This past weekend, my grandson came home with two first place medals from the Virginia USCDKA Tae Kwon Do tournament. The competitors ranged from lethal Chuck Norris types down to my little buddy’s mini-peewee class. After watching the spectacular leaps and kicks of some of the more athletic young men, I am glad I still have my concealed handgun permit for personal protection. Perhaps thirty five years ago, I may have tried such maneuvers… but not in 2012. Some of those guys were amazing!
I was also astounded at the way the ten and twelve year olds went after each other during the sparring competition. For those concerned about the safety these boys and girls taking part in full contact martial arts, they are fully padded and protected from the blows the give and receive. In this sense it is a great experience for the children as they learn to take hits and continue to fight harder. It is also an individual sport where they are completely responsible for their own outcomes. Team sports function help the participants work together, which is another essential lesson, yet, there are times in life when there is no team around and you just have to take responsibility for the outcome.
It is well documented that many of America’s Founding Fathers had a very real and deep-seated distrust of standing armies–and for good reason. They had just fought a costly and bloody war for independence, which had been largely predicated upon the propensities for the abuse and misuse of individual liberties by a pervasive and powerful standing army (belonging to Great Britain) amongst them. Listen to Thomas Jefferson: “I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.” Note that Jefferson identified both banking institutions and standing armies as being “dangerous to our liberties.” James Madison said, “A standing army is one of the greatest mischief that can possibly happen.” Elbridge Gerry (Vice President under James Madison) called standing armies “the bane of liberty.”
For the most part, the sentiments of our founders ring hollow to modern Americans who, ever since World War II, have glorified, idolized, and practically even worshipped the standing US military. But of course, with only isolated instances (which were almost always completely covered up by the mainstream news media) of the abuse of military power being committed against US citizens, the American people, as a whole, have no point of reference directing them to the sagacity of America’s founders on the subject. Indeed, who could even imagine that US military forces would ever be used against the US citizenry? After all, the media did a masterful job of covering up the most flagrant example of US military forces being used against US citizens when US military forces assisted federal law enforcement agencies in slaughtering the Branch Davidians outside Waco, Texas, on April 19, 1993. So, most Americans simply shut their eyes against that “painful truth” and chose to ignore the fact that it even happened.
Yes, there have been isolated instances of military personnel abusing their authority against American citizens (i.e., Waco in 1993, Kent State University in 1970), but overall the founders’ deep-seated distrust of standing armies has been replaced with deep-seated trust. But were our founders right to be distrusting of standing armies? And are we wrong to be so trusting of standing armies? Consider the following report by Dr. Andrew Bosworth.
In the past few years the number of concealed hand gun permits have exploded all across the nation, except in states that believe the protection they provide is all the protection their citizens deserve. Of course it sounds like a cliché, but it is true that, if you are in imminent danger, a gun in the hand is better than a policeman on the phone.
We Christians trust God for our safety and many believe we should not have to depend on man’s weapons. There is no argument with this thinking. However, we live in a world with other people around us. We Christians should be even more aware that whatever we are doing or what is going on… it’s not just about us.
On October 16, 1991, George Hennard drove his pickup truck into a Luby’s cafeteria in Kileen, Texas and proceeded to kill 23 patrons and wound 20 others. Adding to the tragedy was the fact that at least one of the victims had a pistol locked in the glove compartment of his truck. Had he had it with him, lives could well have been saved. We are seeing more of this sort of thing as time goes by. Just this past week we saw a vicious attack on a west coast salon.
Many times I hear the ostriches among us exclaim, “What freedoms have we lost? America is the freest country on earth.” We have all heard that, right? Of course, part of the problem is that, thanks to our education system, media, and churches, many Americans do not even know how to define liberty and freedom. The truth is, America’s Founding Fathers were willing to pledge their “lives, fortunes, and sacred honor” and fight a bloody revolutionary war for far fewer abridgments of liberty than we Americans endure every day of our lives today. FAR FEWER!
To answer the second part of the ostrich argument first: no, America is not the freest nation on earth. According to the Index of Economic Freedom, which is produced by the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal, the United States just barely makes it in the top ten, ranked at number nine in the world.
According to Deroy Murdock, “Among the 179 countries examined in the Index, Hong Kong is ranked first, followed by Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Canada, Ireland, and Denmark. These nations all outscored the U.S. across ten categories, including taxes, free trade, regulation, monetary policy, and corruption.
There has been much speculation lately about Governor Cristie joining the GOP presidential race. It has been inspired in part by Republican establishment types shaking in their boots that they may have a genuine conservative representing “their” party. The other part of the equation is people who genuinely believe he is the answer to defeating the pretender in the White House.
