What is the best method of rebellion against tyranny?

Discussion in 'Freedom and Liberty' started by Yard Dart, Feb 2, 2016.


  1. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    [​IMG]I have heard it often said that there is no one right way to accomplish a goal. I agree. However, I would add that while there is no such thing as “one right way” to achieve an objective, this does not mean there aren’t numerous wrong ways to achieve an objective.

    Doing “something” is not always better than doing nothing if that “something” is based on terrible strategy. Unfortunately, there are people out there with otherwise good intentions, even in the liberty movement, that seem to think that taking action without planning is preferable to patience. They do not understand that there is such a thing as negative returns.

    The reality is that action is easy. Patience and planning are difficult. Emotional reaction is simple. Quiet professionalism is complicated.

    This is the dynamic that is plaguing the liberty movement today; the battle between our emotional drive to jump headlong into conflict with our progressively corrupt establishment, and the absolute necessity for intelligent strategy and proper timing.

    The issue here is not “fighting.” Most of us know and accept the fact that a fight is coming whether we like it or not. I say by all means, let’s fight, but fighting is not enough. If we fight, we must fight to win, and this requires fighting smart.

    Recently I have seen a growing contingent of people within the movement that question the concept of planning or waiting. They’ll argue that planning is somehow impractical, or that there will never be a perfect time for action. This way of thinking has only been inflated by the latest events in Burns, Oregon.

    The Oregon standoff is a perfect example of how emotional action leads to failure and tragedy. Many will argue over the circumstances surrounding the death of Lavoy Finicum — did he reach into his jacket, or was he reacting to being shot? Were the police officers involved in fear for their lives, or were they out for blood? The majority of liberty activists will undoubtedly assume malicious intent on the part of the government due to their track record of murder and lies. I don’t blame them. That said, I would point out that while Finicum may be dead because of ill intent on the part of trigger happy cops, he was put in that position in the first place due to inadequate planning and leadership.

    The argument that the FBI should have never been in Burns in the first place overlooks the fact that Bundy and team, strategically speaking, should not have been there either. They could have been in a far better position if only they had thought their conundrum through.

    Oregon and the death of Finicum are not failures on the part of the liberty movement. They are failures on the part of Bundy and team, who refused to listen to scores of people with far more experience and knowledge in such situations; the same people who tried to help the occupiers adjust their tactics and offer them safer ground and safer footing. The failure in Oregon is what happens when amateurs, not just in training but in tactical philosophy, undertake a rebellion.

    Some will argue that experienced tacticians within the movement (and there are many) refused to show up for the fight, and thus sentenced the occupiers to defeat. I would argue that the Oregon standoff was FUBAR from the very beginning. From its inception it was doomed. Half the movement saw it plain as day. For me, the end result was obvious.

    A team of well-meaning but unorganized and untrained activists thrust themselves into a situation beyond their capabilities and under the potential influence of agents provocateur. There was no vetting for random strangers seeking to join their ranks; no direct goals and no clearly defined strategy, only vague demands and notions. No thought of planning one or two steps ahead, let alone five steps ahead. A circus atmosphere inspiring public ridicule rather than public respect. A complete lack of understanding of the gravity of the situation leading to a false sense of safety and comfort, or in some cases even hubris.

    This is why most liberty tacticians had no interest in showing up to the Oregon standoff; not because they were fearful, not because they are “sunshine patriots,” not because they are waiting for a “perfect” moment to kick off a revolution that will never come. They did not show up because it was a scenario that could not be salvaged. It was a carnival. Period.

    To compare events to the first American Revolution, I do not see the standoff and the shooting of Finicum as a Lexington Green moment (though it hasn’t fully ended yet). Rather, I see it as a Boston Massacre moment. The Boston Massacre was an absolute tragedy, but also not a cut-and-dry affair. John Adams, acting as legal defense for the British soldiers accused of initiating bloodshed, realized that the Sons Of Liberty were desperate to use the event politically to rally support for direct revolution, but also understood that the timing and the circumstances were utterly wrong. The Sons of Liberty wanted to hold up the Boston Massacre as a symbol of all the oppression the colonials suffered under the crown. Adams, though an avid champion of the cause, correctly treated it as a singular tragedy and not an opportunity for exploitation.

