Give me liberty... Or whatever you feel is fair
Two hundred and thirty years ago, the most important and influential document in human history up to that time, was approved and finalized. This document was simple in nature, and stated nothing more than the liberties that God had endowed upon all men, and listed the grievances that these people had against their sovereign.This document was signed by only 56 men, but spoke for several millions.
Of the men that signed this document, all were wealthy and educated with sizeable estates.Many signed the document assuming that their own personal wealth would be multiplied. Some were hungry for power. Others were simply malcontents, spoiling for a fight. A very few were visionaries who longed for freedom. The one thing that they all had in common was the determination to do what had never been attempted before... The formation of a new nation, governed by the consent of the people, and based upon the premise that no man was worth any more than another.
These very words were considered by the British Crown to be treason. The very suggestion that a mere peasant was worth the same as a "noble" was not only offensive, but seditious. Yet here were subjects of the Crown declaring their equality.
Endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness
The collective gasp among the gentry must have been amazing. I wonder how many courtiers fell to the ground in incredulity after hearing those words. I can imagine the gossip and the insults leveled at the "rebellious American colonies."
After the shock wore off, however, the wrath of the Crown was shewn to those who were brazen enough to delcare their independance. Hordes of British infantry, cavalry, artillery, seamen, marines, and Engineer were sent to these shores for the sole purpose of sacking and burning every town, of imprisoning the inhabitants, and of hanging those who would bear arms against the King.
Many colonials were insuffecient to the task of liberty and shrank from the British. Others had no desire to seperate from Britian and actively worked to aid the British Crown. Still a few men, less than one third, supported a rebellion; and if were incapable of bearing arms, contributed mightly of their substance to finance those who could.
Farms were sold, plantations stripped to the bare ground, men and material were placed into service with one goal only. The goal was simple; to seize from a tyrant the title and posession of our nation, to secure liberty for themselves and their posterity, and to provide for themselves a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
As must happen in all such times, men of honor stood and accepted the call of liberty. They secured by their blood the time that the new Continental Congress needed to field an Army, properly trained and supplied. Honourable men, learned in the arts of warfare and diplomacy accepted the call of the new nation, leaving their posessions and families, knowing not when, if ever they would return. Some of these men would never live to see home again, others would return home to find only ashes and destruction where once they rested. Still others would find their homes standing, but their families gone forever, and never learining what happened.
Such men, as they always have, shoulder their greif and make good of what bad they find. Homes can be rebuilt, families restored, and honorable remembrance made of the fallen.
Blow wind; Come rack! Atleast we'll die with the harness off our back!
Struggle ensued, yet not one of the men who signed and pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honour ever recanted. Most were made homeless. Many lost their families. Several died in captivity. And yet several more died penniless. The one common trait was the adherance to an ideal; that the least amongst us is as worthwhile as the great.
Where have thse men gone? More and more everyday we hear of traitorous and seditious scum trading away the liberties secured for us by our fore-fathers for material wealth. They hold not sacred our ideals, our meaning as a nation. Precious freedoms are being whittled away and foreign law is being cited in cases against citizens. Jury trials, the foundation of our system of justice are being replaced by "administrative courts," organized against the citizen, without an unbiased jury, and without the ability to appeal to a superior court. Classes of people are being created, with a ruling minority weilding power and might; the humbled masses being harnessed with the oxbow of taxes to pay for it. Everyday we see our freedoms having conditions placed upon them, and Jurists babbling about a "living constitution."
The people are being seduced into captivity by "programs" and "entitlements" that do little to address poverty and ignorance, and instead are designed to enslave thru dependance. One cannot read the news without hearing of another "carrot" being created in Congress to encourage, or a "stick" being threatened to discourage, actions that the ruling minority find to be either acceptable or egregious. I do know for certain that Patrick Henry was not talking about governmental subsidation when he uttered his famous statement. Material wealth was considered secondary to the idea of freedom from tyrany and oppression.
This is what we need today. We desperately need to be free from the tyrany we have created and placed upon ourselves, thru our elected representatives. These men are tyrants that have forefeited the allegiance of us citizens, yet are insanely powerful and practice foolery to gain re-election year after year. We must, I SAY MUST, gain back the ground lost to American Elitits in both the government and media. For our own continued survival, lest we only be read about in the history books.
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! in soon!!!
Of the men that signed this document, all were wealthy and educated with sizeable estates.Many signed the document assuming that their own personal wealth would be multiplied. Some were hungry for power. Others were simply malcontents, spoiling for a fight. A very few were visionaries who longed for freedom. The one thing that they all had in common was the determination to do what had never been attempted before... The formation of a new nation, governed by the consent of the people, and based upon the premise that no man was worth any more than another.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal
These very words were considered by the British Crown to be treason. The very suggestion that a mere peasant was worth the same as a "noble" was not only offensive, but seditious. Yet here were subjects of the Crown declaring their equality.
Endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness
The collective gasp among the gentry must have been amazing. I wonder how many courtiers fell to the ground in incredulity after hearing those words. I can imagine the gossip and the insults leveled at the "rebellious American colonies."
After the shock wore off, however, the wrath of the Crown was shewn to those who were brazen enough to delcare their independance. Hordes of British infantry, cavalry, artillery, seamen, marines, and Engineer were sent to these shores for the sole purpose of sacking and burning every town, of imprisoning the inhabitants, and of hanging those who would bear arms against the King.
Many colonials were insuffecient to the task of liberty and shrank from the British. Others had no desire to seperate from Britian and actively worked to aid the British Crown. Still a few men, less than one third, supported a rebellion; and if were incapable of bearing arms, contributed mightly of their substance to finance those who could.
Farms were sold, plantations stripped to the bare ground, men and material were placed into service with one goal only. The goal was simple; to seize from a tyrant the title and posession of our nation, to secure liberty for themselves and their posterity, and to provide for themselves a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
As must happen in all such times, men of honor stood and accepted the call of liberty. They secured by their blood the time that the new Continental Congress needed to field an Army, properly trained and supplied. Honourable men, learned in the arts of warfare and diplomacy accepted the call of the new nation, leaving their posessions and families, knowing not when, if ever they would return. Some of these men would never live to see home again, others would return home to find only ashes and destruction where once they rested. Still others would find their homes standing, but their families gone forever, and never learining what happened.
Such men, as they always have, shoulder their greif and make good of what bad they find. Homes can be rebuilt, families restored, and honorable remembrance made of the fallen.
Men in rags, men who froze; Men who bled, sweated, toiled, and sometimes died. Still they continued on, never ceasing even when demorializing defeats were suffered upon them. The prize was not glory nor fame nor even wealth. They sought not lands or slaves. They sought an idea, that they could determine for themselves their own lives, and bend no knee and give no homage not due.
Blow wind; Come rack! Atleast we'll die with the harness off our back!
Struggle ensued, yet not one of the men who signed and pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honour ever recanted. Most were made homeless. Many lost their families. Several died in captivity. And yet several more died penniless. The one common trait was the adherance to an ideal; that the least amongst us is as worthwhile as the great.
Where have thse men gone? More and more everyday we hear of traitorous and seditious scum trading away the liberties secured for us by our fore-fathers for material wealth. They hold not sacred our ideals, our meaning as a nation. Precious freedoms are being whittled away and foreign law is being cited in cases against citizens. Jury trials, the foundation of our system of justice are being replaced by "administrative courts," organized against the citizen, without an unbiased jury, and without the ability to appeal to a superior court. Classes of people are being created, with a ruling minority weilding power and might; the humbled masses being harnessed with the oxbow of taxes to pay for it. Everyday we see our freedoms having conditions placed upon them, and Jurists babbling about a "living constitution."
The people are being seduced into captivity by "programs" and "entitlements" that do little to address poverty and ignorance, and instead are designed to enslave thru dependance. One cannot read the news without hearing of another "carrot" being created in Congress to encourage, or a "stick" being threatened to discourage, actions that the ruling minority find to be either acceptable or egregious. I do know for certain that Patrick Henry was not talking about governmental subsidation when he uttered his famous statement. Material wealth was considered secondary to the idea of freedom from tyrany and oppression.
This is what we need today. We desperately need to be free from the tyrany we have created and placed upon ourselves, thru our elected representatives. These men are tyrants that have forefeited the allegiance of us citizens, yet are insanely powerful and practice foolery to gain re-election year after year. We must, I SAY MUST, gain back the ground lost to American Elitits in both the government and media. For our own continued survival, lest we only be read about in the history books.
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! in soon!!!
posted by Medula Oblongata at 11:25 AM
1 Comments:
Revolver Shooter-
At the advent of the second world war, Congress gave the President "War Powers" that allowed him to issue executive orders that cannot be challenged by the courts or congress, and the ability to make treaties without congressional approval, thereby getting around article II, section 2 of the contitution.
The legality of the war powers authority has been challenged and the Supreme Court has refused to hear the case.
Ergo, the President may make treaties with foreign nations (even if there is no war on) without any approval and withot any mechanism to repeal or challenge the legality of the order.
Most people do not realize this, and the government keeps it low key, but it is the truth. Do a search in the Library of Congress for "war powers act" authority and uses.
Best regards!
Medula
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