It Was the Guns

Thank heavens we have solved the reason behind the tragedy at Sandy Hook. It was the guns. That makes it all so much easier to deal with. Just ban the guns and violent crime will cease. That makes me feel so much better. Can you imagine what we would have to do if it was a disturbed man that caused the tragedy? That is so much harder for us to deal with. Thankfully, we have something much easier – it was the guns. 

If it had been a disturbed man that caused the shootings we would have to look into the reasons why he chose to do what he did. Was it a society that has devalued human life to the point that the killing of a million babies a year is called a choice? That we make it legal to assist someone to kill themselves and we call it dignity? Or that our new healthcare law picks only those who “contribute” to society to receive medical treatment? Thankfully, we don’t have to contemplate this, we have something much easier – it was the guns.

Luckily, we don’t need to worry about the fact that we have removed family values, and values in general from the public forum – those were archaic anyway. Besides, they infringe on our philosophy that nothing we do is wrong – stay out of my life… except give me free birth control. But thankfully, none of this matters because we have a much easier solution – it was the guns.

Those who bring up the 2nd amendment need to understand that those rights are pretty much obsolete now. Take the 1st amendment – the rights of religious freedom should in no way supplant the rights of promiscuous college girls to obtain birth control. And speech should only be free if it agrees and is non-confrontational, so we should shut down conservative talk radio with the Fairness Doctrine. The 4th amendment only gets in the way of our security, so of course President Obama’s executive order suspending the need for warrants is only fair. The government will take care of us, so why do we need to have the right bear arms? The government would never try to take away our rights -- Just ask the American citizens of Japanese descent during World War II. Besides, we know the cause of violence – it is the guns.

So thank you Pierce Morgan, Ed Schultz, President Obama, Barbara Boxer and all the others in media and politics for solving the reason behind this horrific tragedy at Sandy Hook. You make it so much easier for us to go on… all we have to do is say “ban the guns!” I guess we all were pretty lucky on that tragic day – only three guns decided to kill, the other 200 million did not. The evils in this world are meaningless because, you see, it was the guns.

Silence Imposed on the Learned

Around 1610, Galileo Galilei began championing the heliocentric view which placed the Sun at the center of the universe. Contrary to the view of the majority of scientists of the day, Galileo met with bitter opposition and was eventually denounced to the Inquisition. In an attempt to silence his dissenting view, Galileo was sentenced and spent the rest of his life under house arrest.

Ferdinand and Isabella, the co-monarchs of Spain, established the Spanish Inquisition to operate completely under royal control. Only thought that was sanctioned by the government was allowed. One of the main effects of the inquisition was to end free thought and scientific thought in Spain. As one 16^th century Spaniard in exile put it: "Our country is a land of ... barbarism; down there one cannot produce any culture without being suspected of heresy, error and Judaism. Thus silence was imposed on the learned." For the next few centuries, while the rest of Europe was slowly awakened by the influence of the Enlightenment, Spain stagnated.

In a 1578 handbook for Inquisitors it states that, “...for punishment does not take place primarily and per se for the correction and good of the person punished, but for the public good in order that others may become terrified and weaned away from the evils they would commit."

Today, another inquisition is being established to silence scientific thought. Like the Spanish Inquisition of the 15^th century, this new inquisition is being operated under government control – individual nations, including the United States, as well as world organization like the United Nations. Seemingly taking their modus operandi from the 1578 handbook, they attempt to punish dissenters in such a way as to terrify and wean away others from this supposed heretical view.

This modern day inquisition has successfully imposed silence on the very learned. The learned scientists of our day who dare to disagree with prevailing theory that climate change is caused by man are ridiculed, marginalized, and in some cases threatened with loss of station, employment and reputation. According to former Vice President Al Gore, the science that proves global warming is complete – there can be no dissension and the discussion is over. Senator John Kerry counsels news organizations to not give equal time to “absurd ideas”, and some in the scientific community (receiving their government funding) claim that those who won’t accept that man is causing the changes in our climate are like those who would not accept that the world is round!

The Green Movement has become a huge cash cow for those who adhere to the theory of man-made climate change. Al Gore is purported to become the world’s first carbon billionaire. No wonder opposition is being silenced in any way they can do it! Following the money trail leads to the reality that going Green is the newest way to attempt to redistribute the wealth of the western capitalist nations while giving the climate change prophets more profits!

