Let´s Turn This Country Around: An Interview with John W. Whitehead
Bill Haymin
October 19, 2008
By Nisha N. Mohammed
www.rutherford.org
After reading John W. Whitehead´s new book, The Change Manifesto: Join the Block by Block Movement to Remake America (Sourcebooks, 2008), Nat Hentoff was moved to remark that "John Whitehead is the Tom Paine of our time." Indeed, in his 30-plus years as a constitutional attorney and author, Whitehead has gained a reputation for being a legal, political and cultural watchdog—sounding the call for integrity, accountability and an adherence to the democratic principles on which this country was founded. Like Paul Revere, Whitehead is sounding the alarm that Americans need to take action. Whitehead sat down with OldSpeak to talk about his new book and what it means to join the block by block to remake America. The following are highlights from the interview.
To access the full interview, visit www.rutherford.org.
NM: What is The Change Manifesto about?
JW: This book is about what it means to be vigilant in safeguarding our freedoms for present and future generations. The American people are in grave danger of losing their basic freedoms. The simple fact is that the Constitution—and in particular the Bill of Rights—is being undermined on virtually every front. The Bill of Rights is the only bulwark between the American citizen and an authoritarian government.
Many intuitively have come to believe that something alarming is happening in both our government and society. Everything America was founded upon is in some way being challenged. The openness and freedom that were once the hallmarks of our society are being threatened. American citizens are continually watched. Political correctness has come to dominate the American psyche to the extent that people self-censor their own thoughts—in the workplace, in public areas and even in the home. Businesses, banks and schools have been harassed by government agents into handing over records of patrons, customers and students. American schools have become authoritarian in nature. Even our homes are no longer safe. In short, America has become a lockdown nation.
However, by educating readers about their rights and providing readers with practical steps they can take to fight back, this book gives readers the tools they need to safeguard freedom for present and future generations. Although I think things are in dire straits, I do think there´s hope—hope in the right places. And that´s what this book is ultimately about.
NM: Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, many Americans indicated that they were willing to give up any freedoms necessary to feel safe again. What will happen when the next crisis comes about? We are looking at a possible economic meltdown. What is to stop Americans from trading their freedoms for the semblance of financial security?
JW: Governments from the beginning of time have used fear to take control. A brief study of history will show you that. Fear is the basis of governmental control. In times of crisis, people will give over freedoms. They will even give over their money. Most of that stems from the fact that they don´t know their history. They don´t know their rights. They don´t know the history of their government. They don´t know the history of governments that do these kinds of things. Therefore, if anybody is to blame, it´s the American people because they are the foundation of the country. That is what the founders who drafted the Constitution emphasized. It´s the people who will keep their freedoms and it is the people who will lose their freedoms.
NM: How do people who refuse to be ruled by fear counteract the fear of the masses? How do you speak to something that is irrational?
JW: You are not going to counteract mass fear. The thing about mass fear is it subsides over time. You saw that with 9/11. Within a few years the people who said they would give over their freedoms for more security eventually changed their minds. Suddenly, people saw that the threat was exaggerated and they started to mistrust the government. The important thing is that those who are not given over to fear need to keep their heads down and keep working. The phrase I like best is "act locally, think nationally." That is where you can make your biggest change. Work in your own local communities and you can change things.
NM: In the chapter entitled "American Empire," you warn of the danger of governmental bankruptcy. At the time that you were writing The Change Manifesto did you foresee that the current economic meltdown would come as quickly as it has?
JW: An economic meltdown has been occurring for a long time. The economist David Walker was the head of the Government Accountability Office for the United States. He recently resigned, but he saw these problems coming and he warned that the country was going to go belly up. Other economists were saying that years ago. They were seeing the trouble signs before it actually happened. This became even more of a problem given the amount of money we´ve been spending on foreign wars. America spends a billion dollars a day on the Iraq war. Most Americans are now against the war, yet we are still spending a billion dollars a day on that war. And much of the money is going into the hands of private contractors connected to people high in the Bush administration. So it was easy to foresee the financial problem coming, especially with the war. The war was going to drain the country. Wars drain economies. Also, as America expands around the globe—with expensive military bases all over the world— this will continue to drain the country. The same thing happened to the Roman Empire.
