Posted on 02/12/2002 5:40:47 AM PST by Stand Watch Listen
My G-d! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy. — Thomas JeffersonIn his famous ‘liberty´ speech, Founding Father Patrick Henry said, ‘Are we disposed to be of the numbers of those who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.´
In the United States today, that attitude is almost non-existent. Unlike Henry, we don´t want to know the truth, because somewhere deep in our subconscious there´s a nagging anxiousness that we´re not living up to our end of the bargain, that the unequaled freedom and prosperity we enjoy actually requires something from us. We push that nagging thought away, for after all, don´t we work too many hours already, and do chores around the house, and take the kids to practice and hey, aren´t we entitled to some relaxation? Besides, we´re not ‘into´ politics, so why not let those who are play their games? If we don´t like what they´re doing, we can just vote them out, right?
But half of us don´t even bother to vote. And most who do desecrate a privilege that most of the world´s citizens don´t even have, by not bothering to learn about the issues or the candidates. No, we´re ‘too busy´ to do a little checking, even though the records of candidates are now easily accessible through the Internet. We´ll let the news media—or worse, campaign ads and slogans—make up our minds for us, mostly on the basis of the candidate´s position on one or two of our ‘pet´ concerns, then smugly congratulate ourselves that we´ve ‘done our civic duty.´ Amazingly, then, we´re outraged with self-serving politicians and their increasingly obvious contempt for our values and beliefs, and for us.
Well, what do you expect? They know you´re ‘too busy´ to hold them accountable, so why should they care what you ‘think,´ except to feed you the same old ‘motherhood and country´ spiel every election? We´ve given them power, and the freedom to do with it as they please. Why should it surprise us, then, that they concern themselves only with themselves, and their continuation in office? And if that requires ‘compromises´… well, most of us won´t even notice anyway, will we? And when these compromises or even blatant lies are pointed out, the incumbent will simply dredge up some dirt on the challenger. Then we´re left to sort it all out…which they know only a few of us will bother to do, instead making our choices based on, in effect, a coin toss. Or by simply staying home on election day, full of self-righteous indignation and contempt for ‘dishonest´ politicians and the entire nasty business of politics…
But it´s that ‘nasty business´ that is the safeguard of the freedoms we so take for granted in this country. The alternative is the truly nasty business of guns and bombs, as in Bosnia; and of tyranny, as in much of the world; or chaos, where the strongest take what they want.
We — you and I — the American electorate, have allowed the political process to become the farce it now is. Do you think this mess is what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they risked their ‘lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor´ to create this free republic? That we´d complacently allow ourselves to be ruled over by demagogues like Trent Lott, Tom Daschle and John McCain? Do you think Jefferson, Madison or Henry would so meekly accept the hypocrisy of Ted Kennedy, Diane Feinstein or those other ‘honorable´ Senators?
It is easier to hold ourselves above the fray than to make the effort required of citizens who want to maintain the freedoms they were born to. But someone once said that freedom cannot be passed down like a family heirloom; it must be won anew by each generation. Sometimes by war, yes; but in many ways, those are the easier times, for then issues and actions required are clear. It´s during peacetime that freedom is even more at risk, for then we conveniently forget about it while living it out. It is right that we do so, but only to a point; for we must also fulfill the duty that comes with those freedoms. If we´re to remain free, there is no other choice , for there are those who, as Samuel Adams said, love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude more than the animating contest of freedom . Ben Franklin rightly said that such as these ‘deserve neither freedom nor security.´
Many such accommodaters are in our Congress, and we assist them in their betrayal of the founding principles of this nation—by not paying attention to them, except in the light they cast on themselves when they seek our support; by not fighting against their self-serving hypocrisy; and by making no commitment to maintaining the freedoms we enjoy. Even though we normally need not risk our lives in war to fulfill that commitment (though many have done so), and we´re not generally called upon to sacrifice our fortunes, our homes or our finances in the struggle for freedom, we reject that commitment. And if freedom has not involved a struggle for you, then you´ve done nothing to further its cause, but only wallowed in its benefits.