Even with the power of world organizations, news outlets, government entities, and the ivory towers of universities there have been modern day Galileos who rise against the prevailing thought and courageously question what some scientists claim as fact, not open for discussion. This questioning of the veracity of man-made global warming if nothing else, at least proves that the discussion is not over, the case is not closed, scientific thought is still open to dissention.

Throughout the whole global warming debate there have always been facts that call it into question, yet recently there have been even more findings that debunk the whole theory:

1. Scientific fraud. Emails uncovered from a London University show that data was manipulated to “prove” that carbon emissions from man were causing global warming. Now other universities that have been providing this data are being investigated for their role in the fraudulent data presented. A federal wildlife biologist whose observation in 2004 of presumably drowned polar bears in the Arctic helped to galvanize the global warming movement has been placed on administrative leave and is being investigated for scientific misconduct.

2. New discoveries. A new NASA study in the peer-reviewed science journal Remote Sensing has found that United Nations computer models may be incorrect in overstating the amount of global warming that will occur in the future. The study also finds that carbon dioxide in the atmosphere traps much less heat than global warming enthusiasts have claimed. The “hockey stick” model showing how global warming is increasing has been discounted, and now is not being used by the climate enthusiasts.

3. 95% of Greenhouse gas is water vapor. Water vapor is 99.999% from natural sources. Other natural sources make up most of the rest of Greenhouse gas. Man’s carbon emissions make up 0.28% of greenhouse gas. Human activities contribute slightly to greenhouse gas concentrations through farming, manufacturing, power generation, and transportation. However, these emissions are so dwarfed in comparison to emissions from natural sources we can do nothing about, that even the most costly efforts to limit human emissions would have a very small-- perhaps undetectable-- effect on global climate. Most "facts and figures” regarding global warming completely ignore the powerful effects of water vapor in the greenhouse system, carelessly (perhaps, deliberately) overstating human impact.

4. “Global Warming” changed to “Climate Change.” When the earth is not following the models that global warming enthusiasts predicted, these devotees need to change their parlance to match what is actually happening – the climate changes. If it is too hot, man-made emissions caused it. If it is too cold, man-made emissions caused it. If there is a hurricane, man-made emissions caused it. Man-made emissions seemed to be the cause of everything from harder than usual winters in New England to whales swimming ashore in California.

There are many more facts that are contrary to the Climate Change doctrine, but the preceding examples alone are enough to at least open up an honest debate. However, the existing theory doesn’t seem able to stand up to peer review, so the inquisition steps in to marginalize or discredit those who disagree. History alone shows us that there has been climate change – sometimes extreme – throughout all the time of man. Glaciers recede and ruins of civilizations are found beneath them. Writings from ancients tell about the extreme cold that caused northern barbarians to move south. The climate changes – that is the natural course of this earth as it moves around the sun. To say any different is completely disingenuous.

I am an environmentalist. I want to see clean air and unspoiled mountains. That is why I am a proponent of nuclear energy, hydrogen cars, natural gas, and unfettered scientific thought. The medieval inquisitions stagnated civilization, and the modern day climate change inquisition is attempting to do the same. Unleash our scientific potential and there is nothing that can’t be accomplished. Fetter it with curly light bulbs and phony climate data, and our country will become a land of barbarism; where one cannot produce any culture without being suspected of heresy and error, and the climate inquisition will triumph. Thus silence will be imposed on the learned.

Socialism: The Destroyer of Souls

In the Charles Dickens classic, two men approached a wealthy businessman on the streets of London asking for a small donation to help the poor. His reply was, “Are there no prisons? And the union workhouses – are they still in operation?” The collectors sadly gave an affirmative reply, prompting the miserly businessman to state, “Oh, from what you said at first I was afraid that something had happened to stop them in their useful course. I'm very glad to hear it… I help to support the establishments I have named; those who are badly off must go there.”

Prior to 1834, England’s poor laws had the philosophy that everyone was due a minimum subsistence and that the local communities/parishes were responsible for this. It was neighbors taking care of neighbors, and those who needed help received it until they could get back on their feet. In their utilitarian view, the central government instituted the New Poor Laws in 1834 that took a 180 degree turn on relief for the poor. To the central government this law made perfect sense. It created a central standardization and uniformity in the way to deal with poverty. By forcing the poor into the workhouse they believed that the poor would be more diligent in obtaining and maintaining employment. Of course, like all government socialization, they only compounded the problem. The New Poor Law removed poverty from the communities and created a welfare state, leading to a dehumanization of the poor. The communities or parishes had historically and legally been responsible for the poor and the poor had certain rights. Yet, with the creation of the welfare state, those rights were abrogated for the greater good of the people as a whole.