NM: The latest bailout package to rescue the financial sector is reportedly filled with pork barrel spending including line items such as an exemption for a tax break for wooden arrows designed for use by children. There is also a seven-year cost recovery period for a motorsports racing track facility and a tax break for rum produced in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, just to name a few. What can people actually do about this clear abuse of taxpayer funds?
JW: At this point, it´s obvious that Congress is not getting the message. I don´t think most Congressmen really care. Most of our so-called representatives in Congress are insulated. They are completely out of touch with the average American. Most people don´t know that the average taxpayer is paying for the Congressman to get flowers every day. We pay for their haircuts, their limousine rides, airplane flights to foreign countries and their domestic travel. These are ludicrous expenses that should absolutely be cut. I have an entire section in the book, called "Rule by Thieves," on how corrupt Congress really is. It shows you how many Congressmen are under indictment or are under investigation for stealing money from the American taxpayer. That doesn´t include all the Congressmen that are routinely involved in earmarking and ludicrous pork barrel projects.
I keep emphasizing that average Americans can have their greatest impact by working in their local communities and trying to influence national politics that way. There are things you can do about these abuses. Get on the phone and call your representatives in Washington. Email them and write letters. That is the only way you are going to get them to act. If you work in your local communities, you can change things.
NM: Most people can´t agree on the least little thing right now. If Americans are polarized, how do you find a common denominator? What are we supposed to join together over?
JW: The common denominator for our country is—and has always been—the Constitution. That is the basis of America. That is where you have to start. That is why I wrote The Change Manifesto. You have to study the problem. You have to get educated on the history of your country and what your freedoms are. Most Americans don´t know their freedoms are being eroded. They don´t understand what is happening on Wall Street. They don´t even understand what is happening in their local communities because they don´t know their history and they don´t know their rights. Thus, my message to people is there is hope but you´re going to have to work at it. It is not going to come about if you´re shopping at the mall or talking on a cell phone. This is going to take time, and the hope is that we still have time to change things. We may not, but that doesn´t mean that it´s not worth it to fight to change the direction of the country.
NM: Where do you start? Is there any real hope for change?
JW: You have to start somewhere. Sitting at home and watching TV is not going to get it done. I commend anybody that gets out there with a picket sign. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Email your neighbors and urging them to action is another. There is hope, but you have to start somewhere. No battle is too small, and no action is minor. Forest fires usually start with a spark. What I am telling people is, "Let´s be sparks and start a very big fire for freedom and turn this country around."
Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead is founder and president of The Rutherford Institute. His new book The Change Manifesto (Sourcebooks) is now available in bookstores and online. He can be contacted at johnw@rutherford.org. Information about The Rutherford Institute is available at www.rutherford.org
John W. Whitehead´s weekly commentaries are available for publication to newspapers and web publications at no charge. Please contact marketing@rutherford.org to obtain reprint permission.
Post Office Box 7482
Charlottesville, VA
22906-7482
Phone: 434-978-3888
Fax: 434-978-1789
General Inquiries: staff@rutherford.org
Legal Assistance:
tristaff@rutherford.org
Technical Comments:
webmaster@rutherford.org
2008 The Rutherford Institute
Under the regulations of the United States Internal Revenue Service, The Rutherford Institute is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) tax exempt nonprofit organization. Donations to support The Rutherford Institute´s legal and educational work help to safeguard the constitutional rights and religious freedoms of all Americans. Donations are tax-deductible. In compliance with general industry standards of a nonprofit organization, the Institute is audited annually by an independent accounting firm.
Founded in 1982 by constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead, The Rutherford Institute is a civil liberties organization that provides free legal services to people whose constitutional and human rights have been threatened or violated.
Disclaimer: Posting articles does not necessarily endorse or agree with every opinion expressed in every article. All articles that are posted are aimed at getting people to think & consider the various issues, ideas & factual research presented.
