Do You Support Vigilance Actions?

[The_Patriot]

For almost a decade prior to and up to the War of Independence, patriots would gather together at the ale house to discuss politics and their grievances with the government. After they got upset/drunk enough, these patriots would march to the home of the nearest representative of the King and hold a mock trial for the King. One person would be appointed as judge, 12 people would serve as a jury, 1 would be the prosecutor, and 1 would be appointed as defense. The remainder of the crowd would be the gallery and witnesses to the trial.

The court was called to order by the judge and a reading of the crimes against the King followed by opening arguments. The defense and prosecution would present their cases with the end result being the jury convicting the King. The gallery would pull out an effigy of the king to tar and feather him followed by hanging. Keep in mind that they would not break any laws in doing this.

I ask this question here because it's not a true poll. I would like honest opinions regarding the following question.

Would you, as citizens, support a modern day equivalent of vigilance actions?

 

[TurtleDude]

modern day efforts being a ridiculing video posted on "youtube"

 

[Risky Thicket]

For almost a decade prior to and up to the War of Independence, patriots would gather together at the ale house to discuss politics and their grievances with the government. After they got upset/drunk enough, these patriots would march to the home of the nearest representative of the King and hold a mock trial for the King. One person would be appointed as judge, 12 people would serve as a jury, 1 would be the prosecutor, and 1 would be appointed as defense. The remainder of the crowd would be the gallery and witnesses to the trial.

The court was called to order by the judge and a reading of the crimes against the King followed by opening arguments. The defense and prosecution would present their cases with the end result being the jury convicting the King. The gallery would pull out an effigy of the king to tar and feather him followed by hanging. Keep in mind that they would not break any laws in doing this.

I ask this question here because it's not a true poll. I would like honest opinions regarding the following question.

Would you, as citizens, support a modern day equivalent of vigilance actions?

We no longer enjoy that kind of freedom. Review laws such as the Patriot Acts.

 

[Risky Thicket]

Let me add: To seriously propose such a public event would put you on all kinds of lists. You'd be lucky if you could cash a check, let alone even walk near an airport without having all kinds of hands all over your johnson and in your luggage, not that they'd let you fly. Your name would be flagged to hell and back. They'd tap your phones, surveil you and your family and rummage through your home like bandits. You'd be manned in for questioning and told that you may be brought up on charges and that you bloody well had better not say a thing about it to anyone. With a name like Patriot they are likely checking you out already, looking for white supremacist, militant connections.

Let me give you some unsolicited advice, the revolution happened - once. There will never be another successful armed insurrection. The South tried and it lost. The only way available is to use the system to beat the system, the ballot box. If the best this nation can do is Cain, West, Palin, Romney, yada, yada or Obama you had better hunker down for the long haul until the nation bottoms out. The good news is at the rate we're going it shouldn't take more than 10 years.

 

[The_Patriot]

@Risky Thicket: No exactly what I asked, so I'll chalk you answer as a no.

 

[Goshin]

Let me add: To seriously propose such a public event would put you on all kinds of lists. You'd be lucky if you could cash a check, let alone even walk near an airport without having all kinds of hands all over your johnson and in your luggage, not that they'd let you fly. Your name would be flagged to hell and back. They'd tap your phones, surveil you and your family and rummage through your home like bandits. You'd be manned in for questioning and told that you may be brought up on charges and that you bloody well had better not say a thing about it to anyone. With a name like Patriot they are likely checking you out already, looking for white supremacist, militant connections.

Let me give you some unsolicited advice, the revolution happened - once. There will never be another successful armed insurrection. The South tried and it lost. The only way available is to use the system to beat the system, the ballot box. If the best this nation can do is Cain, West, Palin, Romney, yada, yada or Obama you had better hunker down for the long haul until the nation bottoms out. The good news is at the rate we're going it shouldn't take more than 10 years.

.......

Should I be concerned that this post made pretty good sense to me? :doh

 

[samsmart]

For almost a decade prior to and up to the War of Independence, patriots would gather together at the ale house to discuss politics and their grievances with the government. After they got upset/drunk enough, these patriots would march to the home of the nearest representative of the King and hold a mock trial for the King. One person would be appointed as judge, 12 people would serve as a jury, 1 would be the prosecutor, and 1 would be appointed as defense. The remainder of the crowd would be the gallery and witnesses to the trial.

