How soon we forget:

To all persons, citizens of Sonoma, requesting them to remain at peace, and to follow their rightful occupations without fear of molestation.

The Commander in Chief of the Troops assembled at the Fortress of Sonoma gives his inviolable pledge to all persons in California not found under arms that they shall not be disturbed in their persons, their property or social relations one to another by men under his command.

He also solemnly declares his object to be First, to defend himself and companions in arms who were invited to this country by a promise of Lands on which to settle themselves and families who were also promised a “republican government,” who, when having arrived in California were denied even the privilege of buying or renting Lands of their friends, who instead of being allowed to participate in or being protected by a “Republican Government” were oppressed by a “Military Despotism,” who were even threatened, by “Proclamation” from the Chief Officer of the aforesaid Despotism, with extermination if they would not depart our of the Country, leaving all of their property, their arms and beasts of burden, and thus deprived of the means of flight or defense. We were to be driven through deserts, inhabited by hostile Indians to certain destruction. To overthrow a Government which has seized upon the property of the Missions for its individual aggrandizement; which has ruined and shamefully oppressed the laboring people of California, by their enormous exactions on goods imported into this country; is the determined purpose of the brave men who are associated under his command.

He also solemnly declares his object in the Second place to be to invite all peaceable and good Citizens of California who are friendly to the maintenance of good order and equal rights (and I do hereby invite them to repair to my camp at Sonoma without delay) to assist us in establishing and perpetuating a “Republican Government” which shall secure to all: civil and religious liberty; which shall detect and punish crime; which shall encourage industry, virtue and literature; which shall leave unshackled by Fetters, Commerce, Agriculture, and Mechanism.

He further declares that he relies upon the rectitude of our intentions; the favor of Heaven and the bravery of those who are bound to and associated with him, by the principle of self preservation; by the love of truth; and by the hatred of tyranny for his hopes of success.

He further declares that he believes that a Government to be prosperous and happyfying in its tendency must originate with its people who are friendly to its existence. That its Citizens are its Guardians, its officers are its Servants, and its Glory their reward.

– William B. Ide, Head Quarters Sonoma, June 15, 1846

I’ve had this old song by Fastball clanging inside my head for a few weeks, because I had heard it for the first time in a good long while on blip.fm

And now it occurs to me that perhaps it might be an appropriate theme song for my home state of California, following the results of the May 19th Special Election.

Media folks everywhere are calling it a TAX REVOLT.

Er, sorry, a Tax Revolt took place when Prop 13 passed back in the 7os.

This was simply people fed up with Legislators and the Governor subjugating their sworn obligation to run the state, and asking us to bless their crackpot ideas of increasing taxes in a recession. The Spending limits so breathlessly praised in 1A were weak at best, and easily sidestepped at the whim of the Legislators who would just declare an ‘emergency’ and spend what they wanted to spend anyway. It’s what they always do.

So, while not a tax revolt, the voters have asked that this crisis be fixed without increasing taxes.

A reckoning is at hand.

So here’s the song Are You Ready For The Fallout:

I was wondering how you’re feeling
I thought I saw you kneeling
And holding your gut last night
It looked like you were praying
But I heard someone saying
You had been in an awful fight
You get the worst of it everytime
Lashing out with no reason or rhyme
To lose all this rage, at so tender an age
Little baby growing up in a rat cage

Are you ready for the fallout?
Who you gonna call out?
When does it finally come to blows?
I think that you’re forgetting
The blood that you’ll be letting
Has a price on it, no one knows
You may be suffering in your sleep
You may be getting in way too deep
And you may not care for advice that I share
If you want it then I’ll be there

Soon you will learn how to swallow a tear
So when you’re old you can cry in your beer
Do you spit at the face staring back in the mirror?
Do you have any self respect?
Are you ready for the fallout?
Who you gonna call out?
When does it finally come to blows?
I think that you’re forgetting
The blood that you’ll be letting
Has a price on it, no one knows
You may be suffering in your sleep
You may be getting in way too deep
And you may not care for advice that I share
If you want it then I’ll be there

Soon you will learn how to swallow a tear
So when you’re old you can cry in your beer
Do you spit at the face staring back in the mirror?
Do you have any self respect?
Well what the hell did you expect?

Are you ready for the fallout?
Who you gonna call out?
When does it finally come to blows?
I think that you’re forgetting
The blood that you’ll be letting
Has a price on it, no one knows
You may be suffering in your sleep
You may be getting in way too deep
And you may not care for advice that I share
If you want it then I’ll be there

Are you ready for the fallout?
Who you gonna call out?