    The colonials would eventually enter into revolution at Lexington and Concord; clearly defined defensive scenarios in which the militia obstructed the path of British soldiers sent to arrest leaders of the Sons of Liberty (Samuel Adams and John Hancock), as well as to confiscate firearms and black powder caches. The militia had a direct goal (to impede the British from reaching Adams and Hancock) and the British used clear and overt force against them, resulting in immediate and violent justified response by other militias. This is one right way to start a rebellion.

    So if Oregon represents an example of the wrong way to do things, what is a better way? I described alternative methods with a much greater chance of success in my article “Real Strategies For Removing Federal Presence From Western Lands,” but I would like to explore beyond specific tactics and discuss mindset — the overall philosophy behind a winning rebellion in our modern era.

    Divided we win, united we fall
    This might sound counter-intuitive; I’ll explain.

    A movement should be united in its stance and its values in order to succeed and I believe the liberty movement is indeed united for the most part on these terms. However, when it comes to concrete action the more concentrated our efforts the less we will achieve and the more likely we are to fail.

    I find it interesting that whenever a call goes out to the movement to take action it usually involves concentrating large masses of us into a small area with no outlined plan or directives. With the exception of Bundy Ranch, which I believe was entirely organic in how it came about, most of these calls to arms are initiated by questionable personalities or people possibly under the influence of provocateurs who seek to march us all into a box, whether it be a bridge in Washington, D.C. or a scrub brush refuge in Oregon. In the face of a vastly superior opponent in terms of arms and technology, it seems to me that the establishment would prefer us all to be hyper-focused on only one battle space at one time, putting all our eggs in one basket and leaving us vulnerable.

    Instead, a rebellion in this day and age must be asymmetric in nature; meaning smaller groups acting covertly on their own initiative everywhere rather than in only one place. Amassing in one small region might be useful under very specific conditions, but if you want to pose an actual threat to a large criminal system, you need hundreds of events, all of them far better planned than Oregon.

    Organization through localism
    If you cannot even secure your own family or your own neighborhood from potential threats, then why would you expect to be successful in projecting out to a whole other state and community and securing it instead? Local organization is more important than national organization or grand posturing on the national stage. If you can strengthen your own community while others do the same across the country, then the effects will be felt nationally by default.

    Far more can be accomplished through localism than by rolling the dice on mass theatricality and Alamo-style tactics.

    Communications networking
    Unity does not come best through concentrated action but through solid communications. The fact that most of the liberty movement has no coms networks outside of the mainstream grid is a sad state of affairs that will lead to our downfall. As far as my information shows, the Oregon occupiers had no ham radio communications and relied primarily on cell phones. This is a disaster waiting to happen.

    When there is a national network of ham operators providing communications to the liberty movement, then and only then can we claim to have the means to organize effectively outside of our own communities. Do not assume for a second that you will have access to mainstream grid communications when you need them.

    Prepare to aid people outside the movement
    The establishment would like nothing more than for the liberty movement to completely isolate itself from the general public. The more we refuse to interact with our communities the easier it will be to paint us as dangerous outsiders. The more we offer valuable services and training to a community, such as classes on emergency medical response, personal defense against active shooters, food storage and preparedness, etc., the more likely we will be seen as valuable assets to that community in the wake of a crisis.

    I have been undertaking such efforts in my own community for the past couple of years and have met many excellent people who are of like mind but not necessarily “activists” in the traditional sense. If you discount efforts to improve your local situation and to build bridges, you do so at your own peril.

    Focus on the true culprits
    Eventually, someone is going to have to bring international banking elites to justice for their direct influence over government corruption and destructive economic policy. Making stands against the Bureau of Land Management and other questionable federal agencies might be a necessary part of this fight, but the fight will never end until the original perpetrators are removed at the root. Beware of any group or “leader” who calls you to action but ignores the money-elite; they are probably more interested in exploiting you than helping you.

    Quiet professionalism
    Perhaps most important of all is the need for liberty activists to adopt an attitude of quiet professionalism. This means analyzing situations objectively. This means having one’s heart in the right place without being driven emotionally. This means attaining personal excellence in any field of knowledge that might help you to gain victory.

    Winning this fight will require the extraordinary dedication of extraordinary individuals; anything less will result in disaster. Giving our all does not mean simply being willing to sacrifice our lives. That may be what happens, but this cannot be our only trump card. If you are not striving every day to master your own skills and initiative then you are not giving your all. If you are not organizing effectively at the local level because you assume no one will listen to you, then learn to communicate better and try again. If your only plan is to go out guns blazing, then you might as well stay home because you will do more harm for the movement than good.

