Way back when

As I was having a discussion with a friend yesterday about the narcissists' kleptocracy ruling the Divided Kingdom, the question came up about whether it was ever OK to break the law in order to get things done. It's a good question.

At the time, I said "no" - forgetting I had had several examples in my own life of when it was perfectly fine so to do. And then, a couple of hours later, I was scrolling through my Twitter feed when I came upon this photo. It is of a demonstration by Liverpool councillors and trades union in the 1980s, when they were protesting the capping of funds to councils. The woman on the right holding the banner is my stepmother. 
And this is, of course, when it hit me like a slap in the face. Of course it is alright to break the law. 

I realize this might not be a popular opinion (but then again, it's not like I care that much), but when the law is blatantly and obviously wrong, when the law is causing harm and untold misery to many, it is not only right to break the law, it is your civic duty. In this case - and there is a hell of a lot to tell here, which I am not going to do now - it was an ideologically corrupt PM imposing her views on a democratically elected council, taking away the funding they were entitled to to run the city, and eventually disbarring them from office. Today, it is a morally bankrupt kleptocracy feathering its nest to keep the poor poor and the rest impotent. 

Then I started to think about Uvalde and how the law is manipulated to enable Americans to keep going into schools and murder children. Five years ago, I felt that Brexit would be the end of the UK: I am sure it will be. Now I also think the dead constitution that governs the US will be the cause of its implosion. 

When the law and those who interpret it cease to serve the people, one of two things has to happen. Either the law is changed peacefully and with popular consent or it is changed violently and those who were responsible for it are removed. 

Unfortunately. I just cannot see it happening peacefully.