Reprinted by permission
Presented by Bill Haymin, 2008
www.rutherford.org
After reading John W. Whitehead´s new book, The Change Manifesto: Join the Block by Block Movement to Remake America (Sourcebooks, 2008), Nat Hentoff was moved to remark that "John Whitehead is the Tom Paine of our time." Indeed, in his 30-plus years as a constitutional attorney and author, Whitehead has gained a reputation for being a legal, political and cultural watchdog—sounding the call for integrity, accountability and an adherence to the democratic principles on which this country was founded. Like Paul Revere, Whitehead is sounding the alarm that Americans need to take action. Whitehead sat down with OldSpeak to talk about his new book and what it means to join the block by block to remake America. The following are highlights from the interview.
To access the full interview, visit www.rutherford.org.
NM: What is The Change Manifesto about?
JW: This book is about what it means to be vigilant in safeguarding our freedoms for present and future generations. The American people are in grave danger of losing their basic freedoms. The simple fact is that the Constitution—and in particular the Bill of Rights—is being undermined on virtually every front. The Bill of Rights is the only bulwark between the American citizen and an authoritarian government.
Many intuitively have come to believe that something alarming is happening in both our government and society. Everything America was founded upon is in some way being challenged. The openness and freedom that were once the hallmarks of our society are being threatened. American citizens are continually watched. Political correctness has come to dominate the American psyche to the extent that people self-censor their own thoughts—in the workplace, in public areas and even in the home. Businesses, banks and schools have been harassed by government agents into handing over records of patrons, customers and students. American schools have become authoritarian in nature. Even our homes are no longer safe. In short, America has become a lockdown nation.
However, by educating readers about their rights and providing readers with practical steps they can take to fight back, this book gives readers the tools they need to safeguard freedom for present and future generations. Although I think things are in dire straits, I do think there´s hope—hope in the right places. And that´s what this book is ultimately about.
NM: Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, many Americans indicated that they were willing to give up any freedoms necessary to feel safe again. What will happen when the next crisis comes about? We are looking at a possible economic meltdown. What is to stop Americans from trading their freedoms for the semblance of financial security?
JW: Governments from the beginning of time have used fear to take control. A brief study of history will show you that. Fear is the basis of governmental control. In times of crisis, people will give over freedoms. They will even give over their money. Most of that stems from the fact that they don´t know their history. They don´t know their rights. They don´t know the history of their government. They don´t know the history of governments that do these kinds of things. Therefore, if anybody is to blame, it´s the American people because they are the foundation of the country. That is what the founders who drafted the Constitution emphasized. It´s the people who will keep their freedoms and it is the people who will lose their freedoms.
NM: How do people who refuse to be ruled by fear counteract the fear of the masses? How do you speak to something that is irrational?
JW: You are not going to counteract mass fear. The thing about mass fear is it subsides over time. You saw that with 9/11. Within a few years the people who said they would give over their freedoms for more security eventually changed their minds. Suddenly, people saw that the threat was exaggerated and they started to mistrust the government. The important thing is that those who are not given over to fear need to keep their heads down and keep working. The phrase I like best is "act locally, think nationally." That is where you can make your biggest change. Work in your own local communities and you can change things.
NM: In the chapter entitled "American Empire," you warn of the danger of governmental bankruptcy. At the time that you were writing The Change Manifesto did you foresee that the current economic meltdown would come as quickly as it has?
JW: An economic meltdown has been occurring for a long time. The economist David Walker was the head of the Government Accountability Office for the United States. He recently resigned, but he saw these problems coming and he warned that the country was going to go belly up. Other economists were saying that years ago. They were seeing the trouble signs before it actually happened. This became even more of a problem given the amount of money we´ve been spending on foreign wars. America spends a billion dollars a day on the Iraq war. Most Americans are now against the war, yet we are still spending a billion dollars a day on that war. And much of the money is going into the hands of private contractors connected to people high in the Bush administration. So it was easy to foresee the financial problem coming, especially with the war. The war was going to drain the country. Wars drain economies. Also, as America expands around the globe—with expensive military bases all over the world— this will continue to drain the country. The same thing happened to the Roman Empire.
