Category: Republic - Bryan William Brickner

Usurpation Day 2018: Ex Falso Quodlibet / From a Falsehood, Anything (Follows)

4/9/2018

We the People

Willis and Millie

The phrase ex falso quodlibet / from a falsehood, anything (follows), is known as the “principle of explosion” because it blows-up (makes trivial) how true and false work.

The book Farm Boy by Archie Lieberman (1974) depicts my maternal grandparents, Willis and Mildred (Evans) Hammer, as they farmed and raised a family. I’m pretty sure Willis and Millie didn’t know any Latin other than what they learned in Bible study; they would have understood “from a falsehood, anything (follows)” though, and even taught a similar lesson: two wrongs don’t make a right.

There are two great wrongs involving We the People and the usurpation of representation according to numbers. The first involves the usurpation that happened 9 April 1792, when, in response to President Washington’s veto of the first bill sent from Congress regarding the enumeration (census of 1790) and representation, the House of Representatives usurped a shall; the House ignored Washington’s veto and the constitutional ratio of "one for every thirty Thousand" and passed a number more likeable to the usurpers: one for every 33,000.

Veritas

The original constitutional ex falso quodlibet may appear small and perhaps harmless, but consider this: it created the conditions for the second great usurpation, the one that began in 1920. With women getting the vote and other social disruptions within the WW1 era, the House of 1920 did something extraordinary for the second great wrong: nothing. Since the first usurpation, Congress had at least kept using a number, they just kept increasing the ratio in favor of the usurpers; instead of using the census as intended, the counting of We the People for representation, the 1920 House openly ignored Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 of our Constitution. It wasn’t until 1929, with the next decennial enumeration looming, that a law was passed setting House representation at 435, regardless of number, thus counteracting the definition of We the People.

Things tend to end as they began. The original usurpation of 9 April 1792 was a fill-in-the-blank moment; the bill was prepared with a blank left for a number and then the usurpers wrote in 33,000. We the People might follow a similar plan, one of mimicry; the 1792 usurpers read the Constitution and acted with pen and paper: nowadays, it feels like We the People are beginning to do the same thing.

Veritas.

*Next Up: Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb begin a summer series on Juneteenth 2018, Somewhere On Our Way.

Posted by Bryan W. Brickner

2020 Update: Movement

2/1/2018

Movement 2020

Movement is a noun.

1. An act of changing physical location or position or of having this changed.

2. A group of people working together to advance their shared political, social and artistic values.

*Next Up: A commentary on 1 March, We the People and Others: What Would Jesus Do… Deport the Catholics?

Posted by Bryan W. Brickner

Thereat: Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb, On Our Way Somewhere

12/24/2017

Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Thereat Complications

XIII of XIII

“… Here Yank, by the fence.”
“Cover.”
“Looks clear though.”
“This is that-Somewhere plateau.”
“Dunker Church.”
“Land paid for.”
“Let’s talk a bit Yank.”
“About Kyd?”
“That and something else.”
“What’s complicated about Kyd Reb?”
“I don’t know what isn’t.”
“Start.”
“Antietam was a day in a campaign.”
“Lee’s 1862 Maryland Campaign.”
“This plateau was the fulcrum of that campaign.”
“We talked of that.”
“There were other fulcrums too.”
“Go on.”
“Kyd, he …”
“… Fought here?”
“With himself Gus.”
“Thus the complications.”
“Right.”
“What else?”

Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Thereat Fire

“Something you said Gus.”
“When?”
“At the cemetery.”
“You never said its name?”
“Elmwood.”
“And what did I say?”
“‘Alive’ when I asked ‘What’s a Reb without a Yank?’”
“I meant from the war.”
“We’d all already be dead by now Gus.”
“Okay.”
“It made me remember something about you, something about Private Augustus Kotka.”
“Go on.”
“There were two Johnnies there when I killed you.”
“So?”
“You had the drop on us Gus.”
“Maybe.”
“The first Johnny saw you and yelled.”
“His mouth moved.”
“He yelled ‘Yank!’”
“Then?”
“Then I drew and fired.”
“Which hand?”
“Right.”
[Silence.]
“That’s why you said ‘Alive’ before: you had the drop on two Johnnies Gus, so you could’ve fired first … why didn’t you fire?”
“There’s something else that happened, something you didn’t mention.”
“Say more.”
“Say more about Kyd.”
“Fair enough Gus.”
“Let’s say we bivouac here, you know – out there.”
“You know it’s daybreak, right?”

Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Thereat Ponderances

“Recall Reb, that I was a private and volunteer.”
“Meaning?”
“‘Bivouac’ was my favorite command.”
“Rest does sound good.”
“What happens next?”
“Rest.”
“How about a song first?”
“I know one called ‘Deep Water’ you might like.”
“Guitar?”
“Plucking.”
“Say more.”
“Imagine a goddess singing about weathering the storm.”
“Goddess you say.”
“Blunt one … then we’ll do some-Somewhere bivouac time.”
“Can I comment on the song?”
“Later.”
“Ponderances?”
“Encouraged.”
“Let’s hear it then Johnny.”
“Here we go Gus …”

*Next Up: A dietary-double feature begins on Saturday December 30th with an order of Peppered Cannabinoids, followed on NYE with an abstract gut-serotonin poem, A Microbiota Ode to the Brain-Gut Axis.

We’ll continue journeying with Gus, Johnny and We the People on Juneteenth 2018.

Thanks All ~ Peace.

Posted by Bryan W. Brickner

Thereat: Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb, On Our Way Mysteries

12/17/2017

Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Thereat Flags

XII of XIII

“Whoa Reb!”
“What?”
“Virginia’s down.”
“I see that.”
“We should put the flag up.”
“Someone should.”
“Us.”
“No, not us.”
“Why?”
“Let’s give a human a chance.”
“Let a human do it you mean?”
“Right.”
“Who are these two?”
“Many things really.”
“There’s no battle flag, like the others: was he a Johnny?”
“He was a Johnny … and also a Confederate.”
“Why no flags?”
“Bit of a mystery.”
“There’s another flag too.”
“I see that Yank.”
“One flag down, two missing and another backgrounding.”
“Plays like a riddle.”

Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Thereat Characterize

“They lived a long life: what did they do Reb?”
“I’ll tell a quick version and then we’ll move on.”
“Characterize Johnny.”
“See when they were born?”
“1815.”
“So in 1855 and ’65 …”
“… They were a pair of 40 and then 50 year olds.”
“Alexander represented Virginia in the US House of Representatives.”
“US Rep? – When?”
“One term, 1859 to ‘61.”
“John Brown happened around here and then.”
“And Lincoln was elected in 1860.”
“Alexander: what did he do next?”
“Enlisted, was commissioned, and assigned to General Jackson’s staff.”
“That was fast.”
“Didn’t last long.”
“Why?”
“Alexander switched back to politics; he represented Virginia in the Confederate Provisional Congress and then again in the Confederate States House of Representatives.”
“Wow.”
“After the war, he came back too.”
“How?”
“US Pardon Clerk.”
“Mysteries abounding Johnny.”
“This way to the next one.”
“With ya …”

Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Thereat Mysteries

“… To another young Reb.”
“Another member of Jackson’s staff too.”
“Who’s the Kyd?”
“Remember Ferry Hill Yank?”
“Fairy Hill, of course.”
“Kyd grew-up there, in Maryland.”
“What did he do there?”
“Road the ferries some I imagine.”
“Road the Fairies?”
“Back-and-forth, that and farming.”
“Fairies worked the farm?”
“Moved goods Gus – and you know about ferries.”
“Why so sure Johnny?”
“You were a Yank for three years.”
“So?”
“All Yanks know ferries.”
“Then all Rebs know Fairies.”
“Agreed.”
“What was the point?”
“Kyd grew-up across the Potomac, in Maryland –”
“– And he’s buried in West Virginia.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Henry Kyd Douglas, as far as I know, is the most complicated Johnny Reb there is.”
“Is not was?”
“Kyd’s still a mystery.”
“How so?”
“It’s complicated.”
“Try.”
“Not here Gus.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere?”
“Sure … ready when you are.”
“Thanks … Ready.”
“After you Reb.”
“This way …”

*Next Up: Sunday 24 December and the Thereat finale (part XIII), Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb On Our Way Somewhere.

Posted by Bryan W. Brickner

Thereat: Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb, On Our Way Memories

12/10/2017

Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Thereat Boys

XI of XIII

“Now that was some music Reb.”
“Thought you might like that.”
“I did, and I think The Boys here did too.”
“The Boys?”
“Adult Johnnies were all young once, right?”
“Right.”
“I thought I heard some sniffling is what I mean.”
“Memories.”
“Me too.”
“And it was a bit misty Gus.”
“Yes … a bit misty.”
“People from the past gave us a remembrance.”
“The monument?”
“Right.”
“It looks old.”
“Put up after the war.”
“We’re in West Virginia.”
“We are.”
“This monument worked.”
“In a ‘lest we forget’ kind of way?”
“More in a ‘made me remember’ kind of way.”
“About?”
“Let’s visit one of The Boys from Antietam first.”
“Sure ~ step this way.”

Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Thereat Doctor

“Doctor?”
“Dr. William S. Parran.”
“Husband too.”
“Yes.”
“‘Born July 5th 1835, Killed at Sharpsburg, September 17th 1862.’”
“Antietam.”
“Look at his age.”
“Young.”
“A 27 year-old doctor.”
“Making me remember Gus.”
“The other day it was all about deserters and cowards Reb.”
“I know.”
“We didn’t mention doctors and martyrs.”
“We didn’t.”
“Mrs. Parran stood here.”
“Easy to imagine.”
“Just ‘cuz the war ended, that wouldn’t mean Mrs. Parran thought-less of her William.”
“Of course not.”
“Or that he wasn’t a martyr to a cause.”
“I hear ya.”
“Before, by the monument, I was thinking of the Confederate Dead as ‘Merican Dead too (or as well).”
“Makes sense.”
“How do The Boys feel about that?”

Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Thereat 'Mericans

“The Boys would like to hear an example from the Yank.”
“Sure: will The Doctor do?”
“Yes.”
“So we all know things fell into civil war in April 1861.”
“Go on.”
“And The Doctor here died 17 months into the war.”
“He did.”
“So 17 months in rebellion, let’s say, and 25 years living under usurpation.”
“It takes time to create a Doc Parran.”
“I was thinking something like that too Reb.”
“Meaning someone born under the laws of the United States of America …”
“… Was killed by the laws of the Usurped States of America.”
“Indeed.”
“The Doctor was as unrepresented as you, me and –”
“– The Boys.”
“They agree?”
“It wasn’t a yell, but it was a solid yes.”
“I’m sort-of-glad they didn’t yell Reb.”
“Me too Yank.”
“What’s next?”
“Another Johnny to visit.”
“Who?”
“The most complicated Johnny I know.”
“Let’s go then.”
“This way Yank.”
“With ya Reb …”

*Next Up: Sunday 17 December and Thereat part XII, Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb On Our Way Mysteries.

Posted by Bryan W. Brickner

Thereat: Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb, On Our Way Johnny Rebs

12/3/2017

Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Thereat Camped

X of XIII

“Nice landing Gus.”
“Quite a trip.”
“Quite.”
“Was that Gettysburg we flew over?”
“Right.”
“You said something, but I couldn’t hear you over the noise.”
“Music.”
“If you say so.”
“You showed some footwork.”
“All that marching Reb.”
“The music varies Gus.”
“Well there’s something to look forward to.”
“I was pointing to the Gettysburg ‘fish hook.’”
“Saw that: formidable.”
“And then Washington DC.”
“Inspiring.”
“Up the Potomac …”
“We passed Harper’s Ferry.”
“… And to Shepherdstown.”
“The Johnnies? – Where are they Reb?”
“Camped a hundred yards over the tree-line.”
“Heard that before.”
“You ready Yank?”
“Sure … just jesting to calm down.”
“Say when.”
“When.”
“This way …”

Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Thereat Unknowns

“… Here Gus.”
“Camped?”
“Permanently.”
“Reb?”
“Sorry.”
“An Unknown.”
“Many actually.”
“There are people over there.”
“This is a memorial service.”
“Can they see us?”
“They’re not looking.”
“What if they did?”
“If they look, it’s not likely they’ll see.”
“Some see?”
“Some.”
“Oh.”
“How about you: did you see spirits Gus?”
“What kind of question is that?”
“What kind of answer is that?”
“Not a very good one.”
“Sounds a little like maybe.”
“Maybe … Shepherdstown is near Sharpsburg.”
“Across the Potomac, about two miles.”
“Soldiers buried here from Antietam?”
“There are.”
“Lots of Rebs Reb.”
“Parts of us.”
“Us?”
“What’s a Reb without a Yank?”
“Alive.”
“Interesting.”

Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Thereat In-Formation

“You look to be in-formation.”
“Especially up left.”
“Men at parade rest.”
“Right.”
“Are these flags always up?”
“No, just for the memorial.”
“Feels nice, the remembrance.”
“Not everyone would agree.”
“Why?”
“Contentious.”
“Why?”
“You tell me.”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you see?”
“‘Mericans.”
“Most just see flags.”
“Christians.”
“What else?”
“Looks like an American and Confederate flag at the base of that monument.”
“I see them.”
“Let’s go there.”
“After you Yank.”

