A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.
—edward r. murrow
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Defend and protect the U.S. Constitution.
Defend and protect the Bill of Rights.
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.—James Madison
If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.—Samuel Adams
"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake–up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."—Thomas Jefferson
We may congratulate ourselves that this cruel war is nearing its end. It has cost a vast amount of treasure and blood. . . . It has indeed been a trying hour for the Republic; but I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. As a result of the war, corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed. I feel at this moment more anxiety for the safety of my country than ever before, even in the midst of war. God grant that my suspicions may prove groundless.—Abraham Lincoln
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, BARACK OBAMA
February, 23, 2009
President Barack Obama, The White House, Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Sir:
Greetings to you and your family as you begin the difficult work ahead of you as President. You are shouldering an enormous burden at a time when the resources and spirit of this country seem quite low. You have my support. Thank you.
In spite of all the challenges you now face—and with the seemingly endless, other issues you must be taking on at this time—I still feel compelled to draw your attention to one, in particular. It is a topic familiar to you; and yet I sense this topic both needs and deserves revisiting. I have heard you touch on this subject, lightly, during your interviews of this past year and I am not convinced that we, as a country, have given the topic the time and effort that it deserves. In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr, we must be willing to be convinced we are wrong if we hope to achieve meaningful dialogue and understanding. I am writing you now about the Second Amendment.
The Second Amendment is not about hunting or sports; and I am convinced that even an individual's natural right to personal defense, although very important, does not fully explain the primary impetus behind the the Second Amendment. In its simplest terms, it is about protecting the rights of citizens to rebel against a government that has turned on them. Citizens of The United States are sovereign; and we are not subjects of our government, but rather ARE our government: This was a radical idea in 1789, and it remains a radical idea to this day
Obviously, historical context is vital to the interpretation of historical documents—and any meaning they may have for our times. If we, as a people, tolerate ignorance for the circumstances that preceded, comprised and immediately followed the American Revolution—then we will never understand the struggles and debates that contributed to our nation's Constitution; and we will forever be limited in our understanding of the Constitution's implications for us today.
It seems almost incredible now to recall that the U.S. Constitution was written by an assortment of radicals and former outlaws who had trouble agreeing on many important issues. During the Constitutional Convention, the fiercely debated terms of our new government would have been forged in the inescapable atomosphere of misery, hardship and struggle that won our precious freedoms from the solidiers and mercenaries of King George III. Far from being friendly and good-natured succession (such as the independence of Canada), the American Revolution was bloody war.
The Founding Fathers opposed the formation of a standing army during times of peace, as it may too easily be turned on its own people by tyrannical authority. They knew this first hand. This explains why the term "militia" was used (as opposed to "standing army") in various State Constitutions as well as the Second Amendment. The term "militia" is a precise word that is neither antiquated nor obsolete; its principal relevance for us, as a function of human nature, remains as true today as it would have been for the founders of this country. Moreover, the fact that we not only have a peace-time, 21st century, standing army—but that it: 1.) Is supplemented by private mercenaries who operate outside the margins of conventional limits; and 2.) Facilitates an alarming trend toward ruling and warrior classes, may very well indicate a growing threat to the very heart of our democratic republic. The vigilance of a well-regulated militia may be warranted now, more than ever.
Just as the Founding Fathers were justified in rebelling against King George, the authors of our Constitution wanted to make patently clear that in addition to the natural right of personal defense, the people of this country were justified in rebelling against future tyranny and that this right shall not be subject to question. If the citizens of a republic are at odds with their government, then it is the government that requires change, not the people.
The emergence of tyranny can be insidious. Human nature being what it is, we could argue that the pressures of tyranny are always present—like gravity or the movement of a watershed, it is a natural force requiring both awareness and balance if we are to stand against it. Its effects can be subtle and slow to emerge. Like waves moving against a boat at sea; we must maintain the hull's integrity or all is lost. So it is with tyranny. We must remain vigilant for the sources of tyranny and deliberate in our safeguards against them.
One of these safeguards is the Second Amendment. It is the character of tyranny to be self preserving; and once powerful—only powerful opposition has any chance against it. The Founding Fathers would have understood this; and I am convinced this is the impetus and truth behind the Second Amendment and The Bill of Rights.
