Thread by @iangarrickmason

I read King's letter for the first time a couple of nights ago, thanks to this recommendation. As is well known, King writes, in part, on the question of civil disobedience and the moral duty to violate unjust laws—and to accept the legal consequences of violating them. /1

https://twitter.com/NBFreeProject/status/1423449355571404801

I believe many of us will face this question in the very near future, and here's why. Although we've lived for decades in a mostly liberal, rights-respecting society, this is changing swiftly. /2

For the moment, our familiar laws and rights mostly remain in force, and much of our opposition is focused on *policies and actions* carried out by governments and corporations. We often refer back to these laws and to our rights when making our case. /3

But soon, the legal framework itself will be seen to have altered: words may remain but will have new definitions, judgments will change the way laws are interpreted, and new laws will come onto the books, passed by legislatures with illiberal values. /4

A near-term example of this is formal FDA approval for the vaccines. For months, we have relied on the fact that only "emergency authorization" allowed their use, and that meant that we were on solid legal ground to refer to them as "experimental". /5

This fall, the Biden admin (obv I'm using the US as an example here) will likely strong-arm the FDA into a full approval. At that point, the power structures of society will turn to the unvaccinated and say "These are approved treatments. On what grounds do you object?" /6

Similarly, in France, the vax passes have arrived through an ordered process of executive-legislative-judicial procedure. The tyranny has arrived in proper packaging, correctly labelled, with a bow on it. /7

In this new framework, we supporters of human freedom and rights will no longer be able to say to governments "You are violating the law!", because the law will have caught up. Everything will be in order. /8

And we will have to look into our hearts and ask ourselves whether we should follow in Dr. King's footsteps—and whether we have the courage to do so. Everything from that decision onward will be different.