I must admit that when he is taking on the unions and the press I am right their cheering along with the rest his fans. He has the chutzpa we need in this world of political correctness and cowardice. It’s kind of like the attitude of the t-shirt I saw in a store window along the Asbury Park boardwalk many years age, that said, “Welcome to New Jersey, Now go home”. People are responding to a leader that is not afraid to speak up and stand against the prevailing “wisdom”.
The problem comes when he partakes of the conventional “wisdom”. Governor Cristie does this with disheartening and frightening frequency. Of course, the agenda driven formerly mainstream media hasn’t really given the public much of a heads up on some of his more controversial positions.
Not that the national media notices much, but the federal government under President Barack Obama has been supplying guns to Mexican drug gangs for quite a spell. With only a few print media bothering to cover the story, Obama’s Justice Department has been discovered secretly supplying firearms to Mexican drug lords using taxpayer “stimulus” monies. If that wasn’t bad enough, guns supplied to these Mexican miscreants by federal agents were used to kill at least one US Border Patrol agent. After the death of the BP agent, California Congressman Darrell Issa launched an investigation into the matter and uncovered what most anyone would correctly describe as a vast government conspiracy to supply firearms to Mexican drug cartels. As a result of Issa’s congressional investigations, numerous heads at the ATF have lost their jobs–or more correctly–have been “reassigned.”
Two days ago, the Washington Post reported, “The ATF head has been reassigned amid an investigation into a controversial U.S. gun-trafficking operation, part of a broader shake-up at the Justice Department in which the U.S. attorney in Phoenix also stepped down, officials said Tuesday.
“Kenneth E. Melson, acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, will become a senior adviser on forensic science in the department’s Office of Legal Policy. He will be replaced as acting director at ATF by B. Todd Jones, the U.S. attorney in Minnesota, the department said in a statement.”
The sun is shining here in central Virginia, and I feel a gentle breeze on my face, but things are far from normal for many of us. While we are a hundred miles inland from the coast, a short drive around my neighborhood finds three foot diameter trees across the road, remnants of power poles hanging from the wires they used to support and other wires wrapped around trees. I can only imagine what the good folks at Dominion Power are dealing with closer to the usually bustling Virginia beach.
Beyond the fallen power lines are other hazards in taking to the highways. Many of these fallen power lines are connected to those traffic signals that usually keep us from running into each other. Unfortunately, some people have difficulty grasping the idea that a darkened traffic light should be treated as a four way stop… and they just go cruising through. Must be people from up north somewhere, or maybe an illegal alien or two.
For the most part, though, people are dealing with the whole situation quite well. I met a few neighbors that I hadn’t know before. Having nowhere to go, we took the time to help each other out of our individual plights – like cutting the tree away from around my daughter’s car. Then we actually sat down across a dinner table from people we usually just wave to. There are some good things that came from the storm.
The Internet is filled with good and bad. Personally, I believe the Internet (along with a precious few independent newspapers and radio talk shows) is analogous to colonial America’s “Committees of Correspondence”: it is the last resource of uncontrolled, unfiltered information left. I dare say if it wasn’t for the Internet (and the massive private ownership of firearms), it is doubtful that there would be anything left of the once great American republic. There isn’t much left as it is.
To help readers locate a variety of quality web sites, we posted a list of sites that I personally have found helpful. I invite readers to peruse these fine web sites: Click here.
Scrolling down the list, one will find James Wesley, Rawles’ web site: “Survival Blog.” This is one of the very best online resources for preparedness that I know of. Furthermore, I recommend that everyone read Rawles’ fantastic book, “Patriots: A Novel Of Survival In The Coming Collapse.” This book should be regarded as must reading for every American who cares about the future of his country and his family. Read more of this article »
They cheered. We cheered. The courageous words stir our hearts and our spirits. We are inspired by those who speak of standing up against an oppressive government and look to them to lead the way, and secretly hope that their sacrifices will be sufficient to get the job done. But, what if it isn’t enough? What if the task falls to us? Will we take up the task and do what is right, or will we lament the lost freedoms… and apologize to our children for having destroyed their legacy.
We admire Daniel along with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who stood against prideful monarchs who set themselves against the Almight God. But, some would say, our guns do not compare to the divine worship. This is true, however they could be one of the restraining influences that keeps our current government from trampling on even more of our God-given rights and privileges… including our ability to worship and, worse, spread the word. Read more of this article »
The shootings of at least 18 people (6 killed, at least 12 wounded) in Tucson, Arizona, has predictably ignited a firestorm of anti-gun, anti-right, and anti-anything not “liberal” diatribes from the typical big government talking heads in Washington, D.C., and New York City. Anti-freedom congressmen railed for more gun control, including resurrecting Bill Clinton’s so-called Assault Weapons ban, and other laws restricting “high capacity” magazines (the assailant reportedly used a Glock 9mm in the attack).
