Unjust Laws and Civil Disobedience

Let’s summarize the Pravda narrative on the Obama/Democrats’ cramdown of nationalized healthcare on a citizenry that manifestly did not want it and did not consent to it: Barack Obama is America’s historic first black President; Americans elected him to do whatever he wanted to do because he is America’s historic first black President; and opposition to nationalized healthcare is nothing more or less than the manifestation of the anger of racist white men against America’s historic first black President.

If America still had any think-for-yourself journalists, they might find a different narrative—one that tracks some of America’s history of civil disobedience of ‘unjust’ laws. See if you can name the famous American who voiced the following:

"An unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself." [Brushfires note: The nationalization of healthcare exempted members of Congress from the coverage of the legislation]

"A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law." [Brushfires note: Not one Republican—the minority party—voted for or had any part in enacting or devising the government takeover of healthcare]

"[Civil disobedience] was evidenced sublimely in the refusal of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to obey the laws of Nebuchadnezzar, on the ground that a higher moral law was at stake. It was practiced superbly by the early Christians, who were willing to face hungry lions and the excruciating pain of chopping blocks rather than submit to certain unjust laws of the Roman Empire. … In our own nation, the Boston Tea Party represented a massive act of civil disobedience". [Brushfires note: Ever hear of the Tea Party movement of 2009-2010?]

Any good Pravda reporter would take note of the Biblical reference in the third quote and quickly surmise that this is the standard ranting of some right-wing, Christian, white supremacist, would-be militia member who is no doubt just days away from terrorist activity against the U.S.—i.e., the kind of knuckle-dragging Neanderthal that simply doesn’t understand true progressivism and the worthiness of its goals and its ethos by which any means justify the ends.

This Pravda reporter’s take would be just about as accurate as a CNN reporter’s recent estimate of the crowd size at the March 27 Searchlight, Nevada Tea Party at “hundreds of people—at least dozens of people” when aerial photos showed tens of thousands.

The author of the three quotes is Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. King’s words are as true today as when he first spoke them. Yes, he was speaking in his day about the civil rights movement and the many unjust laws that did not live up to one of the basic ideals of America: that all men and women are created equal. But the principles Dr. King voiced are just as powerful and relevant to Obamacare—which at its core is more inconsistent with and even subversive toward American ideals, because it is nothing more or less than a slightly veiled attempt to remove the very idea of God from America (as we said, here).

Dr. King’s words sound the call for American civil disobedience until this abomination is repealed, and the American government resets itself to again act lawfully; consistent with the consent of the governed; in accordance with the spirit and letter of the Constitution.

Amen.

Paul Gable

March 31, 2010