Posted on 03/12/2009 8:50:58 PM PDT by Gordon Greene
"Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace — but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" Patrick Henry / March 23, 1775
The tendency of a writer is to write to please himself… and I believe I've been caught in that self-serving downward spiral for some time now.
When the election was over and Barack Hussein Obama stood victorious as President of the United States with Joe Biden at his side, I stopped writing political commentary. Tonight, as I write these words I realize how selfish my earlier pieces actually were. I fooled myself into believing I was writing for some greater purpose. I thought that my words would make a difference just because I desired it to be so. But the day I chose not to pen my thoughts because things did not go my way was the day I proved just how selfish my motives were.
Tonight that changes… Let's take a moment and reflect on the state we're in… right now. Today. I must begin by looking back.
In a nation that was truly built in some part on the backs of the unwilling African slaves, it is undeniable that we have made tremendous strides. Going against the Constitutions' foundational principle that "All men are created equal", some of the country's brightest and best allowed the citizenry to actually purchase and use other human beings to feed their own self-indulgence. The idea of owning another human being for greed or power or any other reason is repulsive beyond what most of us today could imagine. Yet, it happened.
Despite our sins as a fledgling nation, God chose to bless this country as we sought to emulate Judeo-Christian ideals, not because we were perfect in them. The metamorphosis of our nation brought us through seasons of incredible bounty as well as many dark times… together. We were called "The Melting Pot" because we came from many varying tongues and cultures and "Melted" into a unified ideal of freedom and liberty under one true God. This incredible journey was known to the Founders as "The Grand Experiment". They had no guarantees and many doubts it would even work, but they believed the very notion of liberty was worth fighting and dying for.
We've had a couple hundred good years of growth and many years of unparalleled strength since our founding, but if we continue on the course we're travelling we could find ourselves nose to nose with destruction. Division and strife are strange critters. They either destroy a people or make them strong. Division is good only insomuch that we are travelling a common path. When we are divided for divisions' sake, we walk on dangerous territory.
That brings me to today. For the first time in America's short history, we have someone that will be installed into the highest position of our government that is of both Caucasian and African ancestry. This is both an Historic thing and a fine example of the unbelievable progress we have made. However, I cannot and will not ignore the blatant fact that the polarization of America is what brought this most recent turn of events to bear. Not only were we divided along racial lines, we were divided by a media that was not willing perform its due diligence and educate America concerning the character and associations that define our soon to be potentate. It was near impossible to purchase truth in either print or electronic media. Anyone who disagreed with these elitists predetermined proclamation that Obama would be King was shamed as a bigoted racist. So, many stayed home and did not cast their vote for fear they would be excoriated by their peers. Because of that and other factors leading to the election of Obama, I believe we are about to reap the whirlwind.
In Luke 11:17 God's word states that "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined and a house divided against itself will fall", yet we have allowed ourselves to be divided to the marrow by politicians with an avarice for power. And, best I can tell we've put up all the resistance of a drunken prom date.
I would encourage anyone reading this to take your civic responsibilities to heart. We were not founded as a nation by a bunch of wimpy characters who knew neither their God nor their gender; we were founded as a nation by men and women with the strength to persevere. Men and women who possessed a thirst for freedom that meant more to them than their next breath. These were a people who understood what both pain and pleasure were. These were a people who were rugged individualists capable of standing on their own two feet. They had hearts for others as well as the coming generations. I believe we have arrived at a cross-road. If we are to make it another two hundred years we may have to sacrifice some of our comforts. In a world that is upside down, we who seek righteousness may have to become the scapegoats and outcasts so that future generations can taste the freedoms we've come to take for granted. And we must learn to pray. We must learn to be unashamed of the Gospel and of Jesus in the face of those who want to emasculate not only us, but our God and His Son.
I am not a fighter. No one wants to fight. No one wants to sacrifice. Everybody wants to be accepted. But when it becomes necessary to give up creature comforts to retain our liberties, we best be about doing it or we'll have none left to retain.
Personally, I am praying God will lead me in a path and equip me to be a light and a leader in my own community. I also pray I will have the strength to pursue that path even if it means sacrifice. If I am to effect change in my world, if you are to effect change in your world you have to remember this; no matter what worldly thing you lay down, you will never lose so much as when you lay down your freedom.
God Bless.
The point I was trying to get across hit me tonight even more than when it was written. We have a responsibility to be active... to fight for a common cause as the founders did.
~Abraham Lincoln, Address Before the Young Men's Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois (January 27, 1838)
Maybe 10 years ago "democratic" answers was possible..
But obviously that time is well gone..
The espionage in academia, most media, and the entertainment sectors as well as with elected officials is defacto legal..
America must re-visit why we even have the 2nd amendment..
Clue: its not for hunting food.. or collecting artifacts..
Indeed.
bump
tick tock, tick tock the clock in running.
Man, what a great quote.
Excellent post GG. We are indeed about to reap the whirlwind. The question is, will we be prepared when it comes, and what are we going to do afterward. To my mind, we are a nation in decline because we are a nation in spiritual decline.
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