Our Founders fought against tyranny in a war that spanned eight years, ultimately freeing themselves, and their new country, from the oppressive rule they experienced under King George III of England.
They believed, "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."
They envisioned a nation with limited government, where people would be free from draconian rule, to live their lives without government interference.
Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of our Declaration of Independence and third president of these United States, stated, “The policy of American government is to leave its citizens free, neither restraining them nor aiding them in their pursuits.”
Despite this, over the decades that have come and gone, We the People have allowed government to expand to a size and scope our Founders would not approve, would not believe.
Witness the existence of free speech zones, places where American citizens are allowed to speak their mind, yet our First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech, without reservation of location.
Benjamin Franklin, deemed The First American due to his early role in the fight for independence, proclaimed, "Freedom of speech is a principal pillar of a free government; when this support is taken away, the constitution of a free society is dissolved, and tyranny is erected on its ruins."
How about any and all laws limiting an American's right to bear arms, or, possibly worse, Red Flag Laws?
James Madison, Father of our U.S. Constitution and fourth president, declared, “The Constitution preserves the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation where the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.”
While Patrick Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death Henry, pointed out, quite accurately, "Where and when did freedom exist when the power of the sword and purse were given up from the people?"
And, it goes on.
Government now controls virtually every aspect of our lives.
Founder of the Sons of Liberty Samuel Adams stated, "The grand end of civil government, from the very nature of its institution, is for the support, protection, and defence of those very rights; the principal of which, as is before observed, are Life, Liberty, and Property."
Note those words, "...support, protection, and defence of those very rights..."
Not taking away. Not limiting.
Yet, government today limits or takes away our unalienable rights and then either licenses them back to us or we never see them again.
We must keep in mind what George Washington, our first president, said ... “The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty, and the destiny of the Republican model of Government, are justly considered as deeply, perhaps as finally staked, on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people.”
Washington did not mince words. He and our other Founders knew what was at stake. He said, in the hands of the American people, not in the hands of politicians.
We the People.
Three powerful words that have stood as the guiding light for nearly 250 years.
Yet, there are those who now embrace big government, Socialism, or worse.
Perhaps Ronald Reagan, in his first inaugural address as governor of California, said it best: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”
Only through educating all Americans about our history, about American Exceptionalism, about why America Is Great, from an early age, will we remain free.
As second president John Adams said, “Children should be educated and instructed in the principles of freedom,” and, “Liberty cannot be preserved without general knowledge among the people.”
Know your rights. Protect your liberty.
You, your family and friends can start by watching the award-winning In Search of Liberty Constitution movie. It is a great refresher or educational tool about our freedom, our rights, our liberty. Following the movie, check out the more in-depth study offered by Building Blocks for Liberty in their three-hour Constitution Boot Camp Streaming Home Edition or consider Constitutional attorney KrisAnne Hall's online Liberty First University.
After all, you must first know your rights to then defend your rights.
by Scott D. Welch, Patriot
Direct descendant of 8 Americans who fought in the Revolutionary War
Cousin of Patrick Henry
