Not Our Forefathers Rebellion

Frustration, economic unrest, and a sense of injustice ignited the spark.

Former military members organized and believed themselves to be course-correcting the wrongs of the moment. They were prepared to take targeted action.

The day lives in infamy.

It was a cold morning in January, and the goal was simple: overthrow the government.

Led by former military veterans and those who fought in the war, nearly 1,500 disgruntled Americans decided to take action. Organized into three major groups, they intended to surround and attack the building.

In their minds, their cause was just.

But this was not the first time these extremists used vigilantism to serve as a check on the government. Previously, the vigilantes protested to express their frustration and send a clear message to state legislatures.

In fact, one state governor issued a proclamation recapping a protest:

“A large concourse of people, from several parts of that county…many of whom were armed with guns, swords, and other deadly weapons, and with drums beating and fifes playing, in contempt and open defiance of the authority of this Government, did, by their threats of violence and keeping possession of the Court-House until twelve o’clock on the night of the same day.”

The insurgents viewed their efforts as mission-critical. They were armed and ready.

The date was not January 6, 2021; it was January 25, 1787. The event was Shays’ Rebellion, where a group of disgruntled farmers known as Shaysites led by farmer and military veteran Daniel Shays planned to attack a federal armory in Springfield, Massachusetts. However, a small militia thwarted their vigilante efforts, killing four Shaysite men and wounding 20 others.

The news of the failed insurrection divided the nation as former first lady, Abigail Adams, wrote to Thomas Jefferson, calling Shaysites “Ignorant, restless desperados, without conscience or principles… mobbish insurgents (who) are for sapping the foundation of the feeble, young American government.”

Serving in the capacity as Ambassador to France at the time, Jefferson responded in disagreement, stating, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time by the blood of patriots and tyrants.”

Shays’ Rebellion highlighted the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation and has been cited as a catalyst for constitutional reform. Later, in September 1787, the Continental Congress ratified the Constitution.

As we approach the one-year anniversary of January 6th, the country continues to grapple with similar questions our nation did in the wake of Shays’ Rebellion. Questions regarding the viability and survival of democracy in America have reemerged with the advancement of technology and the birth of social media. Americans have a front-row seat to watch in real-time as the fabric of American democracy is pulled taut and the threads which bind us seem to stretch to their maxim.

Unlike Shays’ Rebellion, the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol was not an agrarian rebellion; it was led by domestic terrorists determined to overthrow the 2020 election results. However, similar to Shays’ Rebellion, we have found ourselves in another governing crisis.

The impetus of Shays’ Rebellion forced George Washington out of retirement to promote a strong national government and compelled our Founding Fathers to find a better form of government.

In 2022, there isn’t a George Washington to emerge from retirement, nor can we phone and ask James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, or Benjamin Franklin to impart their wisdom for a way forward for our nation.

In this moment, America is at the mercy of the lessons of history as we aim to turn the page and move forward.

We are in a lurch, and while some may argue the only way out is by revising the Constitution, there is another path forward that does not require more rebellion or a constitutional convention.

The path forward is to expunge extremists from the halls of Congress, state legislatures, and local school boards. As a nation, in the coming months, we have the opportunity to push back the rising tide of extremism and keep democracy intact.

Throughout American history there have been pivotal moments where Lady Liberty has turned inward and citizens have come together to protect what we hold so dear: American democracy.

Bloodied, bruised, and battered, our history is not a Rockwell painting of Americana. Instead, it is Jackson Pollack-esque red, white, and blue strokes that have been splattered across the canvas. Examining it closely, it’s not pretty, but stepping back, it is a masterpiece.

Both Shays’ Rebellion and the January 6th insurrection resulted from minority factions, who felt disenfranchised and took it upon themselves to attempt to deliver vigilante justice to the government.

In Federalist paper number 10, James Madison warned of the power of factions and mob rule. Madison believed factions arise when public opinion forms and spreads quickly, but that there were two ways to cure factions. One is to “remove its causes, the other is controlling its effects.”

This year, voters have the ability to apply the first of Madison’s two cures to a faction that has emerged within the Republican party by electing unifying and principled candidates who believe in the rule of law and are committed to upholding the Constitution. America needs leadership committed to putting country over party and who will govern on behalf of, rather than against, all their constituents.

Lastly, if America wants to protect the People’s House and democracy, voters have a responsibility to evict extremists serving in office who are not committed to drafting and passing good policy. When good politicians are elected, good policy is created and Americans across the country win.

“Good politicians” may sound oxymoronic in the current climate, but it doesn’t have to. While some critics argue America’s political system is broken beyond repair, voters have the ability to come together and reignite the spark of our democracy.

As our nation celebrates the somber milestone of the first anniversary of January 6th, instead of being reminded of terror and fear of that day, Americans everywhere should look back to the months prior and the outcome of the election of 2020. In 2020, America saw the highest number of voter turnout in history, and as a result, the electorate came together to push back on the rising tide of extremism. Collectively, voters preserved the soul of America and send a clear message that authoritarianism has no place in the Oval Office.

Let 2022 be the year we, as voters, send a resounding message to every extremist serving in office that their divisive rhetoric and mob rule mentality will not be tolerated. The only way to protect our government from another insurrection is to vote out every single radical this November.

America, you can end the careers of every extremist serving in Congress and, in tandem, ensure another Shays’ Rebellion or January 6th never happens, but only if you commit to showing up on Election Day.