By Kary Love
President Donald Trump’s long-serving aide, Stephen Miller, recently opined: “We live in a world, in the real world … that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power. These are the iron laws of the world.”
What Miller said is resonant with declarations by tyrants: “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun,” said Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong.
Another “Iron Law of the World” is that human rights grow out of the barrel of a gun. That is the lesson of the American Revolution and the principle espoused patriots such as George Washington.
The conflict of these two principles, produced a third way—nonviolent resistance to force a government to abide by the human and civil rights of its citizens. This too is an American principle, used by American patriots to boycott and otherwise resist “tyranny” by King George III before violent resistance broke out. It was also an American principle used by Martin Luther King Jr and Vietnam War opposition to fight for black Americans civil rights and to oppose the war peaceably.
Miller, sounding like Mao Zedong, errs when he forgets the second “iron law of the world.” American patriots will not pacifically acquiesce should their government turn its power on the American people. Mr. Miller ought not presume American Patriots will not rise to the example of their ancestors. The year of the 250th Birthday of America, a birth midwifed by the barrel of a gun at Lexington and Concord against America’s own government that presumed the might of the English Empire’s Redcoats was invincible, will awaken the might of American dedication to freedom under law should Mr. Miller’s arrogance of power overstep.
Miller should recall the Founders included “the law of nations” in Article I § 8 of the Constitution because America was a “nation of law, not men,” and the people gave Congress the power “to define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations.” America is not a rogue outlaw nation, though Miller may be an admirer of outlaws, but a nation where law is king in a world of nations subject to law.
The Miller regime will disappear someday; no regime lasts forever. The American people, if they are forced to choose between unbridled government power and human and civil rights for all, will rally to the cause of freedom.
Those advocating a Mao-like view do so at their peril. Mr. Miller’s shallow, tawdry, assertion of Mao’s tyrannical take on government as solely military power, is an affront to the genius of America. In the 250th birthday of the Declaration of Independence, whose universal human rights unleashed a tidal wave of freedom not only in America but around the world, is irresistible and Mr. Miller’s craven disregard of the core truth of America’s principles disgusting. He has revealed he is unworthy of a position in American government.
More concerning, he has raised the specter of a confrontation of power versus power necessitating the use of the gun if pushed too far. Such a position by an unelected person temporarily occupying an office in American government at the sufferance of the people is despicable. Mr. Miller ought be roundly and soundly rejected because the Sirens’ call of violence is the refuge of scoundrels and unbecoming an American in a nation dedicated to peaceable rule.
Mr. Miller’s opinions at this dangerous time in America, when tempers are running high, is a threat to America itself. War is hell, Mr. Miller, because in war every armed combatant is a law unto themselves, acting as judge, jury and executioner of any “enemy,” shooting and killing as they see fit.
Mr. Miller’s view of power invites anarchy. The patriots who founded America rejected the power of one person to be judge, jury and executioner in favor of due process of law, because only in a nation where law is king can decent, peace loving people build a better tomorrow for their children and grandchildren.
Mr. Miller, Maoist neophyte or demented reprobate dishonoring the Founding Generation, should listen to Tom Jefferson who said, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed with the blood of tyrants from time to time, it is its natural manure.” The nonviolent alternative is to coerce this administration with mass nonviolent action–sanctions that make dictatorial rule impossible (as was done in India, Ghana, Zambia, South Africa, Serbia, Liberia and elsewhere). To the dustbin of history with Mr. Miller! Long live America!
Kary Love, syndicated by PeaceVoice, is a Michigan attorney who has defended nuclear resisters and many others in court for decades.