If the newly elected Republican majority in the US House of Representatives has a political death wish for 2012, they will stupidly facilitate more gun control legislation. If there is anything the vast majority of grassroots Americans (from just about anywhere) are absolutely sick and tired of, it is gun control legislation. The vast majority of Americans firmly support the right of the people to keep and bear arms, the shooting in Tucson notwithstanding. In fact, since the hastily passed Assault Weapons ban expired, a majority of Americans has been truly educated regarding the intrinsic protection that personal firearms possession affords. Thanks to notable researchers such as John Lott, most Americans understand the veracity of writer Robert Heinlein’s sagacious counsel: “An armed society is a polite society.” So true.
I invite readers to study Lott’s recent column regarding the Arizona shootings at: http://tinyurl.com/4939z9c
I just spoke last week to a packed house here in my home State of Montana (with more than 500 people in attendance who came out on a Tuesday night in sub-zero temperatures to hear me), and I would estimate that twenty percent of them (or more) were carrying their own personal side arms. I would pity the poor idiot who would have attempted to duplicate Loughner’s attack in that assemblage. Obviously, guns in the hands of the citizenry are far and away more of a deterrent to violent crime than a contributor to it. Read more of this article »
I am very hurt that already some in the political world and in the media are attempting to fix blame for the tragic slaughter of innocent people in Tucson, AZ on political and social conservatives. Millions of Americans feel strongly about the unrelenting attacks on Constitutional freedom, and the growing tyranny of an insatiable hunger for political power. There has been some very strong language used on both sides, but heated political debate does not incite violence in reasonable people. Likewise, the actions of a crazed individual should not be blamed on people of strong convictions on the political right or the left.
There are those who are calling for armed revolution in this country, and they must be condemned by all who cherish true freedom and American Constitutional government. ALL of the calls for violence and revolution I have heard over the past two years have come from people who have long embraced radical ideas from the political left. There have been very few instances of right wing radical violence, and all of them have been unanimously condemned from those on the conservative side.
There is a very small minority of extremists on the left and an even smaller minority on the right who would tolerate violence as a means for political change. Both those minorities must be condemned immediately, forcefully, and completely from all American. Read more of this article »
Saturday was a sad day in Tucson when a deranged young man peppered a US congresswoman and the crowd around her with shots from a 9mm Glock. The target, Gabrielle Giffords did not die, but others around her did, simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. The shooter, Jared Loughner had a history of run ins with local law enforcement and is reported to have spent his time reading the Communist Manifesto and Mein Kampf.
In spite of this history, members of the progressive left in this country were quick to blame those they fear the most – Sarah Palin and talk radio. Never mind that this troubled young man represented much that the Tea Party stands against. The accusations do, however, match the prejudices of the ruling class, who see those who stand for freedom and against the growth of governmental power as a danger to their nefarious schemes.
In a shameless display of partisan opportunism, Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik complained, “I think the vitriolic rhetoric that we hear day in and day out from people in the radio business and some people in the TV business and what we see on TV and how our youngsters are being raised, that this has not become the nice United States of America that most of us grew up in. And I think it’s time that we do the soul-searching,” This, in spite of the “Ethical Decisions” emblazoned across the top of the Sheriff’s official web site beginning with, “Am I acting out of anger, lust, greed or peer pressure” Read more of this article »
In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies.”
I would argue that we, like our patriot forebears, have also endured “patient sufferance.” For at least a half-century, we have patiently endured the erosion and abridgment of our freedoms and liberties. We have watched the federal government become an overbearing and meddlesome Nanny State that pokes its nose and sticks its fingers in virtually everything we do. We cannot drive a car, buy a gun, or even flush a toilet without Big Brother’s permission. We are taxed, regulated, and snooped-on from the time we are born to the day we die. And then after we are dead, we are taxed again.
In the same way that Jefferson and Company patiently suffered up until that shot was fired that was heard around the world, we who love freedom today are likewise patiently suffering “a long train of abuses and usurpations.” In fact, I would even dare say that these States United have become a boiling cauldron of justifiable frustration and even anger. Read more of this article »
It’s sad what is happening to the National Rifle Association (NRA). For decades they have stood for the rights of gun owners and helped elect legislators who will vote to preserve them. They are still doing this, more or less. However, in their tunnel vision, focusing only on the right to protect ones self with a fire arm, they are exposing the fallacy of any single issue organization.
