The Radical Middle love their guns. Boy, oh boy, do they love their guns. The Radical Middle hold the 2nd Amendment up on a pedestal, a tribute to the radical liberties that our Revolutionary government pioneered in the face of overwhelming tyrannies. A government granting their citizens the right to own their own weapons was seen as the fortifying element of an American government run by the people of America and not by an elevated bureaucracy.
What has this resulted in? It's resulted in the Radical Middle's resentment in every limitation imposed by the Federal Government on gun ownership. They have resented the restriction of magazine sizes, the ban on assault weapons, and the limitation on where we as citizens can fire our guns. They believe that they have the right to use their guns to defend themselves, their property, and their loved ones. They believe that the Constitution grants them the right to own guns as a safeguard against the government, sort of a self-check system which, when it reaches critical mass will result in a complete overhaul and renovation. These people believe that our government, as it stands currently, is fast approaching this state, where they will be not only able to, but obligated to overthrow our government and replace it with one by the people.
Notions of government overhaul are as old as time. History will tell how the cycle of revolution, development, prosperity, degradation, and, finally, revolution again, runs.
to be continued>>>
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
The Radical Middle
I, like many Americans, was both excited and relieved last Tuesday when Barack Obama was elected president over John McCain. I could tell you why, but I think that there is already enough rhetoric out there from both sides and there is little I can accomplish from adding to it. I will say that I appreciated both Obama's acceptance speech and John McCain's concession speech and feel that if America as a nation can accomplish this election peacefully its a testament to our strength as a nation and the merits of our democratic political system.
But I'm not here to talk about the election (Probably the most efficient way to grab attention in the blogosphere right now). I'm here to talk about The Radical Middle. When I say the Radical Middle I do not mean it in an oxymoronic fashion. I am not talking about moderates, or independents. I'm talking about people from America's middle. The mid West, the upper Great Lake Region, and of course, Texas. Anyone who has looked at that popular NYT graph showing democratic voting tendencies has observed what I am about to critique: the increased democratic leanings of America. From the West Coast to the East Coast states voted bluer in 2008 than ever before. You can read this evidence in several ways to make several conclusion based on several political stances. However, I was more concerned with the smudge of red in the middle. This election did not bring together the country in the way either candidate promised (although now Barack Obama is in a prime position to do so). It has had the effect of polarizing the voting base, 70% one way, and 30% the other.
After the election I made my weekly round of blogs and political sites. There were plenty of stories and entries detailing the democratic revolution or writing the GOP's obituary. I dismissed this as mere partisan adrenaline, venting excess excitement after the cataclysmic events of last week. What caught my attention was the blog of a friend I met online several years ago. I have known him (or her for all I know, although it should be noted that he doesn't strike me as the kind of person to lie about something like that) for over 7 years, and we were originally brought together my our mutual love of writing. He is committed to his anonymity, and maintains a blog which reveals little about himself or where he comes from. I, however, have come to learn several things about him in the many years I have known him, including the following: he is three or four years older than I and he lives somewhere in Northen-Central America, probably in the Western Great Lakes Region. For several years we shared our opinions on various things, ranging from music, to writing, to water guns and potato cannons. Two years ago, I started this blog and very soon after that, he provided me with the link to his. I saw this as a great opportunity to get to know him outside of web-forums (from which, at the point, I was slowly drifting away and now have completely detached myself). I have realized only within the span of the past year or so his political leanings, which can be best described as radical libertarianism. He is a staunch supporter of gun rights, freedom from taxes, and appears to me to be a stern believer in the destruction of all things Federal.
It is worthy to note that he is unlike any radical libertarian I ever met (which is interesting considering I have never met him). He is articulate to an extraordinary degree, and from what I have read of his work (consisting of several short novels, some short stories, and collections of essays) he is able to express himself through the written word in an aggressive, eloquent, and above all influential way. I would venture to say that if we as humans are destined for one thing, he would be compelled to be a writer of intense and inspiring condition.
So when he writes from a position of radical conservatism, it is not without a sense of eloquence and thought. His arguments take upon themselves a grace of movement; each portion of his work seamlessly integrating with the next. His work also seems to take upon itself a matter or prophetic self realization, setting ultimatums for America that must be broken in order to feed the fire of his work. In so doing he has created a portal into a rare and often ignored segment of the American populace; The Articulate Radical Middle.
Hearing this term would cause much anger among the radical middle blogosphere, although ironically it is their own actions that continue to perpetuate the stigma of an articulate radical front. I will here implement the tools of an anthropological researcher (which I believe may be good preparation for cognitive anthropological research I will be conducting within my major next semester) in the hopes of distinguishing the character of this section of the American populace and analyzing there place in the changing dynamic of American society that was, if not initiated by, than definitely alluded to in the last election. This assessment is not based on exhaustive observation and I hold no doubts that it will contain several elements of speculation. Often times this speculation will be conducted through the lens of a liberal mindset, although I will actively work to reduce the effect of this on my writing. My primary goal in conducting this assessment is to provide some foundation from which an explanation for the political stance and social motivations of such people as my friend from America (taken here in the most profound sense) can be based.