The evils of socialism are many, and certainly the inherent loss of individual freedom is at the top of the list of harms. Before any of us were born we fought against being forced to do good. We choose agency, even though we knew the hardships that being free would bring to our lives. We rejected the Evil One’s plan that would have forced us all to do everything right. Davy Crockett – Member of Congress, hero of the Alamo – said, “We have the right as individuals to give away as much of our own money as we please in charity; but as members of Congress we have no right to appropriate a dollar of the public money.”

Yet now our government is attempting to create a society that forces us to give our substance for the “common good” of all. Besides the fact that the more government involvement creates more poverty, what this does to us as a people is allows us to abdicate our responsibility to take care of the down trodden – and this diminishes us, and our spirits.

The greatest harm of socialism – that thing that Satan wants the most – is for us to abdicate our charitable actions to the government. My view is that the “concept” and “objective” of socialism is to destroy the soul. The left keeps using the argument that if we truly cared about people we would want them to be ensured a sustenance from the government – like they did in England in 1834. But what socialism really is is us giving the government the ability to care for others so we don’t have to. I can’t think of anything that would be more detrimental to the soul than not giving of ourselves to others – no charity. We who abdicate, directly or indirectly, our charitable actions to the government are hurt deeper on a spiritual plain.

When we think of our neighbor down the street who just became unemployed, do our thoughts sound like: “that’s too bad, but luckily I’ve paid into the unemployment insurance fund ever since I’ve held a job, so thankfully I’ve done my part”? Or when someone is sick on the verge of dying do we say to ourselves, “sure hope he bought life insurance so his family is taken care of” and then go merrily along assuaging our consciences? Yet our divine responsibility is to cradle the stranger in our arms comforting them and easing them into the next life.

Socialism is evil because it takes away our ability to watch our neighbor suffer – or step in and raise the sufferer up, feeding him, clothing him, and giving him comfort. A true utopian society is not one where the government is there to help when there is need, but where neighbors/communities know each other and never would allow someone to starve OR lose their dignity.

As I understand it, Jesus taught that if a man asks you for your coat give him your cloak as well. What the government wants is that if a man asks you for your coat, give your coat and cloak to the government and they’ll give the man a sock. There is something that happens to a person and to a community when they all pitch in together to help someone – when they individually give of themselves. If we lose that sense of brotherhood, we’ve lost our souls.

Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should...

Pastor Terry Jones has decided that his church will not burn the Koran on September 11 in protest of the Muslim involvement in terrorism against the United States. This is a good thing. Desecrating religious icons that a people hold sacred is not something we as Americans should do. Oh, we Americans have no problem desecrating sacred things – it happens all the time – it just isn’t something we should do. However, the reason that the Koran burning was cancelled is not right. There is only one reason it should not take place – because it is just plain wrong. Yet the arguments against it have been because of threats of violence, increased recruiting by Al Qaeda, and set-back in diplomatic relationships with Muslim nations. Free speech should never be silenced by threats of violence or because other nations don’t want to hear it. Our freedoms are too precious to be silenced by threats. Yet to use free speech as the reason to desecrate and offend is no better than what those in other countries do when they burn our flag or destroy Christian or Jewish icons, and certainly no better than the losers in this country who burn their own flag in protest or desecrate holy icons and call it “art”.

It has always been the means of petty people to protest by desecrating sacred things. The American flag being one of the most used icons for this type desecration. Recently, a Mexican business in Reno flew the flag of the United States below the Mexican flag – this is actually illegal. A veteran took matters into his own hands and went up and cut the American flag down and took it. Did the veteran do something wrong? Probably, but civil disobedience is sometimes appropriate! One of the greatest things that I saw happened at a major league baseball game in 1976. Rick Monday of the Chicago Cubs did something that perhaps all of us should do when we see the protestors take our sacred icons and attempt to desecrate them. Following are his words as he explains what happened that day and what he felt when he saw what two protestors tried to do:

In between the top and bottom of the fourth inning, I was just getting loose in the outfield, throwing the ball back and forth. Jose Cardenal was in left field and I was in center. I don't know if I heard the crowd first or saw the guys first, but two people ran on the field. After a number of years of playing, when someone comes on the field, you don't know what's going to happen. Is it because they had too much to drink? Is it because they're trying to win a bet? Is it because they don't like you or do they have a message that they're trying to present?

