Charleston, SC- I have been involved with Occupy Charleston as an attorney. I cannot and do not speak for the organization as a whole. Many of my opinions are decidedly unpopular with elements of that organization's membership. Today there was a demonstration at a Michelle Bachmann campaign event on the Aircraft Carrier Yorktown. I did not participate in the demonstration. It interrupted her prepared campaign speech. A statement was read via the "people's mic." After a yelling match in which members of occupy Charleston, acting without formal sanction of that association's GA, outmatched local conservatives, Bachmann left the stage with the police. After the demonstrators were finished, they left. There was no violence. There were no arrests. I did not participate in the planning of this demonstration. My approval of it was neither offered nor requested.
Here is what I think of it. This is not going to be popular but silence is not an adequate response. I am made deeply sad and find myself without an answer to the important question of this day. Perhaps we all need to think more and yell less while there is still time to talk. Please read on and comment.
As an American Citizen and Attorney who has devoted my life to the belief that reasoned debate, grounded in facts and ideas, protected by tolerance and the principles of the First Amendment, I find the events of today in Charleston very distressing.
I have no respect for Michelle Bachmann. I recognize her as a cheap, purchased shill for hatred and prejudice, dishonest and Unchristian at the core. She soils holy scripture and the Constitution both. She stirs up the worse elements in American public life and poisons the sane discourse necessary to redeem our tottering nation. Two years ago she cheered as the Tea Party stormed once quiet town halls and silenced their liberal and moderate opposition with yelling. They screamed about “Death Panels” and “Obamacare” in a nation where millions of families are destroyed by medical costs they can’t pay and where even full time work and insurance are no protection against bankruptcy and death.
In Charleston, on July 9, 2009, I found myself and a dozen health care reform activists surrounded by a yelling mob ginned up by WTMA was dispatched to turn a civil demonstration into sonic and psychic warfare. Earlier this year a Congresswoman, a judge and an innocent girl, among others, were shot by a confused student contaminated with this sort of hatred. Several people died. The once pleasant act of a community political meeting with coffee and doughnuts was transformed into a killing ground.
Today Bachmann’s sins appeared to come home to haunt her. She smugly returned to the stage to talk about free speech. What seems, on first review, like her well deserved punishment is actually her triumph. In being shouted down, she achieves what she wants, a nation where reason and science which cannot be heard in a yelling competition will not be listened to. The rich and powerful men who have made her may calmly plan our destruction beyond the reach of our shouting.
The bright hope of better days, which grows ever more elusive in America, remains only a few modest changes in our heads away. This nation is fertile enough, large enough and strong enough, even now to water all our dreams with generous blessing. Our children can yet be happy, safe and free. We have only to consider the problem, to find the world as it is and to make it so. Only we stop us.
I am grateful that no one was hurt today. I am happy that no one was arrested. The statement read to Ms. Bachmann is full of challenging truth. I doubt it would be heard being read calmly on a street corner in Ms. Bachmann’s post tea party America. It would be unnoticed on a quiet letter to the Editor page or on a blog. I would have read worse to her, and louder, if I were certain that was the surest way to our collective national redemption. I would have poured out rage enough to fill that room if it would have raised a single green leaf of hope from the scorched earth of the American political landscape in troubled times.
I am 52. It has been 35 years since my first public acts as a citizen during the Bicentennial. I have watch leadership in our nation decline from Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter to John Edwards and Herman Cain. I was President of the 175 year old Clariosophic Literary Society, a debating society at the University of South Carolina, now defunct, Founder of the now defunct Athenian Literary and Debating Society, Moderator of the Gage Hall Debates in Charleston and have written two million published words on life, society and community in the Post and Courier, Moultrie News and several other publications. In October I coordinated 11 hours of thoughtful teach ins for the Charleston Occupation with Democrats, Libertarians and Members of the Green Party present, among many others. I have believed and acted as if reasoned words, calmly presented had the power to move the minds and shape the actions of men and women.
It is clear that my methods and philosophy are ineffective. 25 years of failure in South Carolina conclusively demonstrates that. Our nations slips closer to disaster every day. I cannot say, with certainty that my friends were wrong today. In my heart I do not believe they were right. They will have to live with the consequences of these times far longer than I will. It is not my right to silence them. I do not have an answer which both suits my philosophy and shows the real prospect of saving my nation and state.
I am the father of a 19 year old son, summoned into existence with my wife in our unified act of love and will. It is my duty to deliver to him as Father and Citizen the best world I can.
I’m not certain how to do that in America now. I am not certain of what I should do next. I will not yell to silence my opposition. I will not listen to their yelling either. I will not yell myself. In such places the truth is not heard.
The men who have the power to restart the wheels of deliberation in our temples of government should consider lowering their voices and increasing their efforts before eruptions like this one drown them out as well. No amount of corporate money can insulate them from the Consequences of their continued neglect of calm debate, reasoned ideas and carefully found fact.
The continued failure of our Congress and State Governments (SC Governor Nikki Haley is out of state raising more money for her 2014 reelection campaign) will fill our nation with rage. If it continues long enough they will find no help anywhere when they need it. There will be no need to call myself and my aging liberal allies to help play fireman when the nation is in flames. The corporate jets of our leader's friends, in which they might hope to make their escape will have nowhere to land.
William J. Hamilton, III
Attorney at Law, SC Bar # 2632
P.O. Box 549
Tel: (843) 577-5231, Cell (843) 870-5299
Fax 843) 278-9164
www.wjhamilton.com