So, probably the most valuable thing anyone can own in America, is probably the least tangible, and the most neglected: the franchise.
The vast majority of people in America have had their votes stolen, and there's currently little hope that future elections in these states will be fair. But only some of the people believe this has happened, and only some of those people are angry. Beyond that: so what, what are we going to do about it?
So, think about what may be the least valuable thing anyone can own in America. It's probably quite tangible, or at least more cherished, more seemingly-real, if still intangible. Something that, were it to be stolen from you, you would be in despair, and probably highly motivated to vengeance. If it were to be stolen from thousands or even millions of people at once, there would be a breakdown of civil order.
What is this thing? It will seem crazy to think that the powers-that-be could ever threaten it, much less take it, if taking/stealing it is even conceivable. I expect that whatever this thing is, it's already being stolen from many people - and those people know it - and those people are mad. They've been trying to steal it in various ways, with varying degrees of success, and they'll soon be crazy enough to try to steal it from everyone.
Stealing the most valuable (though intangible) thing we have barely caused a blip, politically. Stealing this least-valuable thing will be the start of the storm. As you point out, OP: if you can steal the vote, you can indeed steal anything.
Be prepared to do without this thing, for some time. It will be taken from you. You will be hard pressed to fight it, though we'll all be suffering the same theft. We will feel hopeless. We will want vengeance, though we must refrain from violence/theft at all costs, and this will seem hardest of all.
So, probably the most valuable thing anyone can own in America, is probably the least tangible, and the most neglected: the franchise.
The vast majority of people in America have had their votes stolen, and there's currently little hope that future elections in these states will be fair. But only some of the people believe this has happened, and only some of those people are angry. Beyond that: so what, what are we going to do about it?
So, think about what may be the least valuable thing anyone can own in America. It's probably quite tangible, or at least more cherished, more seemingly-real, if still intangible. Something that, were it to be stolen from you, you would be in despair, and probably highly motivated to vengeance. If it were to be stolen from thousands or even millions of people at once, there would be a breakdown of civil order.
What is this thing? It will seem crazy to think that the powers-that-be could ever threaten it, much less take it, if taking/stealing it is even conceivable. I expect that whatever this thing is, it's already being stolen from many people - and those people know it - and those people are mad. They've been trying to steal it in various ways, with varying degrees of success, and they'll soon be crazy enough to try to steal it from everyone.
Stealing the most valuable (though intangible) thing we have barely caused a blip, politically. Stealing this least-valuable thing will be the start of the storm. As you point out, OP: if you can steal the vote, you can indeed steal anything.
Be prepared to do without this thing, for some time. It will be taken from you. You will be hard pressed to fight it, though we'll all be suffering the same theft. We will feel hopeless. We will want vengeance, though we must refrain from violence/theft at all costs, and this will seem hardest of all.