When these two guys ran on the field, something wasn't right. And it wasn't right from the standpoint that one of them had something cradled under his arm. It turned out to be an American flag. They came from the left-field corner, went past Cardenal to shallow left-center field.

That's when I saw the flag. They unfurled it as if it was a picnic blanket. They knelt beside it, not to pay homage but to harm it as one of the guys was pulling out of his pocket somewhere a big can of lighter fluid. He began to douse it.

What they were doing was wrong… It's the way I was raised. My thoughts were reinforced with my six years in the Marine Corp Reserves. It was also reinforced by a lot of friends who lost their lives protecting the rights and freedoms that flag represented.

So I started to run after them. To this day, I couldn't tell you what was running through my mind except I was mad, I was angry and it was wrong for a lot of reasons.

Then the wind blew the first match out. There was hardly ever any wind at Dodger Stadium. The second match was lit, just as I got there. I did think that if I could bowl them over, they can't do what they're trying to do.

I saw them go and put the match down to the flag. It's soaked in lighter fluid at this time. Well, they can't light it if they don't have it. So I just scooped it up.

After the guys left, there was a buzz in the stands, people being aghast with what had taken place. Without being prompted, and I don't know where it started, but people began to sing 'God Bless America.' When I reflect back upon it now, I still get goose bumps.

Here is a short video clip of Rick Monday performing the greatest “save” in major league baseball.


Our nation has fought and bled too much for our freedoms to be stifled from threats, whether real or perceived. It is wrong to burn the Koran, or the Bible, or the Book of Mormon, or the Flag, or any other icon considered sacred. But it’s not wrong because of threats of violence; it is wrong because we Americans should be above that kind of petty display. Free speech is worth fighting for and yes, dying for. The unalienable right of free speech is sacred, and as such carries responsibility when exercised. But just because we can do or say something doesn’t mean we should.

Live Free or Die

The following video was broadcast on Fox News. It is a documentary that Glenn Beck put together that gives a historic perspective to the rise of progressivism, socialism, and communism. Most of this has been scrubbed from our current history books, and because of that we as a nation are forgetting how evil men like Stalin, Mao and Che Guevera really are. After watching this, remember what some of our government officials have recently said about Mao, being "progressive", and socialism.

"Congress Shall Make no Law Abridging the Freedom of Speech, or the Press..."

In 1798, as the president was on his way home, Luther Baldwin was sitting in a tavern having a few beers and getting a little “merry”. The departing entourage of the president was given a 16-shot cannon salute, wherein another “merry” drinker staggered into the tavern to report, “There goes the president, and they’re firing at his a**.” Whereupon, Luther Baldwin replied, “I don’t care if they’re shooting through his a**.” Luther was promptly arrested, went to trial, found guilty, fined and jailed. What was he convicted of? "Tending to defame the President and Government of the United States. "

How could a citizen of the United States be jailed for making a joke about the President? In 1798 the new United States was experiencing threats to its existence. On the verge of war with France, the country was in a precarious situation that could lead to the end of the nation. The Federalists party controlled both houses of Congress and the presidency. The Federalist in congress, never to let a good disaster go to waste, tried to capitalize on the real fear of war, and take more control of the government. They passed a series of acts called the Alien and Sedition Acts.

"…That if any person shall write, print, utter or publish…any false, scandalous and malicious writing or writings against the government of the Unites States, or either house of the Congress of the United States, or the President of the United States with the intent to defame… or bring them into contempt or disrepute; or excite against them…shall be punished…” -Sedition Act, passed July 14, 1798

Many Federalists had an extreme distrust of the common man, particularly Alexander Hamilton. His faction wanted control of the government and by taking away freedoms that had just so recently been won, they would be able to consolidate power within the federal government. Two of the greatest founding fathers we have were federalists – George Washington and John Adams. In fact, John Adams was the president who signed these heinous Acts into law. However, neither of them wanted to take away the rights of the people -- they just wanted to protect this fledgling nation during a difficult time.

Congress passed these acts without the president asking for them. However, he did not oppose them either – one of the greatest mistakes for this worthy patriot. Later in life, John Adams said that he looked at these acts as “war measures” meaning that they would have been temporary – still no excuse for limiting those freedoms fought so hard for. Though I believe John Adams was truly concerned about the security of this nation, most Federalists were using the fear of war to take the power away from the people they distrusted so much.

