At the Warren 4th of July parade, the 59th, which is, as we all know, is the bellwether of Vermont politics, I picked up a pamphlet from the Second Vermont Republic. The notion of succession has made more and more sense to me, as the US government becomes more and more imperialistic, drifts farther and farther from notions of radical democracy that undergird the declaration of independence and the constitution.
And, living where I do, about as close to the ghost of Ethan Allen as you can get, having the Republic of Vermont end it’s two hundred some odd year experimental alliance with the United States does not seem that far-fetched a notion, nor entirely improbable. After all, when Ethan was looking for some protective alliances for the fledgling Republic, a small chip of independence surrounded by hostile big boys, Washington (the person, not the town) was giving him the cold shoulder, he did think that perhaps the British might take us in. Washington acted first.
Yet, haven’t we all been in similar situations, perhaps with our eye on more than one fine lady, and lo, it is the one that acts soonest that becomes the wife? And, tell me this – do you really believe that each and every one of these matches made with perhaps more than a whiff of expediency lasts for the eternity pledged during the vows? But I digress …
Despite how normal the idea of a Second Vermont Republic seems to me, I have learned that what seems reasonable to me is often at odds with the majority view, and can be seen as radical – loony even – when viewed through the lens of Standard American Mainstream. So it was with interest that I looked over the Principals of the Second Vermont Republic. I expected to see things that would terrorize your average american – or at least cause a taciturn Vermonter to Hrumph a bit. After all we are talking about revolution here, folks. Succession. Last time it was over a hotly contested issue – slavery.
But instead I found a set of principals that are actually being circulated in some fairly mainstream circles today.
Sustainability, for example. That one is so common that it is starting to loose it’s meaning, much like “all natural” (yes, I am old enough to recall when “all natural” meant you were a free-love radical).
Human Scale – this is something we have been talking about in state for years. This is the fuss about the big box stores, the concern about sprawl, the McMansions.
Economic Solidarity – The labor movement is nothing new.
Neither is the principal of Equal Opportunity, something written into the constitution of both the Republic of Vermont and the United States several hundred years ago.
This gives me great hope. Because, this means that we can enlist those that might not be able to go all the way to seeing dissolution of our union with the other states as politically feasible, or even desirable, in our cause. While they might not be able to drink that last gulp of cool-aid, there are plenty of people in this state who are willing to work for things like Equal Opportunity, Sustainability, and Economic Stability. Given the current views on the war, working for Tension Reduction is something a lot of folks seem willing to get behind.
Let’s be sure, then, that we not let the Separatist portion of our rhetoric alienate us from these folks. Maybe even dispense with it altogether in certain venues, certain discussions. We do not want to loose common bonds with those that are working on the very things that our cause supports, just because they do not want to do it under the flag of the Green Mountain Boys.
Oh, and the float. A car with a banner. Kind of Lame. I know SVR might be a low budget affair, and I know that despite the heroic write up Ethan and his boys were not exactly high tone, but … we really ought to be able to do better than that. Perhaps, next year, the SVR might want to see if the statue of Ethan Allen over at the Museum can get the fourth off to attend a parade.