Today, the Internet makes information on political issues and politicians´ voting records easy to obtain. Yes, time is required, effort is required; but tell me—what of value have you ever possessed or experienced that didn´t come with its own requirements of effort, time and energy? Should freedom, the greatest treasure of men on earth, be any different? We Americans have been willing to let others do our share of the work in maintaining liberty…but they´ve not done it, either. As a result, our freedoms are diminished daily in the name of multiculturalism and tolerance.
We can continue behaving like arrogant, spoiled brats, or we can acknowledge the truth that more is required of us, and make a commitment to live up to our responsibilities as citizens in a free republic. But if we can´t be bothered, then the divisiveness we already see in our society will spread, the demolition of the institutions that are the foundation of our freedoms will continue apace, and in our own lifetimes, we´ll be faced with even more results than we see already of our betrayal of the legacy of freedom. What will you say to your children and grandchildren if we continue to let freedom die? If you won´t protect your own freedoms, will you at least be honest enough to shoulder the blame for the loss of theirs?
In the same speech I quoted at the beginning of this essay, Patrick Henry spoke these famous prophetic words, as much to us today as to his fellow patriots in 1775: ‘Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty G-d! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!´
That is the choice, you know…liberty or death. Death of hope, of spirit, of the limitless possibility that is America. Because we have never lived without liberty, we can´t seem to grasp that truth, and thus leave our precious freedoms in the care of those who would see us all in slavery to government, in chains of political correctness, and at the non-existent mercy of soul-less bureaucrats. And new or different politicians aren´t the solution…politicians, by their nature, are the problem! Today, as much as in 1776, it is up to you and me to make the choice. And make no mistake—by our daily actions…and especially by our inactions…we are choosing. As long as the choice is still ours to make.
Ponder, if you will, these eerily prophetic words from Samuel Adams: ‘The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil constitution, are worth defending at all hazards; and it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors; they purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood. It will bring an everlasting mark of infamy on the present generation, enlightened as it is, if we should suffer them to be wrested from us (by violence) without a struggle, or be cheated out of them by the artifices of false and designing men .´ Amen.
Todays poliiticians spend most of their time getting re-elected and they pass laws that help special interest or themselves. Money is the grease that keeps Government well lubricated - NOT the interest of the Republic.
Do not vote for an incumbent.
Exactly what does that have to do with the argument of Senators and a constitutional republic? Surely you're not recommending that this farce of a voting system is better than what the Founders had in mind are you? People today vote with their feelings, how the candidate looks, and if they get a chance to remember at the last minute, what the candidate actually believes and how it fits with their belief system. Pure unbridled decmocracy is a joke and an affront to the memories of the men who founded this nation and what it was supposed to stand for. The 17th Amendment took the power out of the hands of the state houses and put it into the mass called the people, who for the most part are easier to lead than sheep over a cliff.
The only time the Constitution is used is to remember the Bill of Rights and that's it. Who cares what the body of the document says, how it is supposed to limit the federal government, and what the actual powers of the POTUS and the Congress are. Instead it's almost like it's some myth, held above the heads of the people, most who have not even read it. If they had, there would be a lot more folks upset
So, I assume you do not believe in the contextual interpretation of events? Let's say, for instance, that a WWII vet is asked "Have you ever killed a man?". Should the veteran's admission that he has be considered prima facie evidence of murder, or should the context of the death be established? (i.e.: Was it in battle?)
Regardless of your personal feelings about Jefferson, you need to admit that, under the societal rules of the time, if he had simply released his slaves they would have been captured and sold to some other owner. Instead, he treated them (from all reports I have seen) more like family than property. THAT was a serious statement on his part in support of his belief in equality of all men... To treat "slaves" as people was damned near heretical.
Wake up, America!
by simply voting for whom ever has an "r" after their name on the ballot.
Damn good read. Thanks for the flag.
Wish I could reveal these 'truths' to our general populace.
Should be revised and updated for 2000 by changing to…”and to take advantage of it” In a free market environment that is not rigged, you must either work diligently to succeed or you will be swept away and left floundering. Today’s government protection racket and preferred citizen status allows some to prosper who neither reap nor sow but simply to live off the excess. We can’t all take part in this as the system would indeed come crashing down but for those of us who are on the inside life is grand.
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