As we, The People, look towards the future and face the decisions necessary to preserve our self-directed, democratic republic—we must seek to understand the Bill of Rights as it would have been understood by its authors. The Second Amendment is not about hunting or sports; it is about responsible citizens possessing the right to organize forcibly against a government that has turned on them. But don't take my word for it—or anyone else's: The revolution was not so long ago that we are without substantial records— and it is the duty of every U.S. citizen to read these records, follow their conscience and decide for themselves... Fear and ignorance are the tools of opression. If The People of this country are adequately informed then tyranny will be defeated. Ignorance and misinformation are our greatest enemies.
In the words of Benjamin Franklin, we have a republic, if we can keep it!
The issues of arms and gun control have become fiercely polarized in our culture; and real dialogue and debate has all but stopped. Both sides are outspoken, and yet, not enough of this discussion warrants repeating. I ask that you open this topic for discussion, as if for the first time; and that you encourage rational debate born of legitimate historical events and an understanding of the historical context and principles that gave birth to this great nation.
I thank you for your earnest efforts toward the well–being of this country and its citizens.
With deepest respect for your office and this great nation; your fellow citizen,
Eric Boyts
Fort Collins, Colorado
Preventative war was an invention of Hitler. Frankly, I would not even listen to anyone seriously that came and talked about such a thing. —Dwight D. Eisenhower,
Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe
and President of The United States
On January 17, 1961, Eisenhower gave his final televised Address to the Nation from the Oval Office. In his farewell speech to the nation, Eisenhower raised the issue of the Cold War and role of the U.S. armed forces. He described the Cold War saying: "We face a hostile ideology global in scope, atheistic in character, ruthless in purpose and insidious in method..." and warned about what he saw as unjustified government spending proposals and continued with a warning that "we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex... The potential for the disastrious rise of misplaced power exists and will persist... Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together."
When President John F. Kennedy welcomed 49 Nobel Prize winners to the White House in 1962 he said, "I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent and of human knowledge that has ever been gathered together at the White House – with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."
Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history
will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms,
as the blackest.
—Gandhi
The Consent Of The Governed is an abiding principle upon which our U.S. Constitution is based. Disregard for this principle is betrayal to our Constitution and its citizens, both past and present. For Holders of Public Office to behave with disregard for this principle is a kind of treason. Read the preamble to the United States Declaration of Independence.
Symbols Of A Nation
The Character of a self-directed, democratic republic
( The following are excerpts from Wikipedia )
Benjamin Franklin's Image
The use of the timber rattlesnake as a symbol of the American colonies can be traced back to the publications of Benjamin Franklin. In 1751, he made the first reference to the rattlesnake in a satirical commentary published in his Pennsylvania Gazette. It had been the policy of Britain to send convicted criminals to America, so Franklin suggested that they thank the British by sending rattlesnakes to England. Benjamin Franklin's "Join, or Die" cartoon In 1754, during the French and Indian War, Franklin published his famous woodcut of a snake cut into eight sections. It represented the colonies, with New England joined together as the head and South Carolina as the tail, following their order along the coast. Under the snake was the message "Join, or Die". This was the first political cartoon published in an American newspaper. As the American Revolution grew, the snake began to see more use as a symbol of the colonies. In 1774, Paul Revere added it to the title of his paper, the Massachusetts Spy, as a snake joined to fight a British dragon. In December 1775, Benjamin Franklin published an essay in the Pennsylvania Journal under the pseudonym American Guesser in which he suggested that the rattlesnake was a good symbol for the American spirit:
The Gadsden Flag
In fall 1775, the United States Navy was established to intercept incoming British ships carrying war supplies to the British troops in the colonies. To aid in this, the Second Continental Congress authorized the mustering of five companies of Marines to accompany the Navy on their first mission. The first Marines that enlisted were from Philadelphia and they carried drums painted yellow, depicting a coiled rattlesnake with thirteen rattles, and the motto "Don't Tread On Me." This is the first recorded mention of the future Gadsden flag's symbolism. At the Congress, Continental Colonel Christopher Gadsden represented his home state of South Carolina. He was one of three members of the Marine Committee who were outfitting the first naval mission. It is unclear whether Gadsden took his inspiration from the Marines' drums, or if he inspired them himself. Before the departure of that first mission, the newly appointed commander-in-chief of the Navy, Commodore Esek Hopkins, received the yellow rattlesnake flag described above from Gadsden to serve as his distinctive personal standard. Gadsden also presented a copy of this flag to the South Carolina legislature in Charleston, South Carolina. This was recorded in the South Carolina congressional journals: Col. Gadsden presented to the Congress an elegant standard, such as is to be used by the commander in chief of the American navy; being a yellow field, with a lively representation of a rattle-snake in the middle, in the attitude of going to strike, and these words underneath, "Don't Tread on Me!"
