Rules: A Guest Post From Ol' Remus

     [Ol’ Remus, the proprietor of the lamentably silenced Woodpile Report, has favored Liberty’s Torch with another brief essay. Enjoy! -- FWP]

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     DC has lately taken it upon itself to decide the legitimacy of its critics and act upon its verdicts without review or constraint, its decisions preferably validated by over-the-top simulated contrition bullied from its prey. But the larger part of the citizenry is not about to accept serial humiliation at the hands of self-declared lords, nor shall they accept alleged illegitimacy in their own homeland, nor are they to be deflected by DC's choking off avenues of redress for all but their loyal cadre. This is a 'space station view' of America today.

     To use a current example, DC has summarily declared Southern heritage to be illegitimate; in fact, the region in its entirety has been reseated below the salt. Do they suppose this will be accepted, do they expect abject capitulation at some future hour? Or is it more reasonable to suppose they've created another hostile outlier seething with resentment and looking for payback?

     And are we to assume there will be thoughtful deliberation in DC about the limits of this hate fest? Shall we suppose limits will be discussed in a collegial way, or shall we suppose there will be bitter, non-stop contempt orchestrated by the Emerald City—mandatory loathing in the schools, hysterical denunciations by the media and such?

     So it is the ranks of the proscribed grow, which include those who are next and know they are next. It's from such material a solid opposition has formed, robust and kinetic, parallel to, and wholly unacceptable to, the regime. Those in DC who aren't panicked by this are vengeful and ambitious, and out of control.

     DC's assault on dissent is now unbounded by civility, law, truth or facts. They've come to rely on direct action, uncontaminated by genuine due process, much less by consent of the governed. It's called rule by law rather than rule of law. But trashing equitable conduct has a downside: once the boundaries are redrawn, they're redrawn for everyone.

     The opposition DC has branded as "outlaw" appears willing to take them at their word and behave accordingly, which is to say, willing to behave as DC behaves. Perhaps it's the only viable option; there's no more to give, the spring is compressed to solid. DC can hardly complain; the opposition relied on good will and imagined a mutual commitment to the nation's founding principles. Events say they were wrong.

     So we lurch toward an abyss. Those who aren't being dragged are being pushed, feeling for the edge with their toes. There's little in this for the peaceful, even less for the unprepared. The "over-center moment" has arrived, or perhaps has already passed; either way, the decisions of major consequence have already been made. The long quiet has reached its end. Be prudent. Stay away from crowds.