November 5, 2009 marks the 404th anniversary of the Gunpowder Treason, in which 13 men attempted to bring an end to the tyranny of King James by leveling Parliament, killing the king and his many supporters. The now-infamous Guy Fawkes was captured, tortured and put to death for his involvement, yet his legacy lives on in the annual marking of Guy Fawkes Night – a celebration dedicated to rejoicing in the failure of the conspiracy to bring down what many at the time perceived to be the villany of the ruling body. The holiday, and its many poems and songs, glorifies the triumph of government and order over radical idealists who strike out in desperate and revolutionary ways.
This is not why I remember the fifth of November.
I believe in the interpretation of this rhyme popularized by Alan Moore in V for Vendetta. Even one man, standing against tyranny and charged with the power of his right convictions, can change the world. The bleak, Orwellian future that Moore imagines will come trembles in fear and its confidence is destroyed by a single person brave enough to say “no”.
From the film version of V for Vendetta:
“I do, like many of you, appreciate the comforts of every day routine- the security of the familiar, the tranquility of repetition. I enjoy them as much as any bloke. But in the spirit of commemoration, thereby those important events of the past usually associated with someone’s death or the end of some awful bloody struggle, a celebration of a nice holiday, I thought we could mark this November the 5th, a day that is sadly no longer remembered, by taking some time out of our daily lives to sit down and have a little chat. There are of course those who do not want us to speak. I suspect even now, orders are being shouted into telephones, and men with guns will soon be on their way. Why? Because while the truncheon may be used in lieu of conversation, words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning, and for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth. And the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this country, isn’t there? Cruelty and injustice, intolerance and oppression. And where once you had the freedom to object, to think and speak as you saw fit, you now have censors and systems of surveillance coercing your conformity and soliciting your submission. How did this happen? Who’s to blame? Well certainly there are those more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable, but again truth be told, if you’re looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror. I know why you did it. I know you were afraid. Who wouldn’t be? War, terror, disease. There were a myriad of problems which conspired to corrupt your reason and rob you of your common sense. Fear got the best of you, and in your panic you turned to the now high chancellor, Adam Sutler. He promised you order, he promised you peace, and all he demanded in return was your silent, obedient consent. Last night I sought to end that silence. Last night I destroyed the Old Bailey, to remind this country of what it has forgotten. More than four hundred years ago a great citizen wished to embed the fifth of November forever in our memory. His hope was to remind the world that fairness, justice, and freedom are more than words, they are perspectives. So if you’ve seen nothing, if the crimes of this government remain unknown to you then I would suggest you allow the fifth of November to pass unmarked. But if you see what I see, if you feel as I feel, and if you would seek as I seek, then I ask you to stand beside me one year from tonight, outside the gates of Parliament, and together we shall give them a fifth of November that shall never, ever be forgot.”
Do I advocate terrorism on behalf of a disgruntled populace who feels their largest complaint is that they have no health insurance? No. Do I encourage violence as a means to an end? No. Do I believe in bringing down fascist systems intended to crush our rights, spirits, our intellect? You bet. As our general population grows more and more complacent in their day-to-day doldrums, the number of revolutionaries shrinks and intensifies. Those who see the flaws in the machine as more than just casual irritations grow restless. Those who understand what we are sacrificing to maintain our lifestyles and our ignorance. And on this day, they’re reminded of the power one man can have. If only all men, all women, all people who are angry at a social structure that silences us at the same time it encourages us to vomit our most inane thoughts would stand up and say “no” together, the world would be a much different place.
People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.
Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici -By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.
Edited: November 5th, 2009
I’m not the best at expressing my thoughts on topics that are emotional or important to me, particularly in writing. I instinctively feel that any words and formations that I come up with aren’t precisely what I feel. So for me to fall short on Veteran’s Day isn’t surprising, and it’s monumentally frustrating. But what I will do is to simply thank everyone who has fought and who continues to fight for freedom in the world. They’ve sacrificed so much to make sure I sleep at night untroubled, and so I don’t have to make those sacrifices myself.
