In 1787 our Founders created the US Constitution, the framework, the rules, for governing America. If you’re old enough, you remember the earlier Timex watches that you had to wind back up every day. If you forgot one day, then the watch would start to slow down and eventually it would stop altogether.
In 1787 the Founders wound up the watch of America. Today it is winding down; indeed, has slowed and is almost stopped. Think about it. I’m 62 years old, and I’ve never seen anything like what’s happening to our country right now. Americans ordered to remain inside their homes for months on end. I never thought I’d see that. Americans ordered to wear masks, ordered to not get closer than 6 feet from another human. And what’s even more disconcerting to me is this: Americans are complying … en masse … without question.
I am concerned about the anti-police brutality protests that are presently occurring all across the country even as I write. On its face; it seems like a good and noble thing. After all, I’ve yet to meet anyone who believes that a policeman kneeling on a man’s neck is a good idea.
But here’s the thing that bothers me: the lines that separate protests from riots seem to be blurred; no, more than blurred, almost nonexistent. I would be willing to fight and die for any American’s right to protest against our government. And so would all our Founding Fathers. In fact, they did fight for our right to protest, and then they enshrined that right in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
1st Amendment of the Bill of Rights states:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
But what does that even mean? It means we have the right to speak out against the government. We can call them mean. We can call them bullies. We can look them in the face and tell them they are bad people. We can even call them fat and ugly. We have that right. I would expand that to call it a moral duty to speak out against a government gone wrong.
Freedom of the press means that I can take my criticisms of the government and put it in writing and even publish it in a book or on the internet. I have that guaranteed right.
We have the right to “peaceably” assemble. This is crux and core to what’s happening to America right now. I will defend your right to peaceably assemble and protest, but I will condemn all who riot and loot and destroy. You don’t have that right. You shouldn’t have that right. Indeed, you cannot be allowed to have that right, because, quite frankly, if that behavior is tolerated, or even sanctioned, then America is no more.
You’ve heard the saying: “two wrongs do not make a right.” That’s a fairly basic truth, and most people would agree with that … until today.
Now, in the minds of many Americans, two wrongs do make a right. A police officer kneels on the neck of a man in custody and this leads to his death. That is a form of homicide and should be treated as such. That police officer should be arrested, given a trial and punished if the jury finds him guilty. That is happening. I suspect that this officer and those complicit with his crime will receive their just punishment. It’s a foregone conclusion.
But here’s what I don’t understand: A police officer in Minnesota commits a crime, is being punished for it, and then riots break out all across the country, almost in every state of the nation. In what universe does that make sense?
There is a fundamental difference between protesters and rioters.
Protest: an expression or declaration of objection, disapproval, or dissent, often in opposition to something a person is powerless to prevent or avoid. (Dictionary.com)
I founded an organization called The Second Amendment March, and we protested in Washington DC. We voiced our disapproval to our government. We were loud but polite. We made them feel uncomfortable. I still remember the government snipers on the rooftops of the buildings surrounding us.
But here’s the thing. We left our guns home. We didn’t break the law. We made our point without hurting anyone. We didn’t shoot anyone and we didn’t destroy property.
And therein lies the fundamental difference between a protester and a rioter.
Riot: a noisy, violent public disorder caused by a group or crowd of persons, as by a crowd protesting against another group, a government policy, etc., in the streets. (Dictionary.com)
Many of the protests going on around the country right now are filled with violence and destruction. Don’t believe me; turn on the television; do a YouTube search. It’s all there. We used to believe that communism would destroy America; then it was socialism; Now, it’s anarchy. But here’s the thing. America will not be destroyed from the outside. The Chinese don’t need to attack us; they just have to wait. After all, why attack your enemy if he’s already terminally ill. Just wait for him to die from natural causes. And what is the cause of America’s death: moral decay; we are rotting from the inside out.
These protests will continue, then go into remission, then crop up again. Americans are able to stop this decline. We have the means to wind up the watch. But I don’t believe we will. Liberty and morality must mutually co-exist. An immoral culture cannot long remain free. So, the lawlessness will grow until a stronger power organizes and once more reasserts power and order; but it won’t be freedom.
Many will criticize my words saying, “You are giving up! You’re a quitter!” To the contrary; I’ll never give up. I’ll keep on fighting tyranny to the end. I don’t give up the fight simply because the odds are overwhelming and seem hopeless. In fact, the bleakest of times are when we should be fighting all the more. I’m simply trying to be a realist. I’m hoping and praying for the best … while simultaneously preparing for the worst.
America is winding down. Prepare yourself and your family for anarchy; it is violent and unforgiving. Another name for anarchy is “Law of the Jungle.” In the jungle, only the strongest survive. Prepare and train … become strong. And there are many ways to do that. I suggest you get started. Godspeed and stay safe.
Skip Coryell is the author of 16 books, including “Civilian Combat: The Concealed Carry Book” and the post-apocalyptic adventure series “The Covid Chronicles” as well as “The God Virus.”
