[Arktwo] The Constitution is Dead

[Bruce Beach]

The Constitution is Dead

May it rest in peace.

I didn't agree with Bush
that it was
"just a 'blankety blank' piece of paper".
I felt -
that in its time -
it was an expression of grand ideals
in mankind's growing spiritual / political maturity.

There were things about the Constitution
that needed to mature.
Some did -
such as women eventually being considered persons,
and getting the vote -
but the 14th amendment -
designed to protect blacks -
was largely subverted initially to protect corporations.

Scholars debate all these issues -
and while I am not a scholar
I have had graduate courses
in Constitutional Law -
and I have followed, with interest,
the arguments over the last several decades.

While during the recent decades
the provisions of the Constitution
have been more and more liberally applied
to those born in the US (but not the unborn)
this growing political and spiritual maturity
has suddenly been reversed.

Consider:

A. Declarations by the current
Attorney General of the U.S.
regarding the powers of the president -

B. That the current incumbent is president -
without thousands of votes cast by citizens -
having to be counted -

B. The decision by the Supreme Court -
was such that in the 5/4 -
there was one deciding vote -
so that in the end,
the President was actually elected by one person -
and that being one that he had appointed.

D. The ability of the President
to take the country to war
without a specific declaration by Congress

E. The passing of a "Torture Bill" -
which allows the president to interpret
the Geneva Convention.

F. Also known as the "Detainees Bill" (HR 6166)
which as requested by the president -
completely revokes the freedom guarantees
of the U.S. Constitution.

Such events would have been unconceivable
a few decades ago -
or would have been contributed to
the nefarious activities of some group
such as 'the communists'.

Nevertheless,
the vaunted safeguard
supposedly enshrined in the 'balance of power'
between the pillars of government -
the executive, legislative and judicial -
is now gone.

This bill (HR 6166)

http://tinyurl.com/hyysg

requested by the President,
contains the following phrase:

"No court, justice, or judge shall have jurisdiction to hear or consider any
claim or cause of action whatsoever, including any action pending on or
filed after the date of the enactment of the Military Commissions Act of
2006, relating to the prosecution, trial, or judgment of a military
commission under this chapter, including challenges to the lawfulness of
procedures of military commissions under this chapter."

The Detainee Bill specifically spells out
that it equally applies to all citizens of the U.S.
within and without the U.S.

The Bill contains many other horrendous matters -
but you will have to read them
and comprehend them for yourself.

Consequently -
the Constitution is DEAD.
There is no court
where you can go to appeal it.

Power rests with one man alone -
The Imperial President.
Congress rolled over long ago.
Vote the party line -
or lose the money support
that puts you in office.

Congressional power - gone.

The President appointed to the Court
those who would do his bidding.
Now - the power of the court is gone -
by Congressional / Presidential decree.

One down -
Two down -
Third and last standing is King.

Not that
that is bad.
The system had outlived its usefulness.

Generally the letters I receive
fall into one of three categories.

A. Nothing is going to make it right -
	until Jesus comes down on a cloud.

B. We need to put it back
like it was in the past
(I ask them if they mean
taking away women's and black's vote).

C. That they are going native -
to live in the woods with their trusty gun -
and it will be them versus the world.

Others in the world
of course want other systems -
Islamist, communist, whatever -
but all the old systems have had their day.

Time for new thought.
Balance of powers didn't - won't - work.
Political party systems will never bring justice
to those who don't have money and power.
Pure democracy, the voting by masses,
on every issue -
won't work in an extensive
and highly technological society.
Many systems have been tried -
and their shortcomings found.
Time for a new system.

I am very grateful
that I lived under the system that I did.
Mohawk fellow was telling me this week
that we choose our parents
while in the spirit world
before we come into this world.

Well,
I chose well.
White, English speaking, college educated father,
living in America.
Having visited other parts of the world
and seeing the oppression in China,
and many other places,
along with the poverty of the masses -
I could certainly have done much worse.

Great time to be born into also.
Very exciting
seeing all the technological development.
As my wife says of her life -
from the farm without electricity,
automobiles or paved roads.

