Jeffrey Luer and the American identity

From Random Hipatia

Always when I read one of Jeffery "Free" Luer's prison letters I am left with thoughts and questions of what both courage and cowardice truly mean, and how often these two are not the opposites as they at first seem, but rather may be intertwined. Sometimes I also find I must ponder what is freedom and identity, and what does and should mean to be "American."

Similarly, I find these thoughts when I consider the case of 6 courageous individuals, who, working with and helping to inspire neighbors and friends in my old hometown of Somerset, simply by taking a public stance and offering information on what was going on through a web site. The SHAC website is not a journalistic site, this is true. It is one that advocates a specific position and viewpoint. Nor would I consider the web site of the Republican National Committee to be an exercise in journalism either. But when we start calling advocacy and publishing terrorism, that I do consider to be completely alien to every principle I value and care about. It is also something I find completely alien to the idea of what I once thought it meant to be "American".

In both these actions we find people who chose courage knowing their actions would cost them greatly. They choose to stand up for their beliefs, their ideals, their freedom, not because they they were unafraid, but rather because they refused to let fear reduce their choices. Some who have faced the power of a state looking to create "examples" out of free people, to get them to sacrifice others and thereby deminish their own actions, but neither Jeff nor the original SHAC 7 choose to sacrifice others to fear as many others had. This to me is part of what being a free individual, both free and responsible, in what should be a free nation, must be about.

Of course, most define the notion of identity though citizenship, an idea I actually reject. Citizenship is involuntary membership to a state. While a child may not get to ask whether to be conceived, or be considered capable of determining the family to be raised in, we have replaced the idea of adulthood and leaving of a family with that of functionally joining the involuntary family of the state as a "citizen".

Like the family left behind, the modern state often uses the imagery of family to claim it's legitimacy. We have the "father" figure (or in some cases "mother" figure), of the current maximum leader, and the idea of the state being "responsible" for the lives of the citizens, as a kind of surrogate family. Whether from some in the traditional left, or the right, we find this paternalistic notion, where state supplants family. Anarchy, by contrast, is real human adulthood, where we are free to make our choices and decisions, rather than have them imposed by others, whether by bosses or states.

Similarly, I do not look at those I find affinity with in an "American" identity as those that are citizens, nor can I accept any identity that openly rejects the very freedom and identity of the indigenous population we have colonized, for they especially have shown and originally taught those who came to these shores what it is to be and live as a free people. When I think of identity and affinity, I see the people who I share common culture with, who I live with, who are part of my neighborhood and region. Those we share our local community with, whether the rich retired Manhattan Banker in the mansion down the road, or the poor Mexican family living in the trailer park nearby.

True identity can only be achieved recognizing that both are the same, both are human, and reaching true solidarity and reconciliation, by recognizing both that our needs must be met, and all our abilities are valued, (or as Marx said, from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs) rather than one continuing the cycle of exploitation by one of another. Then I think we can begin to talk of voluntary identity and association, to relearn the lessons of living in freedom, rather than those imposed by a state between people trapped in their respective roles who have nothing in common except the viscous cycle they are trapped in that has brought them together.

I find the circumstances of our local Mr. Manhattan to be alien not from unfamiliarity. I do not know offhand if his circumstances is due to luck, personal skill, or family social advantage. However, I am neither unfamiliar with wealth nor particularly envious of his circumstances. By contrast, I have known both great wealth and great poverty in my lifetime, and I harbor no illusions of poverty as being a "noble" either. What I do find completely alien is his ease and willingness to exploit others.

Similarly, what are we to make of the Mexican family living in the trailer park. Certainly, it is possible to recognize and understand the indignation of their circumstances. But if fortune were to change them, would this same family, having only known exploitation all their lives, turn around and do the same to others if suddenly empowered to do so? The process of human domestication and pattern of exploiter and exploited is now many long thousand years old. However, I would today find far easier to have an identity in common with that same Mexican family, as "American", regardless of their so called immigration status, than I would with Mr. Manhattan.

There are I see only two paths forward. The first is evolutionary and educational. It is a hard path, for it accepts the possibility that for example the wealthy exploiter down the road may well live out his natural life without facing true justice for the harm he has done to others. It also accepts that the Mexican family may never see in their lifetime the full benefits of human freedom and equality. Social evolution and education requires the freedom and ability to speak, to communicate, to advocate. However, it most requires patience.

The second option is that of revolutionary change. While often violent, it occurs, in fact, becomes necessary, when there are no other options left. It also far too often fails. American society is approaching a point where other options do become closed. There must either be a revolution in government, or there will be one in the streets.

There is an old Latin expression, and I imagine that it easily predates Roman times, roughly, that the cruelest slave master is the former slave. An example of this can be found in our times in the cruel and brutal Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.

Indeed, revolutionary change fails because you cannot simply declare people free if they do not know first how to and never had the chance to live in freedom. Teaching people how to live in freedom takes time. But it also requires the means to do so. But what of being "American"? Does anyone in this consumer populated involuntary nation even understand why it was originally formed and what freedom once was? How it was first taught to a savage people who came over the seas to colonize this land with their abhorrent belief that some were somehow better than most? What should being American mean? Who should we identify with and find for our inspiration? Who are true Americans today?

Those who today I would consider to be or share, by affinity or choice, the identity of being "Americans", would certainly include the SHAC 6. Perhaps it would also include Jeffery Luer, who's crimes are after all only those against property, but yet who's punishment seems proportional to his ability to speak against the crimes of those that do actively exploit our environment and future for their own short term prosperity. One could argue whether it is correct or not to fight those who commit mass crimes even with small ones, but the injustice of his sentencing is very clear.

I think it would include Lynn Stewart, who's crime was that of offering due process to an unpopular defendant, and, as the prosecutor made very clear for the Salem Witch trials style jury that was assembled, for also being "socialist". Certainly it must include the surviving American Indian nations and people, who first knew freedom and equality, and continue to show us what these things really mean. These are the people one should consider when deciding what it should mean to be "American". These are among the best examples we have today. These are the true heroes of our revolution and of our time. They remind us that freedom requires finding courage in the face of fear.