Dan Reinhard, Minot

In a letter to James Madison, regarding the Shays’ Rebellion (Aug 1786-Feb 1787) by armed farmers in Massachusetts, Thomas Jefferson wrote: “I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government.” While still governed by the Articles of Confederation, the Shays’ Rebellion was caused by aggressive unfair taxes and debt collection as well as political corruption and cronyism. Many believe that the results of the Shays’ Rebellion caused the formation of the Constitutional Convention where the US Constitution was later written.

Since that rebellion, our country has suffered through over 500 major protests, riots, bombings, uprisings, marches, strikes, mass shootings and revolts -to include our Civil War where somewhere between 650,000 – 800,000 Americans died -roughly 2 percent of the entire population. I believe with intelligent sober-minded legislators, the Civil War could have been prevented and slavery abolished as happened throughout most Christian nations around the world.

In the summer of 2020, we have all witnessed the violent riots throughout our country or the assassination attempts on Republican Congressmen, and even the Dakota Access Pipeline Protest in 2016. I do not support or condone any riot or protests which results in the loss of human life or the countless billions of dollars in private or public property destruction…that is the true definition of criminal behavior.

What happened on 6 January 2021 in the Capitol Building in Washington DC was not an insurrection as deviously termed by a biased media and several federal legislators. It was a protest that got out of control where five people died to include an unarmed female protestor that was fatally shot by a Capitol Police officer. Many have seen video clips of the protest but can’t understand why the official security video tapes have not been released to the public. There is a cauldron of hatred for Donald Trump which Speaker Pelosi continues to brew within The People’s House; albeit Trump asked the protestors to march “peacefully and patriotically,” I feel certain that the Pelosi Congressional Investigation will undoubtedly blame it all on Trump…even though she is directly responsible for maintaining Capitol security.

Recently, despite protection by the First Amendment, Attorney General Merrick Garland wishes to deny that and enlist the FBI to control the most recent form of “domestic terrorists:” parents that are protesting against unwanted school board’s curriculum agenda. The federal government has no authority in this area. And from the Russia Hoax to this, is what Ben Franklin warned us about: …“A Republic if you can keep it.” We let him down and have evolved into a true oligarchy…