Gordon Ryan - State of Rebellion

“Yeah, I read their minutes. They’re a bit premature. . I hope.”

Jim’s eyes narrowed, and his facial expression became sinister. “Politicians, Daniel, my boy. Politicians. They will be dead set for-or against-as soon as the polls are in. Situational Ethics 101. Didn’t they learn you nothin’ at Stanford?”

“Cynical, Mr. Thompson. Very cynical,” Rawlings said. “Well, let’s get over to Rotary in time to get a good seat where we can hear from the leader of ‘Turner’s Rebellion.’ That’s what they’re calling this in the press, in case you Wyoming boys can’t read. I’m beginning to feel like a colonist heading for a Thomas Paine lecture.”

Woodland, California

The Woodland Rotary Club meeting was packed, the number in attendance bolstered by the many guests brought by members to hear Senator Turner. Ever since the state superior court had overturned the election results, preventing the governor from proceeding with the secession, Turner had stumped his way through California, voicing his support for an appeal to the California Supreme Court. While publicly decrying the murder of two of the three superior court judges who had issued the ruling, Turner nevertheless made certain his audiences knew that he thought the justices had been wrong. The California Supreme Court would rectify that, he always added.

Having been previously alerted by the senator’s staff, reporters from the Sacramento Bee, Woodland Democrat, and Davis Enterprise newspapers, as well as a film crew from the Sacramento CBS Television affiliate, Channel 13, were on hand to report on Senator Turner’s comments. His original call for secession had shocked even his staunchest supporters, and press pundits had initially dismissed it as a trial balloon in response to his younger, more energetic opponent. But now, having retained his senatorial seat in the November, 2010 elections, and with two successful statewide votes for secession behind him, that had all changed-dramatically.

Every speech given by the senator over the past month had been covered by the local and national press-as seen to by the senator’s public relations staff. Even two foreign journalists had taken to following the senator in an attempt to ascertain the basic reasons behind his call for secession-something Senator Turner had never even alluded to in his previous twenty-four years in office, including his three terms in the House of Representatives. His most recent campaign, however, as radical a departure as it had been, had been viewed as just that-a campaign. “Full of bluster and bravado,” as someone had said. Yet, now he had been elected for another six years and was still calling for the formation of an independent Republic of California and publicly castigating the courts that had declared its establishment unconstitutional.

Most longtime political analysts were surprised that the movement had gained this much momentum. But the Sunday morning national news talk shows were treating it as a bona fide issue, though there remained a great division of opinion on the topic among politicians and pundits. Evidence of the strength of the notion that a state might legitimately secede from the Union was found in the number of other western states that were debating the issue, some state officials calling for a referendum in their own upcoming elections, just as John Henry Franklin had told Turner to expect. And the Mexican government’s support of the idea, giving it an international flair, added fuel to the fire.

The room was abuzz with conversation. Dan Rawlings nodded to several members of the county board of supervisors as he entered and shook hands with Woodland’s mayor, who was accompanied by the city manager.

“Looks like big times in the old town today, eh, Mayor?” Dan said.

“Maybe bigger than we wanted. Is the board going to come out in favor?”

“It’s too early to tell, but like the council, the supervisors need to sort out the impact on Yolo County. What seemed a farfetched idea has turned into the most serious question our locally elected officials have ever faced.”

Addressing City Manager Roger Dahlgren, Dan asked, “Roger, how do you see it? Flash in the pan, posturing-or what?”

Dahlgren frowned. “Dan, I’m surprised you don’t realize how serious this is. The Senator is the spokesman for a majority percentage of Californians. We’re fed up with it. We’ve already told Washington, in two statewide elections, that they can go bark up a tree, for all we care. We don’t need ’em, and for certain we won’t put up with their oppressive regulations, federal mandates, and bureaucratic ineptitude anymore.”

As soon as Dahlgren began his harangue, the mayor quietly slipped away and began speaking with another group of guests.

“Rog, you’re far too uptight about all of this. It’s politics,” Dan cautioned.

Dahlgren shook his head. “Look, the senator brought this important issue into focus. If Governor Dewhirst or the courts don’t recognize our rights in this matter, and I mean soon, you’re going to see this thing mushroom beyond belief. A new republic is the answer, and the people will be heard, either in the ballot box or from the bullet box-whatever it takes. I believe it was Thomas Jefferson who said ‘If a man hasn’t found something for which he is willing to die, then he’s not fit to live.’”

“Uh, actually, that was Martin Luther King, Jr.,” Dan said, straight-faced.

Dahlgren screwed up his face and gave Dan a disgusted look. Dan exchanged quick glances with Jim Thompson, who smiled just slightly, raising his eyebrow in question.

“You’re kidding, right?” Dan asked, looking back at the city manager. “You’d go to war over this family squabble?”

“ Squabble? Was Fort Sumter a squabble ? Did the South see it as a family feud? Jefferson or King, it doesn’t matter who said it. There are things worth fighting for-in fact, worth dying for.” Dahlgren shook his head even more vigorously.

Dan couldn’t believe it. Secede from the Union? Just send in your postal change of address notice and move on? And to equate this with the Civil War. What is he thinking? Irritated and struggling to keep his cool, Dan leaned into Roger, his body language somewhat threatening.

“And worth killing for?” he asked.

“Unlike some of the more patriotic members of your family, I don’t think you appreciate the gravity of the situation. When it all shakes out, you don’t want to be left. . hanging around. Considering how long your family’s been in this valley, I thought certain you’d be a patriotic Californian.”

Dan bristled at the obvious reference to the recent hanging, to say nothing of the inference that his views on secession impugned his patriotism, but he stifled the sharp response that instantly came to mind. “Well, Rog, it’s-”

The room was gaveled to order as the chairman called all to seats. Roger Dahlgren walked over toward a group of younger men standing in the corner. Following a prayer, lunch commenced.

Buttering a roll, Dan shook his head, leaning toward his deputy, his voice muted. “Jim, what was that all about?”

“Rumor is, Dahlgren’s now a captain in the Shasta Brigade. Those paramilitary boys find this secession mania right up their alley.”

“Well, if his council members don’t support the movement, he’ll find himself working on his resume,” Dan said. “And what did you make of his ‘hanging’ comment?”

“I’d take it as a warning. A very real warning.”

Dan thought for a moment about what Sheriff Sanchez had said earlier in his office. “You could be right, but, man, I hope not, and not-for just my own sake.”