    Become a pillar rather than a complainer. Seek to produce results rather than demanding others do it for you. When you act, act intelligently. Be steady in your resolve and do not let anger or panic rule your thinking. Be fair in your assessments, and above all, once again, if you fight, fight to win. Fighting merely in the name of fighting is a fool’s game.

    If the movement had 10,000 individuals of this caliber victory would be assured against any odds.

    What is the best method of rebellion against tyranny? - Personal Liberty®
     
  2. UncleMorgan

    UncleMorgan I like peeling bananas and (occasionally) people.

    We need a Mega-Like button here.
     
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  3. VHestin

    VHestin Farm Chick

    Yep, in our neighborhood, we have a mix of people, I've made a (mental) list of those who will fight against tyranny, those who will side with the government because the government is always 'right', some who will only be out for themselves, etc. Just by regular conversations with them to get a sense of their priorities, not by flat out asking them what they would do would in that scenario, because you might not get an accurate answer. It's both good and bad that our neighborhood has alot of retirees, some with medical issues. Good because it lessens the threat they could pose to my household, bad because it always means it lessens the threat they could pose to 'invaders'.

    Having been in a few court battles, my mother's advice to a few locals when they have legal trouble is to NOT GET EMOTIONAL. Because once you do that in court, you've lost. And that goes for ANY kind of battle.
     
  4. VisuTrac

    VisuTrac Ваша мать носит военные ботинки Site Supporter+++

    So surrounding yourself with liberals / free-stuff for everyone types and tossing Molotov cocktails from their midst at the PTB would be out of the question?
     
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  5. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Metal weldin' monkey

    So very true VH, and honestly, something that I struggle with at times. With out a doubt it pays to keep one's emotions out of a fight as much as possible.

    EXCELLENT POST @Yard Dart !!
     
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  6. UncleMorgan

    UncleMorgan I like peeling bananas and (occasionally) people.

    I have long thought that the genisis of Freedom, and Revolution, lies in the decision of every citizen to refuse any act that empowers the tyrant.

    If he wants you to dig a ditch, refuse. Let him find another to dig for him, and if no other can be found, let him dig it himself.
    If he wants you to stand when he passes, refuse. Let him spend (and waste) his time standing you--and ten thousand others--up for his pleasure. If he can find someone to do it.

    It is simplistic, perhaps, but a few billion drops of water can wear away even the hardest stone.
     
  7. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    Inklings of Sun Tzu..... UM... a most wise proverb in the making.... :)
     
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  8. Altoidfishfins

    Altoidfishfins Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    It is simplistic, perhaps, but a few billion drops of water can wear away even the hardest stone.

    Sounds like a case of good old civil disobedience.

    It's been known to work eventually, but it takes large numbers of like-minded people. In the case of this country probably one or two hundred million are needed with the same mindset. Many are in the process of being bought off into obedience with government freebies. One question is, with government debt approaching $20 trillion, how much longer can they afford to do that?

    Another question might be, "Is that the key?" Is there no going back? I've heard of conservative people voting for leftist candidates for public office consistently simply to hasten the breaking of the financial back of this country, so that it can be rebuilt in the spirit of the of framers. That could backfire, but any strategy involves risk.

    Not advocating any particular strategy. I'm simply throwing comments out there and fishing for discussion. Personally I would find it very difficult to vote for Hilary. But from the looks of things and the sheer numbers of sheeple willing to sacrifice their freedoms for what they mistakenly believe is cradle-to-grave security, we could very well end up with her (and Soros) in control anyway.

    If that happens, the best form of civil disobedience may be to find ways to become as large a burden and as big of an ongoing expense to the central government as we can possibly be.

    But there will need to be some sort of plan to deal with the aftermath, such as, section off part of the country and start a new one or start several smaller ones. Perhaps best left to conjecture? That would be a huge undertaking.

    Thoughts?
     
    Last edited: Feb 3, 2016
  9. oldawg

    oldawg Monkey+++

    The fifth columnist technique has been used to great advantage before. Just consider how effectively our own government uses it against us.
     
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  10. Garand69

    Garand69 Monkey++

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  11. Tikka

    Tikka Monkey+++

    Very true. OTOH, this water would be blood and a lot would be shed.

    I've seen war and I'd really prefer not fighting one here. That being said, I wasn't drafted, I enlisted.
     