*Next Up: Sunday 10 December and Thereat part XI, Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb On Our Way Memories.

Posted by Bryan W. Brickner

Thereat: Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb, On Our Way Now

11/26/2017

Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Thereat On

IX of XIII

“Talking about Mosby helped Reb.”
“How so Gus?”
“Me getting to know the lay of the land around Berryville.”
“Good.”
“Is Snicker’s Gap for real?”
“For real.”
“And you talked with a different ease Johnny.”
“Right.”
“You even used ‘we.’”
“When describing the raid?”
“Yes.”
“I felt that.”
“It sounded right.”
“Yeah?”
“Sounded like you.”
“How so?”
“On.”
“Had to be.”
“You were Reb.”

Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Thereat Our

“Those were desperate days Yank.”
“Perseverance was a trait George Washington admired.”
“Indeed.”
“Johnny Reb persevered.”
“I hear ya.”
“You don’t sound convinced.”
“Not all Johnnies persevered Gus.”
“Deserters.”
“That, and stragglers, feigned-sickers and cowards.”
“Complicated.”
“Always been that way Yank.”
“It’s our strength then.”
“Say more.”
“You, being complicated, that makes our work stronger.”
“’Our work' needs a name Gus.”

Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Thereat Way

“Sure does.”
“Operation ‘Journeying to End the Representation Usurpation’ doesn’t flow so well.”
“Agreed.”
“Got one in mind?”
“Not yet.”
“Let’s work on that on the road.”
“You sound ready Reb?”
“I think so.”
“Whatcha’ thinking?”
“About making a stop or two before Berryville?”
“In for that.”
“I want to visit some Johnny Rebs.”
“Sure.”
“You with.”
“With you.”
“Nice … Then let’s go Gus.”
“Where are the Rebs?”
“Near those railroad tracks in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.”
“Alright!”
“We’ll rally there.”
“Up now Johnny?”
“Up now.”

Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Thereat Now

“Woohoo Reb!”
“Woohoo Yank!”
“Up we go!”
“Us and We the People!”

*Next Up: Sunday 3 December and Thereat part X, Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb On Our Way Johnny Rebs.

Posted by Bryan W. Brickner

Thereat: Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb, On Our Way A Gain

10/22/2017

Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Thereat Steppin'

V of XIII

“Steppin’ Johnny.”
“With ya Gus.”
“On our way again.”
“With a gain.”
“Which one?”
“Clarity.”
“Regarding the paths?”
“Yes.”
“Agreed.”
“The two paths to 2020 step differently.”
“Say more.”
“One is already law.”
“Article 1 and its thirty Thousand.”
“And the other path is in the hands of individual states.”
“You talking states’ rights Reb?”

Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Thereat States

“More like amendment rights by states.”
“So We the People have options.”
“We do.”
“To be constitutional, we can enforce the representation ratio in Article 1.”
“True.”
“And the other option, the one involving states: how would that work Johnny?”
“Complete the ratification of Article the first of the Bill of Rights.”
“How many states have ratified Article the first?”
“Eleven.”
“Indiana?”
“No.”
“Virginia?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know the other states that have already ratified Article the first?”
“Sure.”
“Which ones Johnny?”

Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Thereat Fulcrums

“New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina.”
“Okay.”
“Then New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.”
“That makes eight.”
“Then Vermont, Virginia and Kentucky.”
“Eleven.”
“Of the original 13, only Delaware voted no on Article the first: Massachusetts, Georgia and Connecticut never voted.”
“That’s interesting.”
“What are you thinking Gus?”
“About fulcrums.”
“Fulcrum states?”
“Yes: fulcrum states shift the weight.”
“Good point Gus: by ratifying Article the first, those eleven states reveal evidence of the representation usurpation.”
“Otherwise why did they vote for the amendment Johnny?”
“Exactly.”
“So We the People have eleven state allies against the usurpation.”
“We do.”
“That is a gain Reb.”
“Yes it is Yank.”

*Next Up: Sunday 29 October and Thereat part VI, Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb On Our Way Not Tumid.

