions.

Of course, the majority of society views the government in positive terms. The government never lies to us, it protects us, it takes care of us, it looks out for our interests, and it provides numerous services that no other aspect of our society is capable of providing whatsoever. This is a pleasant fiction, and it helps us to justify our continued subservience allowing us to accept passively our political inferiority to our social betters in the fields of politics, media, academia, and business.

"Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes;" Wrote one "anti-government terrorist" in his manifesto. He continues in his rant "and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed." This "conspiracy theorist" elaborates on what he felt justified his support of violent revolution, "But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."

Sadly for the government, this anti-government loony was successful in his aims. The terrorist who wrote this manifesto was Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence. Similar to what we hear in the media and from the government today, King George III had something to say about this rebellion in the colonies in his August 23^rd proclamation of 1775.I leave it to the reader whether or not Jefferson was justified or if we should still be British. The ultimate purpose of my commentary is to get our society to consider that as disenfranchisement increases, and as the political parties continue to unify in their ultimate aims (expanding government power at the expense of individual rights), you will continue to see more violent backlash from those pushed too far who, lacking a representative voice in the government, feel no other alternative but to strike out at the perceived offenders. We as a society can either rectify such concerns if we value national tranquility, or else continue to ignore the warning signs and ask "Why?" as the avoidable tragedies continue to mount. I would hope for the former, but I expect the latter being the easy route.