Beyond Dissent by Jeff Luers

Below is an article by Jeff dated September 2004. We hope to have a reworked, 'How to help Jeff Luers' flyer soon which we will post here. As you may or may not know, Jeff's appeal has been postponed to potentially positive court decisions in another case. We will post information on that as we find out the details.

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Beyond Dissent
September 2004

The United States has a long history of protest and dissent. Indeed, it could be argued that had the American Revolution not been co-opted by the rich and powerful this country might have been great.

However, even the failure of the revolution to accomplish real and true change was not enough to stop the tide of dissent and rebellion. In fact, there are notable rebellions as early as 1780 in which unpaid soldiers of the revolutionary war, poor farmers and laborers took up arms against the government.

Of course, little of this is mentioned in scholastic textbooks. Nor do the textbooks mention that in response to these uprisings by the poor and underprivileged, the new elite wrote and passed laws such as the Riot Act which suspended Habeas Corpus to keep the new insurgents in jail without trial. Also, the Sedition Act, passed under John Adams, in which it was a crime punishable by prison to speak or write against the government.

The true beginnings of this nation start with power and wealth. The rich were able to become the new ruling class having displaced the king and his royalty. The new elite then passed laws which would support their rise to power and establish their role as leaders.

It worked. Little has changed in this class society since its founding. Those in the upper class still maintain a stranglehold on power. Each successive new ruler has had enormous wealth. The Senate itself is a veritable who’s who of millionaires and strangely enough, those who make the laws usually started in big business and usually go back there when their terms are up. So much for the separation of powers.

Oh, did I mention that the founding fathers were some of the wealthiest men in America when they took power? They also wrote property requirements into law for those running for office. They also required property or the monetary equivalent of such for voters. In essence, the United States has always been a county run by the rich for the rich. A plutocracy, not a democracy. The scheme goes much deeper though. From the very beginning, the United States was one of the richest nations in the world. This fact has given rise to a new kind of rule-bribery- buy the allegiance of the citizenry.

The enormous wealth in this country has created the richest ruling class in history with enough left over to pass out to the middle class, ensuring they act as a buffer between the have and the have nots. Is it any wonder that the presidential ‘elections’ revolve around middle class issues? All two of the recognized candidates are constantly seeking support from middle class America promising this or that in return. Meanwhile, the money to support campaigns comes in from corporate donations, ensuring that government policy is well paid for. Why is it no candidate ever reached out to the 50 million people struggling to get by? The middle class lends legitimacy to a well thought out façade. But when all is said and done, a rich ruler is a rich ruler is a rich ruler.

Sadly, most Americas don’t really care. Their allegiance has been bought. Never mind the suffering of their less fortunate fellow citizens. As long as the standard of living remains high, who cares how we got it, right? I used to believe that one could differentiate between those in power and those under control or brainwashed by that power. Now, more and more, I believe most Americans are a contributing part of the problem and not victims of it. Far too many have bought into the lies on absolute faith in their corporate run government. Unbelievably, the elite have become comfortably brazen in their tyranny having received such wide support.

The insidious nature of American culture is contributing greatly to the colonization of poorer countries and destruction of the natural world. It cannot be said that US based transnational corporations or the US government bear sole responsibility for these transgressions for they enjoy the support of many American people.

This is no longer recognizable as cause and symptom or even cause and effect. The whole dynamic has changed. The capitalist system (government and corporations) receives support either direct or indirect, for atrocities committed in the name of profits most of which goes unnoticed, but it matters not when the system goes unquestioned. The support comes even from the lowest in the pecking order as long as they benefit in some way or don’t lose anything. This support, in return, feeds the system and encourages more of the same.

The old adage ‘ treat others how you wish to be treated’ is replaced by a new golden rule, ‘that which you can take and hold by force, deception or manipulation shall be rightfully yours.’ An entire nation has been bought into compliance with blood money. The enemy of the world is a way of life that is being exported to every country foolish enough to take it.

No, Mr. Bush, I don’t hate America’s “freedom”. I hate you. I hate America’s oppression justified by your jingoism. I hate that 1% of America’s population owns 40% of America’s wealth. I hate that the majority of those left go along with that. I hate that greedy CEOs rip off working class people and get away with it, that corrupt officials let factories slide on pollution regulations. But, most of all, I hate that, because of my disdain for America and my resistance to its greed, that I am labeled a terrorist.

It seems that the word ‘terrorist’ has replaced the catch all phrase of McCarthy’s “communist” and is quickly replacing the contemptuous “anarchist’ of the 90s. However much the labels of the past, the word ‘terrorist’ serves a multifaceted use.

Hitler used to word ‘Jew’ to instill fear into the hearts of loyal patriotic Germans.. Hitler used this fear to rally people to his cause by giving them a common enemy to face. If any of his own people turned against him, they were easily labeled “Jews’, not only to discredit them but to justify imprisoning or killing them.

Incidentally, Germany had it pretty good under Hitler, too. The economy improved, as did the standard of living. In fact, many Germans defended Hitler. Most did not question his decisions and under his rule, most Germans were proud to be German.

Do I really need to draw the comparisons? Black’s Law Dictionary defines the right of revolution as:

“The inherent right of a people to cast out their rulers, change their polity or effect radical reforms in their system of government or institutions, by force or general uprising, when the legal and constitutional methods of making such changes have proved inadequate or are so obstructed as to be unavailable.”

I do not submit to the rule of the plutocracy. I do not recognize the authority of a state that holds corporations have the right as people under the constitution. If this is America, then I am unabashedly and unapologetically anti-American.

I love this land. I love my fellow citizens who do not submit to tyranny and oppose oppression. I am a patriot of the free states of America whether they be found in Cascadia or Maine and I support my allies in Chiapas, Brazil and Argentina.

I believe in true freedom, not the freedom to participate in a consumer culture run by a rich elite. I believe treason to the United States is allegiance to humanity. That doesn’t make me a terrorist. It makes me sane in a nation of fools ruled by one eyed kings.
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Write Free at:
Jeffrey Luers, #13797671, Oregon State Penetentiary, Salem, OR 97310

Donate to Free's Legal Defense:
1-Online Donations-see http://www.freefreenow.org/appeal.html
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