We thought that considering the prevailing divisive and contentious atmosphere existing in our Nation, we would take the liberty of writing this open letter to you. It would appear that as things stand, friendly debate, the preferable mode of citizen political discussion, has suffered from the apparent increase in divisiveness and that correspondence would be socially, preferable. We would request that you review this letter, and furnish a cogent response if desired. As fellow American citizens, we undoubtedly, share a mutual concern for the well-being of our Nation.
Dear American Radical:
As American citizens, we share many invaluable rights and protections generally denied in many other countries. In addition to our natural personal liberty and Bill of Rights, guaranteed by the Constitution, we are secure in our homes, enjoy the right of personal privacy and are free from the fear of “a knock on the door,” as exists in many countries. We have the right to select our Nation’s Chief Executive, the right to vote, and to run for public office, the franchise to address our complaints in Court, the freedom of choice to pursue education and a job, freedom of commerce, the unlimited right to travel, freedom to own, sell and accumulate property, to be personally safe, in and out of our homes. Domestically, we have the protection of the police (who may be sued by the citizen for alleged wrongful acts), and nationally, by the Nation’s Armed Forces. We have regulations, assuring clean drinking water, outlawing air pollution, assuring the safety and efficacy, of medicine and the health of foods, labor regulations to protect workers, for better or worse, the right to own firearms, efficient postal and communication systems, fire and ambulance services, business protections (prices, anti-trust, equipment regulations), free public parks and recreation facilities (parks, museums, pools and beaches), free or low-cost use of infrastructure, (bridges, tunnels, highways) and the unlimited right to travel, anywhere in the Nation, freedom to petition, the unlimited right to leave and re-enter the country, among other implicit and statutorily protected rights.
It is by now a matter of historical record that on January 6, 2021, a violent mob of the radical right, citizens attempted to overthrow an election, in which Donald J. Trump lost, to Joseph Biden. It is obvious, that the setting aside of a democratic election, is the antithesis of democracy, nevertheless, Donald Trump spared nothing in his failed attempt to do so, by, among other things, calling for the violent insurrection, criminally requesting a Secretary of State (Georgia) to falsify the vote count, instituting 60 lawsuits ( all of which were dismissed), claiming voter fraud, and convincing many right-wing people, that the “election was stolen from him.” The latter ploy has been identified as the “Big Lie,” a tactic, traditionally, employed by autocrats. Trump, who, during his single four-year term, made it evident that he saw his role as an autocrat does, fully expecting to continue in office, despite the (certified) vote count which clearly demonstrated that he lost the election. The January 6 insurrection, initiated by Trump, was irrefutable proof that he, undemocratically, planned to remain in office, like his good friend, Vladimir Putin.
Despite the many delusional ideations of the Radical Right, Trump’s illegal efforts to remain in office, albeit with their loyal assistance, failed. The purpose of this writing is to realistically, assuage your feelings of defeat, and to actually, demonstrate the virtues of the outcome, for everyone concerned.
Let us for the moment assume, that “The Big Lie,” with the loyal assistance of the right-wing, was successful and Trump, permanently installed as an (autocratic} President. We would relevantly refer to Robert Louis Stevenson, who said:
“Sooner or later, everyone sits down to a banquet of consequences.”
Both history and recent events have highlighted the profound misery of a Nation and its citizenry, under an autocracy. From Napoléon Bonaparte, to Adolph Hitler, from Idi Amin and Kim Jong-un to Vladimir Putin, it is the same sad dirge. The predictable result is the total absence of such citizen rights as are set forth at the top of this letter, and, instead, the presence of such phenomena as arrests, jailing, political trials, fear and repression, xenophobia and militarism.
Have you considered the ultimate effect of your political wishes? Would you have a better and more fulfilled life, if the insurgency had been successful? We would suggest that we both are, indeed, fortunate to have mutually experienced an unsuccessful result.
Sincerely yours,
pliny (please address your response to: plinyblog.com.)
plinyblogdotcom 