Posted by Bryan W. Brickner

Thereat: Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb, On Our Way Problems

10/8/2017

Johnny Reb and Gus Kotka Thereat Leadership

IV of XIII

“… Leadership I suppose Gus.”
“Always a problem.”
“Yes.”
“Why is leadership the problem for We the People now Johnny?”
“A new amendment to the Constitution by 2020 seems unlikely.”
“Sure.”
“Thus We the People are shortening the time for dialogue.”
“Deliberation.”
“So We the People are quickly moving toward only two paths to 2020.”
“The Constitution’s thirty Thousand.”
“And Article the first.”
“Which would complete the Bill of Rights and amend the representation ratio to 50,000.”
“There is a leadership vacuum Gus.”
“Time solves that problem.”
“Mostly.”
“I’m thinking of which path would be best Reb? The narrow or wider one?”
“Wider was George’s wish.”
“Becuz’ 30,000 better represents We the People than 50,000.”
“It’s a ratio.”
“More We the People, not less.”
“George would agree.”

Johnny Reb and Gus Kotka Thereat Grandpas

“Where’d Cat go?”
“What Cat?”
“The Cat?”
“You say you saw a Cat Gus?”
“You know we did.”
“So Cat was a sign?”
“If in 2020 We the People are represented according to numbers, like the Constitution states, one for every thirty Thousand, then yes, Cat was a sign.”
“Done.”
“So where did Cat go Reb?”
“The Good Lord giveth …”
“… And the Good Lord taketh away.”
“We had the same grandpas.”
“I think so too.”
“Or at least they were reading the same book.”
“There was only one book Reb.”
“There are a lot more now Gus.”

Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb Thereat Learnings

“I imagine so.”
“Lots more.”
“Do we have to read them?”
“No.”
“Good.”
“Others have already done so.”
“So we can use their knowledge, their learnings?”
“Right.”
“Sounds convenient.”
“It is overwhelming.”
“How so?”
“Too much clutter Gus.”
“We the People can’t see the forest for the trees.”
“Just like that.”
“So the way forward …”
“… Is to step back.”
“Back into constitutionalism.”
“Back into constitutionalism.”
“We got this Reb.”
“Agreed Yank.”

*Next Up: Sunday 22 October and Thereat part V, Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb On Our Way A Gain.

Posted by Bryan W. Brickner

Thereat: Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb, On Our Way Representational Solutions

10/1/2017

Johnny Reb and Gus Kotka Thereat Cat

III of XIII

“Look, a Cat.”
“Reb?”
“What?”
“Why you cattin’ Johnny?”
“Maybe Cat’s a sign?”
“Maybe you don’t want to camp talk about Virginia.”
“Could be a sign like Snake and Turkey were.”
“Yet there’s no Morgan.”
“Maybe he’s Cat?”
“Stop with the cat Reb.”
“Cat is looking at something.”
“Yes.”
“Curious?”
“Now I am.”
“Shall we?”
“Sure.”

Johnny Reb and Gus Kotka Thereat Representational

“Paths Gus.”
“I see.”
“Appears to be three.”
“Indeed.”
“Constitutional paths.”
“The Ways of We the People.”
“Our paths to 2020 Yank and representing We the People according to our numbers, like the Constitution has been saying for 230 years.”
“How old is the representation usurpation Johnny?”
“That began on 9 April 1792, so that would be a 225 year-old usurpation.”
“So we’ve had five years of an un-usurped representation of We the People.”
“Infancy Gus.”
“Not so fancy Reb.”
“It’s Tory Crown fancy.”
“Sounds bad.”
“Tory Crown is the American anti-republic energy that didn’t want the US to be a republic.”
“Still don’t.”
“True.”
“The Confederacy wasn’t a republic, was it Johnny?”

Johnny Reb and Gus Kotka Thereat Solutions

“No, we had a Tory Crown influence.”
“The states, like Virginia, were independent states in confederation.”
“Right Gus, so the highest power was the state and not the states united.”
“Like our first government?”
“Like that.”
“What was it called again?”
“The first US government, the one before this one, was based on The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union.”
“Right.”
“It had no We the People framework Gus.”
“And it failed.”
“States had one vote regardless of how many people they had.”
“Not good.”
“Connecticut and Virginia were voting equals.”
“Odd.”
“Yet they had great differences in population.”
“Clearly a problem.”
“So the Constitutional Convention solved this problem by guaranteeing a new right: the right to one Representative for every thirty Thousand people in a state, which created the House of Representatives.”
“We the People seen as a solution.”
“And not a problem.”
“So what’s the problem now Johnny?”
“Uh …”

*Next Up: Sunday 8 October and Thereat part IV, Gus Kotka and Johnny Reb On Our Way Problems.

Posted by Bryan W. Brickner