The Radical Middle exists without a time machine, something that they seem perpetually disturbed by. They appear to view time as a malignant agent, that the change that has been brought by ravishing forces of time has created an erosion of American values. They have seen the disastrous effects of war and governmental changes and wish now for nothing more than a return to the time of the American revolution, when the values of independence and personal freedoms were able to stand in the face of tyranny and overwhelming economic, political, and military might. When an army of slaves defeated an army of masters. They have taken this time period and assigned it a place in the psyche most normally reserved for matters of religious reverence. And why not? What did the term "manifest destiny" mean if not "by god"? Were we as a people not destined to expand to cover this continent from east to west, from forest to plain, from mountain to valley and in the process create a new land, free from the turmoils of Europe and free of the oppressions of traditional government? To forge a new government by the people and for the people? This is an idea that most anyone can identify with, it is this "American" idea of nationalism that has pervaded the very essence of our national being. This is what it means to be an American at the very core level. This is what the Radical Middle believes.
The Radical Middle believes that the forces of time and such evil institutions as globalization have weakened our ability to defend our rights domestically. We have stretched ourselves too thin, put our fingers into too many cookie jars and int he process have run into a dilemma. As our businesses opened in Moscow and Beijing and as our military defended South American airbases, we were no longer able to successfully maintain our traditional Revolutionary government. The government by the people and for the people ceased to be and in its place sprang up a new and terrifying replacement. Based on the ideals of old European imperialism, our new government sought hegemonic authority over personal liberty, sought international power over the stabilization and maintenance of the will of the people at home. As a result of this our government grew, bloated in on itself, would collapse under it's own weight if it wasn't held up by the struts of new taxes, new institutions, and larger more centralized authority. Drawing from the hardworking middle class, America transformed hard earned incomes into federal revenue and used this money not for domestic revitalization but to secure interests abroad. The American government of today is not the same government that existed during the revolutionary war. It now resembles the very same British Empire we strove to secure our freedom from back in the 1700s. Understanding and realizing this transformation is key to understanding the views of the Radical Middle. America is not the same now as it was before, and it is up to us as a people to make our government ours again.
It is important to note now how this mentality has effected the cultural and civil activity patterns of The Radical Middle. Fast becoming an anachronism, they strive to keep themselves as separate from the Federal government as they can. What does this result in? Lower faith in the effectiveness of government reduces voting rates among The Radical Middle. Lower faith in the effective implementation of tax programs increases tax evasion and other related crimes. Increased emphasis on personal protection results in increased firearms felonies. The general observable trend is decreased active participation in government in lieu of personal isolationist strategy coupled with increased criminal activity. However, it is important to note that The Radical Middle rarely conflicts with other members of society, because they often isolate themselves into population areas of shared interest.
At this point it becomes necessary to describe the revolutionary path of The Radical Middle. This program of social and political rehabilitation involves a dramatic reshaping of American politics, stripping away superfluous agencies and governmental organizations until the only thing that is left is that same revolutionary government that stood at the conclusion of the war for independence.
to be continued>>>
But I'm not here to talk about the election (Probably the most efficient way to grab attention in the blogosphere right now). I'm here to talk about The Radical Middle. When I say the Radical Middle I do not mean it in an oxymoronic fashion. I am not talking about moderates, or independents. I'm talking about people from America's middle. The mid West, the upper Great Lake Region, and of course, Texas. Anyone who has looked at that popular NYT graph showing democratic voting tendencies has observed what I am about to critique: the increased democratic leanings of America. From the West Coast to the East Coast states voted bluer in 2008 than ever before. You can read this evidence in several ways to make several conclusion based on several political stances. However, I was more concerned with the smudge of red in the middle. This election did not bring together the country in the way either candidate promised (although now Barack Obama is in a prime position to do so). It has had the effect of polarizing the voting base, 70% one way, and 30% the other.
After the election I made my weekly round of blogs and political sites. There were plenty of stories and entries detailing the democratic revolution or writing the GOP's obituary. I dismissed this as mere partisan adrenaline, venting excess excitement after the cataclysmic events of last week. What caught my attention was the blog of a friend I met online several years ago. I have known him (or her for all I know, although it should be noted that he doesn't strike me as the kind of person to lie about something like that) for over 7 years, and we were originally brought together my our mutual love of writing. He is committed to his anonymity, and maintains a blog which reveals little about himself or where he comes from. I, however, have come to learn several things about him in the many years I have known him, including the following: he is three or four years older than I and he lives somewhere in Northen-Central America, probably in the Western Great Lakes Region. For several years we shared our opinions on various things, ranging from music, to writing, to water guns and potato cannons. Two years ago, I started this blog and very soon after that, he provided me with the link to his. I saw this as a great opportunity to get to know him outside of web-forums (from which, at the point, I was slowly drifting away and now have completely detached myself). I have realized only within the span of the past year or so his political leanings, which can be best described as radical libertarianism. He is a staunch supporter of gun rights, freedom from taxes, and appears to me to be a stern believer in the destruction of all things Federal.