Three things happened to limit the harm of the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798:

1. The people continued to voice their opposition to the laws even under threat of prison. If Luther Baldwin could be imprisoned for making a joke, how would others that truly were questioning the government fare?
   
2. The press refused to be silenced. They kept up the barrage questioning the government in all that they did, and many editors were imprisoned.
   
3. Two states, Kentucky and Virginia, declared these laws null and void. They exercised the rights contained in the 9th and 10th amendment and proclaimed that Congress did not have the authority to abrogate freedom. Virginia’s resolution condemned the Acts:

“…because it is leveled against that right of freely examining public characters and measures, and of free communication among the people thereon, which has ever been justly deemed, the only effectual guardian of every other right.”

Because of this, the Federalist lost power and were voted out of the majority and Thomas Jefferson became President. When Thomas Jefferson came into office, he repealed these Acts and freed everyone that was being punished under them.

Fear, throughout American history has led to rights and liberties being infringed upon. In World War II, we as a nation incarcerated American citizens in camps – just because they were of Japanese decent. During the Cold War we had an era of fear of communism that led to congressional “hearings” that ruined the lives of many innocents for exercising their constitutional right of expression. In this past decade, after the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers in New York City on September 11, 2001 some of our rights were limited and infringed upon for the purpose of keeping us safe. Financial fear, health fear, and environmental fear are being used today by our government to take away more of our rights – never letting a good disaster go to waste.

The current administration is attempting to silence anyone who disagrees with them. It started with an intimidation campaign against any one who questioned Obama – Joe the Plumber being a prime example. The president and democratically controlled congress marginalize and shut out those who are opposed to their plans, like the tea party groups being labeled as "angry white racists." Like the restraining order that was put on insurance companies for daring to inform their policy holders of the dangers of the government take over of healthcare. Now the White House is trying to silence the press. Most news organizations are already in the pocket of the President, but the one organization that truly scrutinizes the government is now under attack by the administration, being declared “not a news organization.”

As the Federalists of old tried to do but failed, the democrats of today are trying to consolidate their power over the rights of the common man. We must not let that happen. Just like the people of 1798, we must stand-up to this intimidation and the attempt to silence opposing views by this administration. Our rights, constitutionally protected, are not to be negotiated away just for a little security, or because we are afraid of some group, or we want a job, or even because we want a free appendectomy. Too much blood has been shed to let the government buy our submissiveness.

Our representatives need to remember that they work for us – the common man. They are never given a “mandate” or exalted above the citizens that they represent. Just as this country did in 1800, we need to kick the "Federalists" out of Washington, and send men and women there who will represent us and not rule over us. It is time to find more "Thomas Jeffersons."

The jest that Luther Baldwin made against the President in 1798 was not treasonous, seditious, or harmful. Neither are the current criticisms, jests, or yelling “you lie” at the current President. Without the right to examine the methods and doctrines of the party in power and criticize its acts, democracy and freedom become empty words.

We hold these truths to be self-evident...

July 4, 2009

It was on the Lexington Green in Massachusetts where the first battle of the American Revolution took place. The well equipped, well armed British army advanced, the Minute Men aligned themselves on the field with their Captain - John Parker. The Americans had no uniforms, they were not professional soldiers, but they were unified with the determination to gain their liberty and the liberty of their families.

As the British began their advance down the Green towards the Minute Men, Captain Parker spoke these now famous words, “Stand your ground. Don't fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.” Shots were fired, men died, and after many long hard years, a new nation, based on freedom, was born.

This was not the first war for freedom - We all fought together in a great war – and the casualties were a third of our brothers and sisters were cast out from the presence of our Father. This war in Heaven was also fought for freedom.

• Freedom to choose between right and wrong
• Freedom to grow and mature and be “proved”
• Freedom to become like our Father in Heaven

So we were sent to this earth where we knew it would not be easy, that this “agency” would bring many hardships. We knew that there would be famine, pestilence, crime that we would have to deal with. We knew that there would be wars and battles where we and our loved ones would be put at risk. And we knew that there would be senseless terrorist attacks on thousands of innocents and that a nation would mourn its loss.

But we were willing to go through all of this because we knew that freedom is worth it. That this unalienable right was and is God given. And without it there would be no Plan of Salvation – no progression. We knew that freedom is never given, it is purchased with blood.