The First U.S. Navy Jack
The flag consists of a rattlesnake superimposed across 13 alternating red and white stripes with the motto, "Don't Tread On Me" (without apostrophe). First Navy Jack of the United States was used by the Continental Navy from October 13, 1775 through December 31, 1776. In 1980, the Secretary of the Navy directed the commissioned ship in active status having the longest total period in active status to display the rattlesnake jack in place of the union jack until decommissioned or transferred to inactive status. Since September 11, 2002, the flag has been flown by the United States Navy for the duration of the "Global War on Terrorism."
Captain Driver's"Old Glory!"
Early history
This original Old Glory was made and presented to the young Captain Driver by his mother and some young ladies of his native Salem, Massachusetts. The year is uncertain, but it was probably sometime in the 1820s. It is a large flag, measuring 10 feet by 17 feet, heavily constructed and designed to be flown from a ship's mast. It originally had 24 stars and, symbolic of its nautical purpose, includes a small anchor sewn in the corner of its blue canton.
The captain was very pleased with his gift, and always kept it with him. By most accounts, he first hailed the flag as "Old Glory," when he left harbor for a trip around the world in 1831-1832, as commander of the whaling vessel Charles Doggett. Old Glory served as the ship's official flag throughout the voyage. Some weathering and fraying almost certainly occurred during this severe service, and the flag shows evidence of patching on more than one occasion. [edit] Civil War
Cival War
Driver retired from the sea in 1837 and moved to Nashville, Tennessee. He flew his beloved flag on all patriotic occasions, using a rope suspended across the street, and Old Glory became well known to the citizenry. By 1861, it was modified to show 34 stars (the number of states then in the Union).
When the Civil War broke out and Tennessee seceded from the union in 1861, Driver knew or feared that the rebel government would attempt to destroy the locally famous Old Glory. He had the flag sewn inside a comforter to conceal it. One curious point, never explained, is that he seems to have had this done by some neighbor girls named Bailey, rather than by his own family. Accounts differ as to whether and how hard the Confederate authorities searched for the flag, but in any event it survived. When Union forces retook Nashville the following year, Driver was able to bring out his flag and hoist it from the state capitol spire, the last time it flew from a flagpole. A unit of Federal troops, the Sixth Ohio Regiment, was present, and adopted "Old Glory" as their motto. These dramatic events were reported by many newspapers, and Old Glory became nationally famous.
Quotes From Thomas Jefferson
Statesman, Farmer and Principle Author of
The Declaration of Independence
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."
"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them."
"No freeman shall be debarred the use of arms."
"Merchants have no country. The mere spot they stand on does not constitute so strong an attachment as that from which they draw their gains."
"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government."
"None but an armed nation can dispense with a standing army. To keep ours armed and disciplined is therefore at all times important."
"One loves to possess arms, though they hope never to have occasion for them."
"Our country is now taking so steady a course as to show by what road it will pass to destruction, to wit: by consolidation of power first, and then corruption, its necessary consequence. "
"That government is best which governs least"
"The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that... it is their right and duty to be at all times armed."
"The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive."
"Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty. "
"To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."
"War is an instrument entirely inefficient toward redressing wrong; and multiplies, instead of indemnifying losses."
"We did not raise armies for glory or for conquest."
"When a man assumes a public trust he should consider himself a public property."
"Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct."
"Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government. "
A Closing Note
...the true patriotism, the only rational patriotism, is loyalty to the Nation ALL the time, loyalty to the Government when it deserves it. —Mark Twain
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