Civil war ahead?

Suppose automobile manufacturers conspired with the federal government to produce shoddy death traps, but were shielded from prosecution by the federal government, which shared in the financial reward via tax revenues and party donations. Suppose further that this was discovered only after thousands had been maimed and killed.

Would violent mobs have coalesced across the country, protesting against the evils of driving?

Let us say that a consortium of major clothing manufacturers conspired to market cut-rate brand knockoffs that were clandestinely produced in child slave labor camps in another country. Further, that top officials in the federal government not only knew about this scheme, but had aided in its creation, knowing that they would subsequently enjoy billions in kickbacks out of that industry.

Would groups be camping out in public places for weeks at a time, condemning the custom of wearing clothing and demanding that society dispense with the practice?

This is precisely analogous to what we are witnessing with respect to the Occupy movement in America. A couple of qualifiers: First, it's obvious that some of the complaints enumerated by the Occupiers are valid. Certain corporations have indeed contributed to our economic malaise, and Americans across the political spectrum agree that younger generations have been consigned to economic hostage status due to the self-serving collusion of those corporations, banks and government.

Second, we're taking as given that the Occupy phenomenon has been orchestrated by high-placed radicals with an agenda, as opposed to being a grass-roots movement. This is undeniable, and the chief reason for the convoluted logic to which the Occupiers ascribe.

Thus, the true believers among the Occupiers (or "useful idiots," if you prefer), in addition to having been indoctrinated into our culture of entitlement and ignorance, are intent upon throwing out the baby with the bath water. Their complaint ought not be with capitalism and wealth, but with shortsighted, corrupt and avaricious leaders of industry, banking and government – who do not by any means represent all leaders of industry, banking and government, of course.

Yes, this is a no-brainer, but no one has ever accused leftist dogmatists of being particularly cogent.

I do pity the younger Occupiers to a degree. Since they were never taught that communism is in fact is a colossal con job, many of them have fallen for the same line '60s radicals spouted: That capitalism has "run its course," and collectivism is the next logical step in societal evolution. The reason I say I pity them is because although their passion is justified, it isn't going to stop law enforcement and concerned citizens from moving decisively to check the "revolution" when their communist overlords raise the stakes. Typically, people such as these are set up to be front-line cannon fodder. In the region in which I live, I suspect they will fall like dry grass in a prairie fire.

In my view, it is to our advantage as well as our responsibility to elucidate for those not too far gone in their ideology or delusion that capitalism and wealth are not the culprits. Immorality is the real culprit, manifesting in greed, deceit, vanity and a host of others. This is what has facilitated those in the banking and various other industries being willing to get into bed with socialists in government – like the errant manufacturers in my hypothetical scenarios. Then there are those socialists themselves, who are also in it for reasons of ideology and power, like President Obama.

Although we all have neighbors who would prefer to keep their heads down and their eyes closed until the ax falls, others can be reminded that while the left reviles greedy banks and corporations, their narrative conveniently overlooks the fact that they are in bed with said banks and corporations, and their beloved union chums are among the greediest of all, soaking their membership whilst routinely sabotaging the small-business community, which provides more jobs than unions, since unions provide none.

One cannot have a communist revolution until one has a populace that is adequately disenfranchised and miserable, or ignorance and delusion are sufficiently inculcated into their worldview. While American Marxists were on their way to achieving the former, the latter occurred. While the percentage of folks who honestly want a Van Jones solution to America's orchestrated woes is miniscule, the power players in this drama aren't concerned with liberty or what Americans want. They wager that between the Occupiers, ACORN, the hydra-like George Soros contingent, Democratic lawmakers and their man in the White House, they'll be able to force it through.

In such a scenario, things will get ugly on an unprecedented scale, because the Americans who are willing to fight for their liberty – rather than quietly surrender it – vastly outnumber those who are willing to fight to take it.

The sobering aspect lies in the operative word, here: Fight. We're essentially looking at a civil war against a hijacked government and any who will continue to view it as legitimate. Given the decades of preparation that have gone into this, the radicals won't back down – particularly under this administration – even if they have no chance of winning.

All of which will be most unfortunate for those Americans who have no idea that any of this coming.