-by Bill Watkins 10/25/2021
I have never seen “people-rule” during an earthquake. Or in the midst of a Category Four hurricane, forest fires or any other natural disaster. I have never known a person or group of people who knew the future or could influence events to a level that would decide it.
And yet we around here hold on against hope to an old Greek concept that touts the untruth that people do have power, an ultimate power of governing events. It’s a lie, but a far better one than what monarchies pitch, so… we stick with it, a so-so governing concept that only has occasionally worked on Turtle Island (“America” to the invaders), and only after we Europeans removed the natives here by brutal, genocidal force.
Men will not think that robbers and pirates have a right of empire over whomsoever they have force enough to master, or that men are bound by promises which unlawful force extorts from them.
Democracy on stolen land? Can it work? Of course not. When did the United States ever get consent to rule over the native people here? They did not, nor will they ever have it, therefore the USA has no “right of empire,” as Sir John Locke, quoted above, would eloquently put it.
If here today, I think the English philosopher would conclude that the United States Constitution is invalid. Written on stolen land. For what good are written laws upon a shameful genocide and forced removal of people? Karma alone is powerful enough, some might say, to forever curse the Europeans who continue to hammer their Roman civilization down on the unwilling—
And by unwilling, I’m not just referring to “people,” ye lovers of “democracy!” There’s more than just us here! There is the Earth, its plants, its animals, powers at work to create this world and universe. There are powers at work that might know what the future holds, powers above human pay grade… People can decide and control a portion of events, perhaps, but not the whole thing—
Why “people-rule” is invalid, false, and misleading. Why democracy, although a better system than monarchy, can in no way be thought of as the best conceivable governing system. We must seek a third concept, a more truthful, all-encompassing one that includes more of nature and all those powers we can’t control. The American Congress invokes those powers at times, has their ministers praying in their enclosed halls, but perhaps the prayers are blocked by grand European-style marble ceilings. “Democracy” is hallowed like a religion by some, a false one (unless you can say people rule our floods).
What could be better? What might that third concept be? What about American Indian Movement (AIM) activist, Russell Means’ Lakota concept of “Consensus Rule?” He said in his book, Where White Men Fear to Tread, that “the human, intelligent way—the Oglala Lakota and Indian way—is to rule by consensus. That is true democracy.” Could we get consensus among ourselves with enough effort? Wouldn’t a complete consensus include a nod to Mother Earth and Creation before making decisions?
It’s time we accept we don’t know it all, can’t know it all. Invoke, invoke, invoke. Hold more meetings outside, adopt native views and native terms. Tear down the racist USA, the term “America” itself a European invention forced down throats in non-European land. Listen to the natives, who had no guns when we met them. Their way of life not perfect, but one lived in concert with nature, not in aggressive competition against it.
Ame-rica, a Dutch mapmaker’s idea, coined from Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci’s first name, but also a telling mix of Latin words expressing “love of wealth and riches.” And power. False power. The false claim that people have power in all situations, a false claim that “Democracy” foments. Democracy has done its duty! It broke us out of the far worse corruption of kings…
But as Democrats and Republicans fight in Washington, roads and bridges fail, and pharmaceutical companies get rich calling their drugs “health,” it’s time to admit that democracy is overrated… In fact, it’s just a good system, but maybe “good is the enemy of the best,” as AA’s Bill W. once put it.
Let’s move toward the best, back to the earth, back to admitting people are part of this universe, but not the whole part. Let’s make amends to first peoples, wipe out bad, racist, violent and dishonest concepts and find something that works. Russell Means presents the concept of Consensus. Perhaps it’s high time we strive to achieve it on this once-revered, honored land.
Bill Watkins, Traveling Poet 