Mike: great question on the "Who makes it illegal"

The regime does. This goes to the "Hope" component of my Good Governance definition. By denying the populace legal, certain, and trusted means to affect change, the government leaves a populace faced with poor governance, with Conditions of Insurgency, no choice but to endure or to act out illegally.

Therefore, what is "insurgency" in a state with no freedom of the press or right to assemble, or freedom of speech, is just a bunch of Tea Partyers out exercising their rights in America.

This goes to why I am so impressed with what a great COIN document our constitution is. It is preventing insurgency every day, and we don't even notice. If we did not have this document, we would have military checkpoints, etc all over the place like they do in Afghanistan, and we would definitely notice.

Good Governance is Good COIN.