  12. Dunerunner

    Dunerunner Brewery Monkey Moderator

    Realties to all this are that if you capitulate, you suffer and die, If you demonstrate, you suffer and die. And, if you resist with force, you suffer and die.

    Take your pick......
     
  13. Kingfish

    Kingfish Self Reliant

    I keep waiting for a real leader. A General in the Army, A Governor, or a combination of states to get behind. Until then I use the resources I have TO EXPOSE AND IDENTIFY the enemy. No one will rally behind a rancher or a factory worker, or Joe Six pack. But a real leader could unite enough people to do it.
     
  14. VHestin

    VHestin Farm Chick

    Given that it's no longer warlords/kings because the world has gone corporate, voting with your wallet seems to be the way to go. Don't give your money to companies/businesses that have practices that are anathema to you. It might limit your shopping, better that than limiting your principles. That's one reason I'm working to make this place as self-sufficient as possible, then I won't need to spend money on anything but 'luxuries' like internet and games/DVDs, etc. And of course the ever present taxes.
     
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  15. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Metal weldin' monkey


    Git good at raising hogs....
     
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  16. 10brokenpromises

    10brokenpromises Monkey++

    This is, unfortunately, the closest we can come to discussing this in public and not just on this site. I'd prefer not to run afoul of the Code of Conduct but may have in another thread.

    War is coming. It may be short lived and one-sided, but have no doubt, it is on its way. I see a lot of people saying they hope the coming election can make a difference. I don't think that's going to happen. We are no longer approaching the tipping point, that time has come and gone, quite some time ago. Decades in the past. The highest offices in the land, in almost all lands, has been bought and paid for if not from very near the beginning, for years and years and years.

    The time will come, very soon, where it will be too late to fight back as well. Buried guns and caches of food are all well and good, but if we wait too long, and we almost have, they will rust and rot in the ground.
     
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  17. Bandit99

    Bandit99 Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    Well said, Yard Dart, very well said…makes one think on this cold Sunday morning in Northern Idaho.

    I have often thought that many citizens who truly are trying to do right are so ill lead (or let their emotions lead) that they end up doing wrong providing propaganda for the opposition, allowing themselves or their organization to be discredited and/or shown in a false light as something they are not: radicals, eccentrics, dangerous, etc. How does that saying go, “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” A good example is the Tea Party which has been painted to be a bunch of radical whackos.

    I believe the greatest obstacle to reinstating a ‘government by the people, for the people’ is not the government or the corporations or even the controlling elites but our apathetic people which truly are – sheep. It’s sad but until such a time that they do not have enough to eat or money to provide the pillars/hierarchy of life, they will do nothing. It has always been the same throughout history… And, without the masses, nothing will change…and currently they are quite content with the crumbs that fall from the table. I have often wondered what Americans would really do if they realized how much money they truly have? Hell, Foreign Aid alone could give a billion dollars to every state which could be used for the good of the people…since it is their money anyway. What a strange concept, right? :):)

    So, I believe things will have to get worse before it gets better and with the debt growing by the minute and no one being able to stop it, never mind paying it off, we will, in the end, fall. What happens then is anyone’s guess for when we sneeze the world catches cold…so it will not only affect us. Russia went right to the edge but with luck and a lot of violence manage to pull back from the abyss but lost what little freedoms they had and one can be certain that this will have the same outcome here. "…never let a serious crisis go to waste" (Rahm Emanuel)

    I am rambling so I will wrap this up… We could change this country tomorrow by a massive show of Civil Disobedience. For example, if everyone refused to pay their taxes or a million man march in all the major cities. It cannot be changed by the gun. And, I no longer believe it can be changed by the vote; sorry, but that is my opinion. So, there really is no other option but Civil Disobedience…at least that I can see. Yet, Civil Disobedience on a scale that would change things will only happen if things get worse and force the sheep to become wolves. And, unfortunately, things will get worse...

    Rick
     
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  18. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    Let it burn.... we will re-build upon the ashes of what was.......
     
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  19. chimo

    chimo the few, the proud, the jarhead monkey crowd

    That's what I've been thinking lately. Sometimes a house is too far gone to be remodeled and you pretty much gotta tear it down to the foundation and fix the foundation before rebuilding. It won't be pretty...but nothing good comes without cost.
     
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  20. GOG

    GOG Free American Monkey

    Our government is like a termite infested house. Even its foundation is eaten through.
    But many people think it's a really nice place just as it is.
    They can rearrange the furniture while we demolish the place.
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2016
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