The court was called to order by the judge and a reading of the crimes against the King followed by opening arguments. The defense and prosecution would present their cases with the end result being the jury convicting the King. The gallery would pull out an effigy of the king to tar and feather him followed by hanging. Keep in mind that they would not break any laws in doing this.

I ask this question here because it's not a true poll. I would like honest opinions regarding the following question.

Would you, as citizens, support a modern day equivalent of vigilance actions?

No, I do not.

There's quite a bit of difference between the political system of the colonies and the political system we have now.

In colonial times, day-to-day operations were run by a governor who was sometimes elected and sometimes appointed by the King. They had local laws passed by the colony's legislature. However, Acts of the British Parliament overrided any colonial laws.

The problem with this, however, was that the British Parliament did not allow the colonists to vote for any Members of Parliament. Because of this, the grievances of the colonists went totally unaddressed by Parliament, and the colonists had no avenue to address Parliament for their grievances.

Which was why they did so through acts of violence. They had no other way to make their grievances known.

The modern American political system, however, allows the people to petition the government regarding grievances. In fact it's a Constitutional guarantee that was written into as a part of the First Amendment.

Not only that, but people have an incredible amount of voice directly in government. Most of our sub-national elections are decided by popular vote. Our Congressmen and Senators are elected by popular vote. Our Presidency is decided by electoral vote but how a state's electoral vote is decided is determined by popular vote within that state. We also have the right to free speech. This allows people to donate money to our candidates of choice, thus making it more likely they'll get elected. It also calls for the protection of political speech so that ordinary citizens may lobby and campaign for the candidate of their choice.

So no - any such act of violence against a representative of the federal government is totally uncalled for given the amount of determination in how the federal government acts the citizens of the United States have.

 

[samsmart]

Let me add: To seriously propose such a public event would put you on all kinds of lists. You'd be lucky if you could cash a check, let alone even walk near an airport without having all kinds of hands all over your johnson and in your luggage, not that they'd let you fly. Your name would be flagged to hell and back. They'd tap your phones, surveil you and your family and rummage through your home like bandits. You'd be manned in for questioning and told that you may be brought up on charges and that you bloody well had better not say a thing about it to anyone. With a name like Patriot they are likely checking you out already, looking for white supremacist, militant connections.

Let me give you some unsolicited advice, the revolution happened - once. There will never be another successful armed insurrection. The South tried and it lost. The only way available is to use the system to beat the system, the ballot box. If the best this nation can do is Cain, West, Palin, Romney, yada, yada or Obama you had better hunker down for the long haul until the nation bottoms out. The good news is at the rate we're going it shouldn't take more than 10 years.

But we live in a democracy that allows for political opposition to the government. We no longer require violent revolution against our government - especially when it may be a group of a few who use violence to change things for the peaceful majority, which is just as much a tyranny.

 

[rathi]

This sort of activity was just entertainment/venting their spleen. Nowadays people watch pundits for that sort of thing. The hanging part is going a bit far, but other than that, have at it.

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

For almost a decade prior to and up to the War of Independence, patriots would gather together at the ale house to discuss politics and their grievances with the government. After they got upset/drunk enough, these patriots would march to the home of the nearest representative of the King and hold a mock trial for the King. One person would be appointed as judge, 12 people would serve as a jury, 1 would be the prosecutor, and 1 would be appointed as defense. The remainder of the crowd would be the gallery and witnesses to the trial.

The court was called to order by the judge and a reading of the crimes against the King followed by opening arguments. The defense and prosecution would present their cases with the end result being the jury convicting the King. The gallery would pull out an effigy of the king to tar and feather him followed by hanging. Keep in mind that they would not break any laws in doing this.

I ask this question here because it's not a true poll. I would like honest opinions regarding the following question.

Would you, as citizens, support a modern day equivalent of vigilance actions?

I think it would be cool but at the same time, the effects would be negative or nil for those involved.
We're past the point of no return in my opinion.

 

[Geo Patric]

No, I do not.. . The modern American political system, however, allows the people to petition the government regarding grievances. In fact it's a Constitutional guarantee that was written into as a part of the First Amendment.

Thanks, sam. a clear, succint and estimably true response.

we have what those folks were fighting for. pity not enough people value it enough it use it.

geo.