NM: The latest bailout package to rescue the financial sector is reportedly filled with pork barrel spending including line items such as an exemption for a tax break for wooden arrows designed for use by children. There is also a seven-year cost recovery period for a motorsports racing track facility and a tax break for rum produced in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, just to name a few. What can people actually do about this clear abuse of taxpayer funds?
JW: At this point, it´s obvious that Congress is not getting the message. I don´t think most Congressmen really care. Most of our so-called representatives in Congress are insulated. They are completely out of touch with the average American. Most people don´t know that the average taxpayer is paying for the Congressman to get flowers every day. We pay for their haircuts, their limousine rides, airplane flights to foreign countries and their domestic travel. These are ludicrous expenses that should absolutely be cut. I have an entire section in the book, called "Rule by Thieves," on how corrupt Congress really is. It shows you how many Congressmen are under indictment or are under investigation for stealing money from the American taxpayer. That doesn´t include all the Congressmen that are routinely involved in earmarking and ludicrous pork barrel projects.
I keep emphasizing that average Americans can have their greatest impact by working in their local communities and trying to influence national politics that way. There are things you can do about these abuses. Get on the phone and call your representatives in Washington. Email them and write letters. That is the only way you are going to get them to act. If you work in your local communities, you can change things.
NM: Most people can´t agree on the least little thing right now. If Americans are polarized, how do you find a common denominator? What are we supposed to join together over?
JW: The common denominator for our country is—and has always been—the Constitution. That is the basis of America. That is where you have to start. That is why I wrote The Change Manifesto. You have to study the problem. You have to get educated on the history of your country and what your freedoms are. Most Americans don´t know their freedoms are being eroded. They don´t understand what is happening on Wall Street. They don´t even understand what is happening in their local communities because they don´t know their history and they don´t know their rights. Thus, my message to people is there is hope but you´re going to have to work at it. It is not going to come about if you´re shopping at the mall or talking on a cell phone. This is going to take time, and the hope is that we still have time to change things. We may not, but that doesn´t mean that it´s not worth it to fight to change the direction of the country.
NM: Where do you start? Is there any real hope for change?
JW: You have to start somewhere. Sitting at home and watching TV is not going to get it done. I commend anybody that gets out there with a picket sign. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Email your neighbors and urging them to action is another. There is hope, but you have to start somewhere. No battle is too small, and no action is minor. Forest fires usually start with a spark. What I am telling people is, "Let´s be sparks and start a very big fire for freedom and turn this country around."
Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead is founder and president of The Rutherford Institute. His new book The Change Manifesto (Sourcebooks) is now available in bookstores and online. He can be contacted at johnw@rutherford.org. Information about The Rutherford Institute is available at www.rutherford.org
John W. Whitehead´s weekly commentaries are available for publication to newspapers and web publications at no charge. Please contact marketing@rutherford.org to obtain reprint permission.
Post Office Box 7482
Charlottesville, VA
22906-7482
Phone: 434-978-3888
Fax: 434-978-1789
General Inquiries: staff@rutherford.org
Legal Assistance:
tristaff@rutherford.org
Technical Comments:
webmaster@rutherford.org
2008 The Rutherford Institute
Under the regulations of the United States Internal Revenue Service, The Rutherford Institute is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) tax exempt nonprofit organization. Donations to support The Rutherford Institute´s legal and educational work help to safeguard the constitutional rights and religious freedoms of all Americans. Donations are tax-deductible. In compliance with general industry standards of a nonprofit organization, the Institute is audited annually by an independent accounting firm.
Founded in 1982 by constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead, The Rutherford Institute is a civil liberties organization that provides free legal services to people whose constitutional and human rights have been threatened or violated.
Disclaimer: Posting articles does not necessarily endorse or agree with every opinion expressed in every article. All articles that are posted are aimed at getting people to think & consider the various issues, ideas & factual research presented.
Reprinted by permission
Presented by Bill Haymin, 2008
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