The Monster At Our Throats

The Founding Fathers of the United States risked everything for Freedom. And their legacy has been a beacon to the world for over two centuries. And we, the beneficiaries of their sacrifice and courage, have enjoyed the greatest freedom, security and plenty in the history of the world.

And now we face our own moment of truth.

The forces of tyranny have gained strength in the West. They pretend to love Liberty, but in their mouths it means Privilege. And only for themselves.

They have twisted the concept of the Rights of the Individual into the Rights of the Privileged to use government against individuals.

The Individual Right to Freedom of Speech has become:

The Right of the Privileged to wield government power to silence those who disagree with them, or say things they don't like or offend their delicate sensibilities; to forbid words and ideas they disapprove of; to ruin those whose speech they find offensive or who defy them.

The Individual Right to Freedom of Association has become:

The Right of the Privileged to wield government power to force themselves on any person, into any organization, any establishment or business, and any private club, regardless of the feelings, beliefs, preferences, or desires of the individual, the organizers, the owners, or the members.

The Individual Right to Freedom of Religion has become:

The Right of the Privileged to wield government power to to forbid any expression of religions they don't like; to criminalize people who hold or express tenets of such a religion; to destroy the reputation of, banish from respectability—and public spaces—any group known to practice any religion they find objectionable.

The Individual Right of Freedom of the Press has become:

The Right of the Privileged to control information so that theirs is the only voice heard; to manufacture news that confirms their point of view; to obfuscate any truth that contradicts it; to publicly proclaim the media is unbiased while using its power in the service of their agenda and the destruction of their enemies.

The Individual Right to Keep and Bear Arms has become:

The Right of the Privileged to wield government power to disarm as many citizens as possible through ever growing categories of "disqualification"; to impose regulations that result in firearms becoming prohibitively expensive or difficult to acquire; to permit ownership by as few as possible without being exposed as too flagrantly violating the Constitution; to retain all power of arms in the Agents of the State; and to use them to "pacify" citizens deemed inconvenient.

The Collective Right of the People to retain all powers not specifically assigned to government has become:

All powers the Constitution does not specifically forbid to government, devolves to government.

We live in very dangerous times. The government has grown beyond control by the citizens. There are so many laws extant that all of us are in violation of some. We are criminals, inadvertent as we may be, and could be hauled before the magistrate should that become "convenient". It has all the power it needs to become, at a moment's notice—at the whim of an elite few—the Police State of "Black Helicopter" nightmares.

The only thing keeping this hungry monster at bay is tradition, and the good will, accidental decency, or fear, or lack of imagination of those who wield the Power.

I feel the hot breath of the beast at my throat. One wrong move...

Thomas Jefferson said that from time to time the tree of Liberty must be fertilized by the blood of tyrants and patriots. Is now one of those times? We are balanced precariously on the edge of a knife. Will the monster retreat? Or will it attack? Can we make government smaller, weaker; get it under our control again? Can we recapture true freedom through the political process? Perhaps. But how do we put the genie back in the bottle?

Because a nation calls itself free, out of habit and tradition, does not make it so. The government, as spawned and gorged by the Left has grown beyond all reasonable bounds. It has stolen our independence, our self-reliance, our property, our money, our children, our religion, our self-determination, our national pride, our privacy, our borders, our culture, our language.

Re-made in the image of the great Liberal Elite, it trespasses in our homes, businesses, vehicles, bodies, souls, spirits, our faith and even our sexuality. It decides and dictates what is Right, what is Truth, what is moral, what is decent, what is proper, what is patriotic, and what is respectable; what is required, what is allowed and what is forbidden. When is enough, enough?

The Founders pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to give birth to Liberty for all. Can we do any less to preserve it? And if we don't, do we deserve it?

The Gunslinger