The Clear Streams, 54th Day of Autumn, 525 M.E. (Castor): On September 25 (Last Day of Quest, 50th of Autumn), the Stable Genius signed National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 (NSPM-7), "Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence," an intentionally vague document that could be used to suppress free speech and to interfere with free and fair elections. 

NSPM-7 directs the FBI, the Justice Department, and other security and counterterrorism agencies to investigate, disrupt, and combat left-wing organizations and individuals "before they result in violent political acts.” In essence, he's directing the national security apparatus against the opposition party to engage in some sort of pre-cog intervention before actual violence occurs. But the specifics of the directive make it even worse. 

For the record and first of all, I'm against violence, all violence, political or otherwise, and not just that perpetuated by left-wing organizations. I equally abhor violence perpetuated by right-wing organizations, as well as violence by the government to suppress dissent and in harsh enforcement of rigid societal control.

The memo claims that the common thread of left-wing violence includes "anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, and anti-Christianity." It also identifies "support for the overthrow of the United States Government; extremism on migration, race, and gender; and hostility towards those who hold traditional American views on family, religion, and morality" as attitudes that lead to political violence. 

As you might have guessed, I have some thoughts on these matters. 

Anti-Americanism 

I'm an American by birth, by upbringing, and by disposition. However, as I learned during the Vietnam War protests and the "my country right or wrong" and "love it or leave it" rhetoric from the right in the 1960s, ruling powers can and do weaponize patriotism to mean blind allegiance to their party. Opposition to the president, contempt or even disgust for the Stable Genius, and rejection of the far-right Project 2025 agenda is not "anti-Americanism." Anti-fascism is not anti-American - if anything, it's an embrace of the constitutional system of checks and balances on power, separation of church and state, and freedom and justice for all, regardless of faith, color, gender, sexual preference, or whatever other divisive categorization they can dream up, that the Founding Fathers envisioned.

Anti-Capitalism

Capitalism is unavoidable, from a simple transaction at the supermarket to our current banking and financial systems in all of their complexity. I'm not anti-capitalist, but I am anti late-stage, winner-takes-all capitalism with its wealth disparity and an ultra-wealthy class capable of buying the favor of politicians and judges. Wanting to tax billionaires and the 1% is not anti-capitalism, it is embrace of an economic system of checks and balances that allows equal opportunity for all, like America had in the 1940s through 1970s and that saw the growth of a vibrant middle class and the emergence of America as a global superpower. 

Anti-Christianity

I believe I have very, very different ideas of what "Christian values" are than the Stable Genius, the MAGA movement, and white Christian nationalists. I find it deeply disturbing that NSPM-7 includes "anti-Christianity" (whatever they mean by that) as a precursor to violence and anarchy. I Find it deeply disturbing that NSPM-7 directs the FBI to use its interpretation of Christian values ro determine who to investigate, disrupt, and combat. Also, even a cursory review of current events and of history, ancient to modern, shows plenty of violence committed due to some people's ideas of "Christian" values.  

Summary

I want to see a small-d democratic end to one-party Republican control of the White House, Congress, and the Supreme Court. I'm unhappy with the divisiveness of their policies, the economic consequences of their actions and inactions, the curtailing of constitutional rights, and their solidification of power. Those are my political views, and I'm willing to use my one vote and my free speech to support them. But wanting to see the replacement of the current ruling party with another political party is not "support to overthrow the United States Government." The Republican Party is neither the United States nor the government; it is the political party currently in control of the United States Government. 

Political power is not derived from the barrel of a gun but from the will of the people and the consent of the governed, and when the popular will and consent change, so too should power and control.   

I oppose "extremism on migration, race, and gender," but believe the views on those matters espoused by the Stable Genius, his MAGA movement, and the Republican Party are the extremist, un-American, and anti-Christian ones. The reference to "traditional American views on family, religion, and morality" in the document is so vague and open to interpretation it should have no place in a directive on terrorism. Those and similar terms have been historically been weaponized to suppress healthy dissent and maintain a status quo, even when that status is demonstrably unfair and unjust. 

I'm well aware that many things said in this blog, including this post, can be construed by some as "anti-American," "anti-capitalist," and "anti-Christian."  I'm also well aware of my First Amendment rights, just as I am of The Clash's caveat, "as long as you're not dumb enough to actually try it." 

But I won't shut up. I won't deprive myself of my own First Amendment rights. These are desperate times, friends, and this latest proclamation from the Stable Genius is particularly disturbing. Change has got to come, albeit democratically and non-violently.