Liberty! The state of being free!
All people, from the beginning of time, yearn to be free. Enslaved or oppressed people will fight to the death for a chance at liberty.
The state of New Hampshire has the motto: Live free or die. Those words were written by a general in the Revolutionary War, John Stark in 1809. The rest of his quote was "Death is not the worst of evils."
We are also familiar with Patrick Henry's "Give me liberty or give me death." Here is the quote in context: "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!"
These two men, (among the millions who have fought and died for liberty), knew what they were talking about. Who wants to live a life that is enslaved? Our American Constitution has guaranteed its citizens with the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Our Founding Fathers recognized that these rights are given through God. They tried something that had never been done before in the history of the world. Our Founding Fathers fought to make sure Americans would have certain rights that the Government could never take away from them. (True liberty is found in Jesus Christ, and life will never be "fair" for everyone until He is reigning for eternity.)
But, there are many who are trying to distort the basic rights of our Constitution. They say that those rights mean that we all have the right to a nice house, drive a nice car, healthcare, a good job, the list goes on and on.
This poses a problem for me. Who will determine how nice my house should be? If it's my "right" to have a $60,000 house, why not, $70,000? or $85,000? or $150,000? The next question is, how am I going to get this wonderful house that is owed to me by rights? Who or what is going to make sure I get the house I should have? If the Government is telling me that it's my "right" , how might they accomplish this? But wait. What if you are living in a house that's $225,000, and I'm stuck in some $85,000 dump, well, that just doesn't seem "fair". What's to be done????
Do we still have liberty as our Founding Fathers thought of it?
Are our children free to pack a lunch from home and take it to school? Not everywhere. They might be bringing unhealthy foods to school. We can't have that! Only the Government knows what's best for our children. Every day, it seems the Government is trying to invade a new aspect of our lives, either by taxation or regulation.
Do we have liberty when we are paying $4.00/gal. for gas, and our "Leaders" are saying we should expect to be paying $5.00?
Do we have liberty when we are not allowed to drill here, and the coal mines are closed, so that "prices will necessarily quadruple"? (I heard those words come out of President Obama's mouth.) He has also endorsed Brazil to drill for oil, and said that the U.S. would become their best customer. Now, why is it OK for Brazil to drill for oil, but we can't? We have so much oil in this country, that gas should be cheap. But, then, the Government can't "encourage" us to buy smaller cars, and get rid of our big gas guzzlers.
Do we have liberty when we are 14 Trillion dollars in debt?
Do we have liberty if half of our paychecks go to pay taxes? (Local, state, federal, to name the top three.)
Do we truly have liberty?
I will close with a few quotes from some great Americans.
"How do you tell a Communist? Well, it's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And, how do you tell and anti-Communist? It's someone who understands Marx and Lenin." - Ronald Reagan
"If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, not your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands that feed you; May your chains and set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams (Yeah, I know I've used this one before, but isn't it a good one?)
Are you awake?
Glenn Beck was like the “Chicken Littles” always saying that the “Sky is Falling”, like the same ones that were the “Chicken Hawks” (“W” Wars), big talk no courage.
ReplyDeleteThe United States, favors creativity wherever it can be found. We’re apostles of prosperity and defenders of the free exchange of ideas and when more people in more countries are free to rise, to invent, to communicate, to dissent, it’s not the doom of United States leadership, its the triumph of the American way.
Generations have worked hard and sacrificed much for the country to reach this point (individuals and our unions!), and with further hard work and sacrifice (along with our relentless self-doubt) the United States will rise again, we do not tire and we are coming back, no matter what the “Chicken Littles” keep saying about our nation.
Never Bet Against the United States!
Now, I am in quandry; I was going to comment on the post, but Montana's comment needs addressing.
ReplyDeleteFirst, excellent post! I agree with you, that in the name of freedom our freedom is being slowly eroded away. We are like the frog in the pot that has no idea that the water he is enjoying is slowly cooking him to death.
Montana - how much sweetner was needed to be able to hold down that kool-aid? The US has fallen into the hands of a small minority that promotes and defends the free exchange of ideas as long as in is in step with their thinking.
We do not favor creativity when we tax both Americans and businesses to extinction; when we squelch free speech of those who disagree with the "talking heads;" when we regulate every aspect of our lives; when bugs have more rights and protection than human beings, need I go on?
Liberty will continue to erode one freedom at a time until we are in bondage. As far as the US rising again and coming back, and the US being a sure bet? The US is not in prophecy nor mentioned in the end times, that means at some point when these freedoms are finally given up and wrested away the US will have been almagamated into a universal system where it is no longer sovereign.
Gregg Metcalf
Colossians 1:28-29
Gospel-driven Disciples
You raised many interesting and valid points. It's clear this is a passionate post. Well said.
ReplyDeleteI really like Stark's entire quote.
ReplyDeleteWe have willingly given our government the powers taken by the government our forefathers fled.
I'm not a fan our our current government leaders... ahem, take that how you will. ;)
ReplyDeleteAwesome Awesome Awesome post!!!
ReplyDeleteWe're slowly being taxed, regulated, and harassed into bondage. I read yesterday that there were negotiations with a Chinese holding company to take over the Port of Galveston. After that was a news post that there was a company out of Hong Kong that was going into partnership with a company here in Texas on one of the oil fields here in Texas. Really?? We can't drill our own oil but we can negotiate with foreign interest for it. I also ready that only 46% of Americans are working and to paraphrase the article - we could not continue to support all of our social programs unless more people went to work. And this was also used as justification to increase the retirement age, i.e. we'll just make those few schmucks that are working pay as long as we possibly can. We're in deep deep trouble.
Great post. I guess you have to take everything in context, even the meaning of 'liberty'. We're definitely not as free as we think we are.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the follow!
Great post. I think you have this political writing down...post more...keep us thinking!
ReplyDeleteStill awake! How could I not be when it comes to liberty? :) A very important post; thank you.
ReplyDelete