The fifth day of the twelfth month in the 2728th year of our dispersion.

I spent the past three days finishing Unintended Consequences, by John Ross. It's really an interesting read, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in excessive governmental interference, though it seems far too optimistic. It assumes that people in power would be willing to sacrifice some of that power through negotiation under fire. Not in this country. The State would deploy the armed forces and suspended civil rights indefinitely. As far as I can tell, the legislation is already on the books to allow this, and the vast majority of Americans would sit idly by, as long as they still had American Idol and cheeseburgers.

Rebellion worked in the eighteenth century, I believe, for one reason. It was part of יהוה's plan. If יהוה had not wanted the colonists to succeed against the British regulars, they would not have succeeded. In tracking the history of oppressive legislation, John Ross fails to mention the downward moral spiral which preceded it. Oppressive legislation is passed by oppressive legislators. These legislators had parents who did not teach them the Torah, did not teach them individual responsibility, and did not teach them about יהוה. It took generations to affect this change in our culture and the seeds were planted centuries before the government's systematic abuse of power began. The only hope for this nation is repentance. After that it is יהוה's choice, whether the resulting blessing comes through reform or through rebellion. I would prefer a bloodless solution, but it depends on how our leaders act before יהוה.

Rebellion without repentance would be utter stupidity. We have examples from the Torah of a nation that goes to war without יהוה's blessing. Israel attempted to enter the Promised Land a few decades ahead of schedule and was rewarded with shattering defeat. Again after the battle of Jericho the nation went to war and was routed. How the nation fared in battle depended on the way they had acted before יהוה.

I don't know what's going to happen. Will there be war on this continent? Almost certainly. We cannot remain in this situation perpetually. One thing I have decided, then, is that shooting is something I would rather be proficient in. I will be purchasing a rifle soon. I'd like to be able to hunt my own venison. Venison curry is especially delicious.