by Alan J Chwick
Americans, and especially gun owners, are now on notice! Some of our Founders, who were Anti-Federalists, knew and foresaw exactly what our current government has turned into, back in 1788. They wrote about it in the Anti-Federalist Paper No. 33 (January 2, 1788).
After the American Revolution, we were governed by the Articles of Confederation, but the Articles had abject failures and it created a weak national government. “The Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation on November 15, 1777. This document served as the United States’ first constitution. It was in force from March 1, 1781, until 1789 when the present-day Constitution went into effect.”
But before our current day Constitution was ratified, our Founding Fathers published essays both FOR and AGAINST strengthening a central government, and these essays are known as the Federalist Papers, by those who favored a powerful Central Government, and the Anti-Federalist Papers, by those who feared a powerful Central Government. Basically, they were written debates, and it is Anti-Federalist Paper No. 33 that saw the future.
Anti-Federalist No. 33 shows how absolutely brilliant and prescient our Founders were. No. 33, by Brutus, the Founders who wrote the ‘Anti’ papers used Pen Names, discusses the power of taxation on the citizenry, and one can see the uncanny resemblance of the prognostication in No. 33 to what we are dealing with in today’s green culture. No. 33 says:
“This power, exercised without limitation, will introduce itself into every corner of the city, and the country—it will wait upon the ladies at their toilet, and will not leave them in any of their domestic concerns; it will accompany them to the ball, the play, and assembly;…nor will it desert them even at church; it will enter the house of every gentleman, watch over his cellar, wait upon his cook in the kitchen, follow the servants into the parlor, preside over the table, and note down all he eats or drinks; it will attend him to his bed chamber and watch him while he sleeps; …it will watch the merchant in the counting-house, or in his store; it will follow the mechanic to his shop, and in his work, and will haunt him in his family, and in his bed; it will be a constant companion of the industrious farmer in all his labor… and finally it will light upon the head of every person in the united States.” (Highlight added)
Now doesn’t the above look familiar? Our Government has actually adjusted our toilets, to save water, but made it so many need to FLUSH MORE THAN ONCE. They’ve adjusted our washing machines, again to save water, and many people have to RUN TWO CYCLES TO GET CLEAN CLOTHES. They’ve screw with our dishwashers, SO THEY DON’T CLEAN WELL. They’re working on our gas stoves next. And they have F’d with our energy systems, and that has affected every aspect of our personal lives. ALL THIS IN THE NAME OF GREEN AGENDA AND CULTURE.
Then, in No. 33, Brutus asks for a definition of the terms “to provide for the common defense and general welfare.”
“Are these terms definite, and will they be understood in the same manner, and to apply to the same cases by everyone? No one will pretend they will. It will then be a matter of opinion, what tends to the general welfare; and the Congress will be the only judges in the matter … the most opposite measures may be pursued by different parties, and both may profess, that they have in their view the general welfare and both sides may be honest in their professions, or both may have sinister views.” (Highlight added)
Sound familiar? Yes, as our Federal Government has over-reached their authority and control. And they would justify it so:
“It is certainly right and fit, that the governors of every people should provide for the common defense and general welfare…But however just this reasoning may be, it would be found, in practice, a most pitiful restriction. The government would always say, their measures were designed and calculated to promote the general good; and there being no judge between them and the people, the rulers themselves must, and would always, judge for themselves.” (Highlight added)
Simply put, the Government would draw any conclusion it wants and then ram it down the states’ and peoples’ throats.
We see the Government actively drawing conclusions with the Second Amendment every day. And it took the US Supreme Court’s recent ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen case to affix the historical record to our current exercise of that right. And yet, the Second Amendment is abused at the Federal, State, and local levels. Just look at the constant BS via the BATFE (a.k.a. ATF), an agency way out of control.
A rhetorical question: Is it time for ‘Tar & Feathers’ and ‘Pitchforks’ yet?
About The Author
Alan J Chwick has been involved with firearms much of his life and is the Retired Managing Coach of the Freeport NY Junior Marksmanship Club. He has escaped New York State to South Carolina and is an SC FFL (Everything22andMore.com). AJChwick@iNCNF.org | TWITTER: @iNCNF