It is worthy to note that he is unlike any radical libertarian I ever met (which is interesting considering I have never met him). He is articulate to an extraordinary degree, and from what I have read of his work (consisting of several short novels, some short stories, and collections of essays) he is able to express himself through the written word in an aggressive, eloquent, and above all influential way. I would venture to say that if we as humans are destined for one thing, he would be compelled to be a writer of intense and inspiring condition.
So when he writes from a position of radical conservatism, it is not without a sense of eloquence and thought. His arguments take upon themselves a grace of movement; each portion of his work seamlessly integrating with the next. His work also seems to take upon itself a matter or prophetic self realization, setting ultimatums for America that must be broken in order to feed the fire of his work. In so doing he has created a portal into a rare and often ignored segment of the American populace; The Articulate Radical Middle.
Hearing this term would cause much anger among the radical middle blogosphere, although ironically it is their own actions that continue to perpetuate the stigma of an articulate radical front. I will here implement the tools of an anthropological researcher (which I believe may be good preparation for cognitive anthropological research I will be conducting within my major next semester) in the hopes of distinguishing the character of this section of the American populace and analyzing there place in the changing dynamic of American society that was, if not initiated by, than definitely alluded to in the last election. This assessment is not based on exhaustive observation and I hold no doubts that it will contain several elements of speculation. Often times this speculation will be conducted through the lens of a liberal mindset, although I will actively work to reduce the effect of this on my writing. My primary goal in conducting this assessment is to provide some foundation from which an explanation for the political stance and social motivations of such people as my friend from America (taken here in the most profound sense) can be based.
The Radical Middle exists without a time machine, something that they seem perpetually disturbed by. They appear to view time as a malignant agent, that the change that has been brought by ravishing forces of time has created an erosion of American values. They have seen the disastrous effects of war and governmental changes and wish now for nothing more than a return to the time of the American revolution, when the values of independence and personal freedoms were able to stand in the face of tyranny and overwhelming economic, political, and military might. When an army of slaves defeated an army of masters. They have taken this time period and assigned it a place in the psyche most normally reserved for matters of religious reverence. And why not? What did the term "manifest destiny" mean if not "by god"? Were we as a people not destined to expand to cover this continent from east to west, from forest to plain, from mountain to valley and in the process create a new land, free from the turmoils of Europe and free of the oppressions of traditional government? To forge a new government by the people and for the people? This is an idea that most anyone can identify with, it is this "American" idea of nationalism that has pervaded the very essence of our national being. This is what it means to be an American at the very core level. This is what the Radical Middle believes.
The Radical Middle believes that the forces of time and such evil institutions as globalization have weakened our ability to defend our rights domestically. We have stretched ourselves too thin, put our fingers into too many cookie jars and int he process have run into a dilemma. As our businesses opened in Moscow and Beijing and as our military defended South American airbases, we were no longer able to successfully maintain our traditional Revolutionary government. The government by the people and for the people ceased to be and in its place sprang up a new and terrifying replacement. Based on the ideals of old European imperialism, our new government sought hegemonic authority over personal liberty, sought international power over the stabilization and maintenance of the will of the people at home. As a result of this our government grew, bloated in on itself, would collapse under it's own weight if it wasn't held up by the struts of new taxes, new institutions, and larger more centralized authority. Drawing from the hardworking middle class, America transformed hard earned incomes into federal revenue and used this money not for domestic revitalization but to secure interests abroad. The American government of today is not the same government that existed during the revolutionary war. It now resembles the very same British Empire we strove to secure our freedom from back in the 1700s. Understanding and realizing this transformation is key to understanding the views of the Radical Middle. America is not the same now as it was before, and it is up to us as a people to make our government ours again.
It is important to note now how this mentality has effected the cultural and civil activity patterns of The Radical Middle. Fast becoming an anachronism, they strive to keep themselves as separate from the Federal government as they can. What does this result in? Lower faith in the effectiveness of government reduces voting rates among The Radical Middle. Lower faith in the effective implementation of tax programs increases tax evasion and other related crimes. Increased emphasis on personal protection results in increased firearms felonies. The general observable trend is decreased active participation in government in lieu of personal isolationist strategy coupled with increased criminal activity. However, it is important to note that The Radical Middle rarely conflicts with other members of society, because they often isolate themselves into population areas of shared interest.
At this point it becomes necessary to describe the revolutionary path of The Radical Middle. This program of social and political rehabilitation involves a dramatic reshaping of American politics, stripping away superfluous agencies and governmental organizations until the only thing that is left is that same revolutionary government that stood at the conclusion of the war for independence.
to be continued>>>
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