A few thousand years before the birth of Christ, a group of people were led to our great land. In the Book of Ether it says:

“Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written.”

After the crucifixion and resurrection of our Savior, the Church that Jesus organized fell into apostasy. The Lord needed a land that offered freedom enough to restore His Church. Men like: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Roger Sherman and Benjamin Franklin were raised up and inspired by the Holy Spirit to declare that this nation was free, and stated:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”

And by the power of God and under the leadership of George Washington, a pitiful bunch of unorganized, badly outnumbered settlers fought the most powerful nation on the earth – and won.

Again under the leadership of George Washington as president of the Constitutional Convention, and under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, a sacred document was produced that begins with these words:

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

On September 11, 2001 this precious freedom of ours came under attack again and thousands of lives were taken in a cowardly act. We honor those people as we honor all those through out our history who have paid the ultimate price so that we can be free. Men like Crispus Attacks who, on March 5, 1770 was killed on the Boston Common along with four others and caused a people to unite together and begin the fight for freedom. Men like LJ Oborn, who along with millions of others went to a foreign land and paid the ultimate price in blood to maintain our freedom and secure the freedom of others.

The third verse of our national anthem is rarely sung, but the words have meaning today as they did when they were first written:

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Now after the countless lives given to maintain that hard won freedom, we as a nation are giving up our liberty and rights for a little security. During the last century our elected representatives – congressman, senators and presidents – began taking our freedoms away by offering to take care of us. Starting with Franklin D Roosevelt who instituted the most devastating policies including the New Deal and especially the ponzi scheme known as Social Security, our presidents have been instrumental in taking more power to themselves and freedom away from us. Ronald Reagan stopped this slide into socialism temporarily, but Clinton and Bush jumped on the progressive band wagon and opened their arms to a nanny state.

However, it is our current president and current representatives who are taking our republic and turning it into a socialist state. “Never to waste a good disaster” our representatives are using the current financial crisis to steal power for themselves and destroy our hard fought freedoms. With few exceptions, our national government has deserted the founding principles of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. The thread that holds our Constitution is unraveling and we are on the verge of losing it. Benjamin Franklin said, “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” Our government is attempting to take our essential liberty and offering financial safety – shame on us if we allow this to continue!

In the Dr. Seuss classic, Horton Hears a Who, the Whos’ world was going to be destroyed just because they couldn’t get the “Big” government to hear them. It started slow, but soon almost all of the Who world was crying to be heard – except for one individual. Without the “one” voice, big government was going to throw the world into the boiling oil. But then the “one” woke up to his responsibility and shouted to be heard. It was enough – the big people heard and the world was saved.

I do not want to be the one that is silent, the one that won’t shout, the one voice that stays complacent and lets my world be thrown into the vat of boiling oil. I will speak out. The government cannot save us – they are the problem. It is only through the people that we can reclaim the freedoms that we have lost, and save those that we still have.

I will be part of grass-root movements that speak out. One way is by letting my representatives know that they work for me, and I will not accept or tolerate the misuse of power – the power that comes from the people. Regardless of political affiliation, I will campaign to remove from office any representative that:

• Votes to approve a socialistic program. That includes: Cap and Trade, Socialize Health Care, and any so called Stimulus package that takes control of individual and business rights.


• Who has been in office for more than 2 terms for a senator or 3 terms for a representative. It is the professional politician who is a major cause for our slide into socialism.


• Who will not read a bill before voting on it. This nation of ours is a republic which means that those we elect into office are our representatives – it is their job to read and study all pieces of legislation – that is why we voted them in as our representatives!

The voice of freedom is not heard in the halls of congress nor in the white house. It is not even the few on the radio who espouse conservative principles – though those voices clearly can rally freedom loving people. The voice of freedom is the millions of people in California who just recently rose up and said no to new taxes. It is millions of people around the country that attend the “tea parties” standing up to run away spending. The voice of freedom is the thousands of state legislatures in Montana, Utah, Texas and many other states who are passing laws telling the Federal government that the 9th and 10th amendment are inviolate. It is the millions of voters around this nation who can and will vote people like Chris Dodd out of office next year, and the voters in other states that have finally had enough of their representatives. The voice of freedom never has been one or two people. It is normally a sleeping majority that when riled will wake up and say “Enough!”

As we see again this attack on our freedom, let us resolve to never let go of that hard-earned liberty. Remember the words of Captain John Parker as he faced the British on the Lexington Green, “Stand your ground…”