Explorer: Since his last article here, Steven Lawrence (RRabbit) has started DeFlock Fort Worth and become the lawyer for a Fort Worth man arrested for using the full version of “BS” to describe a plan to close polls in Tarrant County, Texas. More information about those developments after his reflections on finding certainty in uncertain times.
Standing up for American ideals this year—and sometimes just surviving day to day—spurs constant questioning of who to trust. How do we tell if a potential ally is safe to work with or not? Facing this dilemma forced me to confront it in real time, and to reflect on the broader implications the rest of the week.
After my local county government public comment Tuesday, a man who I knew only by his online screen name introduced himself. He’d come to Fort Worth to see me speak. I had to decide how to proceed with a bare minimum of information. I decided to ask him to have lunch and we talked for several hours. But, how do I know if he a friend or foe?
Reflecting afterwards, I’ve decided that there’s neither an immediate nor long-term answer. It’s not only unknowable in the moment, but it could change at any time—in either direction. Whether it’s online influencers, politicians, or people you meet during real-life advocacy, the unknowable far exceeds the knowable.
Guideposts I’ve found (or rediscovered)
1. Remember Anyone Can Become an Enemy—at any Time
In the pop culture hit The Matrix there are multiple scenes where an ordinary character morphs into an agent of the Matrix. In Common Sense Rebel terms, a Gear becomes the Rust. Even the best of people can become agents of citizen-on-citizen conflict that aid the extraction system instead of fighting it. Every human being can lose their bearings, and in times of uncertainty it’s more likely.
An ally reacting instead of acting from a core truth risks advancing the enemy’s agenda, and is—in that moment—more dangerous than a witting foe. That concept took me much longer to accept than most other things in the past year. I believe it’s because it is not a warning about bad people to avoid. It is a warning about the people I want to trust or admire most, and a warning about myself.
2. Keep Focused on The Light
“If the mind is to emerge unscathed from this relentless struggle with the unforeseen, two qualities are indispensable: first, an intellect that, even in the darkest hour, retains some glimmerings of the inner light which leads to truth; and second, the courage to follow this faint light wherever it may lead.”
Carl von Clausewitz, “On War” (circa 1830), Book One, Chapter 3, “On Military Genius,” in the Howard and Paret translation (Princeton University Press, 1976).
I have always loved this quote because of its simplicity yet seeming impossibility. Being able to see the faintest of lights during chaos moves beyond mere skill into discernment. Only difficult experiences and intentionally learning from judgment errors can develop that trait, but it can be developed.
Courage, on the other hand, seems like something you either have or your don’t. But is it really?
I’ve decided it’s something you can augment by preparation. If you see a storm approaching, many decisions can be made in advance. For example, what do you value and how much are you willing to sacrifice for it? If you resolve such questions in your mind and heart in advance, the moment won’t introduce doubt on top of your fears. There is a reason the acronym “F.U.D.” links Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt together. If you resolve the uncertainty and doubt in advance, you only have fear to conquer when the time comes.
3. Determine Your Price in Advance
“So think about it. This is a tough one. What is your price? Because if your price is not your life, then you are for sale. If your price is not your life, then you are for sale. So if you’re going to be a truth tell[er], your price has to be your life.”
— James O’Keefe, at Socrates in the City with Eric Metaxas.
If you are not willing to forfeit your earthly life in pursuit of the light that leads to the truth, you are at risk of selling your soul for the cheap price of temporary comfort and imaginary safety. However, once you’ve made that decision, future decisions become easy. Especially in this time of rapid change, I’ve settled on the following for myself:
Take the call, attend the one-on-one meeting, be vulnerable, risk your heart, risk your life. Anything less is voluntary slavery.
4. Truth Shall Set You Free
“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”
— John 8:31–32, English Standard Version.
The struggle for humanity’s freedom spans the length of human existence, but our personal freedom is a conscious choice. Follow the path to truth, be free, and love your neighbor as yourself. It’s the best any of us can do.
The past year or so has been incredibly dark for the country, but the personal journey has been liberating.
While working to liberate America, maintaining our own liberty is paramount.
Resistance Rabbit is the nom de praxis for lawyer and former political operative & legislative aide Steven Lawrence of Fort Worth, Texas. His citizen-led effort to align people against problems without polarization is CLEAR Rule of Law.
You can help keep his personal work going and him awake for late night writing through Buy Me A Coffee. Office supplies for his project, including caffeine, can be found on his project’s Amazon Wish List.