The only constant has been change.
Much for the good -
some for the worse.
Certainly for the worse in morals -
and now we are getting for the worse
in government.

But not to worry.
The old has to pass away -
to make room for the new.
Not that the new
will necessarily be immediately better.
Indeed -
I expect the opposite for quite awhile.

People harangue me
about not knowing the 'dangers'
of world government.
Probably I have had more interaction
with oppressive government than
well over 90% of my readers.

I was an activist
in the Civil Rights Movement,
taught in black colleges,
had my life threatened in Philadelphia, Mississippi,
lay on the floor with my family
while gunshots rang out on the street in front of us
during the police attacks on the Black Panthers,
and many other such stories I can tell.

I refer to our place as 'Waco North'.
Unless you have personally been raided 4 times -
and faced over forty personnel -
some wearing body armour -
and carrying grenade launchers and automatic weapons -
then accuse me not -
of just being an academic.

But freedom is relative.
In many other parts of the world -
I would have been long dead -
for holding my views.
So,
I am grateful for being where I am.

Still,
times change.
Systems change.
The U.S. system is no longer
what my father, kin, and I
swore to defend in our military days.
Even if it were -
it is not what is needed today.

I used to play with the gas lights
in my grandmothers house.
A great system -
compared to the coal oil lamps.
But then came electricity.
Old systems can be replaced
by the new and better.

Old systems of
government
religion
science
medicine
can be replaced
by the new and better.

Change is often traumatic.
But worse yet -
is to go through the trauma
and not make the change.

Some people do that.
They have a serious accident -
from drinking and driving -
but give up neither.

The US had two serious accidents (wars)
from its form of political thought -
but still did not give it up.
Some never learn.
It is always the other person's fault.

Talking to a fellow this week.
He was in a serious car accident -
and in a coma for a while afterwards.
Doesn't remember what happened
but is sure it was the other driver's fault -
even though the police charged him.
And not only the other driver's fault -
but the person who didn't take his car keys
when he had been drinking.
Anyone's fault but his.

That is the view of many American's
about their problems throughout the world.
They list many reasons
for the problems -
but the problem certainly isn't the U.S.

Others in the world -
do the inverse.
They too are unwilling
to examine their systems -
or other systems -
to see what may be better.

I won't go into my thoughts
on the matter.
Any who are interested in them
can see them in articles that I have written
at:

	www.webpal.org/unnew.htm

	www.webpal.org/freedom.htm

	http://tinyurl.com/bmayx

Some may think my ideas utopian.
No matter.
Change is acoming.
My only concern is -
it may not be immediately for the better.

Change has already occurred -
this month -
regarding the US Constitution.
Change which has not been for the better -
but never-mind,
the old must pass away -
to make room for the new.

These changes in the government
are not the cause of the problems -
but are the result of the problems.
The problems come -
not from without -
but rather from within.

I could catalogue the causes of the problems
- and do so elsewhere -
but that is not the point here.
The point here is that
the instance of change is upon us.

My father could not have imagined it.
Or at least,
he could not have imagined it
occurring in my lifetime -
if we kept the
"'blankety blank' Jews, Niggers, and Commies -
under control".

Today,
others may have a different list -
of the enemy -
such as the terrorists and Islamists.
But -
as Pogo said -
"I have met the enemy -
and it is us."

Love my Dad.
A man of great principle and generous heart.
No son could have asked for a better father.
Love my country(s) also.
Greatly grateful for where I live.
Love Americans -
for their industry, generosity,
and many other marvellous general attributes.

Still -
I know we have to have wider perspectives.
I am a part of it.
Consider myself a citizen of the world.
I have Jewish children -
Chinese grandchildren -
family members over a wide spectrum of religions,
some of whom are fundamentalist Christians,
and others which recognize Muhammad
as having been a Prophet.

The judgement of some -
will not be that I love too little -
but that I love too much and too many -
both people
and ideas.

Peace and love,
Bruce
DawnSayer@webpal.org