The Ongoing American Revolution

Revolution is described as an overthrow or repudiation and the thorough replacement of an established government or political system by the people governed.

John Adams said the "Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people . . . . This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution." He went on to say that this revolutionary thinking began 15 years before the first shot was fired.

Did the American Revolution end? The answer is yes and no. Yes, the war with the British ended in 1783. No, the American Revolution did not end. In fact, it is more an evolution (Evolution: any process of formation or growth; development) today then a revolution.

Are we currently experiencing a revolution without a physical war? Are we on the verge of the slow evolution of our society speeding headlong into a second great revolution unlike the Revolution of 1776?  According to eminent historian Gordon S. Wood, we are experiencing the common characteristics of most historic revolutions. “The American Revolution does not seem to have the same kinds of causes – the social wrongs, the class conflict, the impoverishment, the grossly inequitable distributions of wealth-that presumably lie behind other revolutions” Woods explains. Woods is describing the historical motivation (seeds) of every revolution except the American Revolution of 1776.  Look again at the characteristics “social wrongs, the class conflict, the impoverishment, the grossly inequitable distributions of wealth”.

Are these not the socioeconomic characteristics of our country today? We see more social legislation bills today presented by the minority party than ever before (mostly involving the rights of women and Gays). We hear of class warfare from our elected leaders and the media. We see a declining middle-class and a growing need for government assistance at a record pace and a corresponding historically inequitable distribution of wealth.

The minority party has gerrymandered in an attempt to swing congressional districts in their favor successfully evidenced by the last election where the majority party received 1 million more votes but have less representation than the minority party. In addition, we see the minority party imposing state voter legislation focused at minimizing the vote of citizens who now make up the majority party.  

In my opinion we are experiencing a slow nonviolent (so far) racial revolution perpetrated by the new minority on the new majority (the combined racial and social minorities who together represent the new majority). In the minds of the new minority the first shot of this war was fired with the election and subsequent reelection of Barak Obama. The new minority’s tactics are legislative obstructionism, talk of secession, anti-religion and socialistic rhetoric, and political attacks on the economy, women and minorities.

The minority party leadership would rather see our economy falter and our country decline so as to advance their political ideology (sacrifice of the majority for the minority) at the potential cost of the nation.  The will of the majority has spoken with the reelection of Barak Obama and yet the minority leaders resist the will of the people.

Unfortunately for the minority party, we have reached the point of critical mass with regards to our changing socioeconomic makeup and public opinion. Their attempt to ignore, block, and obstruct the power of change is like the well-known paradox of what happens when an irresistible force (change) meets an immovable object (resistance to change). Either the immovable object will be crushed by the irresistible force or cause it to deflect in a new direction. I hope its the latter and not the former.

We need both parties to be strong but both parties must be pliable or risk misrepresenting the will of the people and possible annihilation of their party.