We are in a grave constitutional crisis with a President who seemingly wants to be king, and a Congress unable and unwilling to oppose him.

 

This administration is building, plank by plank, the framework for military dictatorship. Already in place is a global governing philosophy that uses the military as muscle for invading other nations for the purpose of social engineering and massive corporate profits. The Defense Authorization Act of 2006
empowers the President to impose martial law in the event of a
terrorist incident.

 

The National Defense Authorization Act of 2007 permits the President to command National Guard troops without the consent of state governors.

 

The National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive gives the President dictatorial powers in the event of a “catastrophic incident”.

 

The Military Commissions Act suspends the right of habeas corpus.

 

This short list doesn’t include wide spread wire tapping of citizens, construction of concentration camps, Black-shirt private armies, an ever
expanding military budget, increased government secrecy, non
co-operation with Congress, and the inevitable bankrupting of domestic
budgets. And now, the latest grab for power has the Executive
announcing that “our property” can be seized for dissent against the
invasion and occupation of Iraq.

 

We are in a very grave constitutional crisis folks. I encourage every one of you to make a noise in the offices of Murray, Cantwell, and your congressional
representative. Silence is the death of democracy.

 

But I think we also need to begin the process of organizing some form of
resistance, protest, and/or strategy for impeachment. Our
politicians are fiddling while democracy burns. Feeding from common
corporate money sources, they are no longer worthy of our trust.
Indeed, they have betrayed us.

 

For example, almost daily some media
figure or political operative drops a hint that our country might be
hit again by the terrorists. Ask yourself, in the event of
another catastrophic occurrence can you trust this government to stay
true to the idealism of democracy, and the laws of limited checks
and balances of power, encoded in the Constitution? Can you
trust Congress to represent the people? I certainly cannot.

 

We are, I repeat, in a grave, surreal even, constitutional crisis. We are
dealing with a spirituality of tyranny; an unleashing of ruthless,
arrogant power that corrupts all it touches. It’s time to get
angry and cast out this unclean spirit from our land.

 

Such a statement can now get me arrested, disappeared, and stripped of all
assets. Is this America? Is this the country in which we have been
raised? And how long, friend, until you yourself awaken only to
discover that there is now a knock on your door?

 

I call upon all who care to assemble at Trinity United Methodist Church, (6512 23rd Ave NW 98117) Wednesday evening August 1st at 7pm. There we will stratigize how to reclaim the power of the people, the birthright we share from
our heritage of democracy.

 

Knock! Knock!

 

Rev. Rich Lang-Pastor

Trinity United Methodist Church