In pursuing this course, they are being sucked into a trap that could ultimately frustrate their lifelong struggle. This is the same error many pro-lifers make when they only look at the abortion issue. Here in Virginia, we see three Democrat congressmen who vote consistently with the Pelosi, Reid, Obama axis of evil.
However, the Old Dominion is not alone. This pattern is repeated throughout the nation. Go to the NRA web site to see who the Political Victory Fund is supporting in your state. Mr. LaPierre and company, in supporting legislators who vote correctly on various specific bills, ignore the whole body of their work in congress. In supporting Democrat lawmakers, they are, ultimately, empowering Speaker Pelosi and her extreme anti-gun agenda. This is kind of an awkward situation to be in… if it were to be acknowledged. Read more of this article »
The decision by Congress to socialize medicine in the US ranks among the most draconian, most egregious, most horrific actions ever taken by the central government in Washington, D.C. This bill rocks the principles of liberty and constitutional government to the core. It changes fundamental foundations; it repudiates historical principle. Oh! The same flag may fly on our flagpoles, the same monuments may grace our landscape, and the same National Anthem may be sung during our public ceremonies, but it is not the same America. The Congress of the United States has now officially turned America into a socialist state.
On March 21, 2010, Congress passed, and on March 23, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the dreaded national health care bill into law, and as such, these dates join a list of dates that have each inflicted unconstitutional, socialistic, and sometimes even tyrannical action against the States united and have, therefore, contributed to the destruction of a free America.
April 9, 1865
This is the date when General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to U.S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia. Regardless of where one comes down on the subject of the Civil War, one fact is undeniable: Abraham Lincoln seriously dismantled the Jeffersonian model of federalism in America. Ever since, virtually every battle that free men have fought for the principles of limited government, State sovereignty, etc., has stemmed directly from Lincoln’s usurpation of power, which resulted in the subjugation and forced union of what used to be “Free and Independent States” (the Declaration of Independence). In fact, the philosophical battles being waged today regarding the recent health care debacle (and every other encroachment upon liberty and State power by the central government) have their roots in Lincoln’s tyranny. Read more of this article »
There is a YouTube video making the rounds that inspires tea party patriots and gives ajada to many progressive statists. It is the product of congressional candidate Rick Barber looking for a way into the hearts and minds of Republican voters in Alabama’s 2nd district. The brief video shows him discussing today’s issues with some founding fathers. After enumerating the various assaults on our property and liberty, he is told, “Gather your armies”.
For some reason, those who have imbibed in the Obama kool aid see this as a call for armed rebellion. Considering the abundant and intrusive excesses of the current administration combined with the publicly expressed anger of so many Americans, it is understandable that the perpetrators would be nervous. However, Barber contends that he is really only looking to gather grass roots armies and arouse the sleeping giant that the tea party movement has begun to stir. Read more of this article »
With much media fanfare, 9 members of a Michigan militia were arrested last March and charged with “seditious conspiracy”–specifically, plotting to murder law enforcement officers. Ostensibly, this was supposed to precipitate some kind of wholesale revolt against the government. Question: Have any of you heard anyone from the propaganda press corps (national news media) tell you what has been happening with this case? No? Did you not wonder why? Well, I’ll tell you why: the case has fallen apart.
The first indication of the Feds’ case going bad was a local report in the Toledo (Ohio) Blade, dated April 28, 2010. “An FBI agent who led the investigation of nine Michigan militia members charged with trying to launch war against the federal government couldn’t recall many details of the two-year probe yesterday during questioning by defense lawyers.
“Even the judge who must decide whether to release the nine until trial was puzzled.
“‘I share the frustrations of the defense team . . . that she doesn’t know anything,’ U.S. District Judge Victoria Roberts said after agent Leslie Larsen confessed she hadn’t reviewed her notes recently and couldn’t remember specific details of the case.” Read more of this article »
Many who watched the recent Super Bowl got to see two and a half million taxpayer dollars transferred into the hands of the formerly main stream media as we were treated to a mini-drama presented by C-list celebrities designed to encourage compliance with our government’s demands to know more and more about our personal lives. Now the time is approaching when we are expected to quietly tell the census takers not only how many toilets we have in our homes, but how often we use them.
It may seem like a small thing, and in broad scheme of things, it may be, but if we are not willing to resist the smaller intrusions into our lives, will be be able to find the courage to push back on bigger issues. If it is too much trouble to say “no” now, will be able to say “no” when they come to confiscate our firearms, or when they come to take our children because we are raising them to be Christians?
The Constitution authorizes the government to count us, but not to probe all areas of our existence. There are at least two reasons for this unwarranted seizure of our personal information. First, is the insatiable desire of some in power to know more and control more. Second is the oft discussed perversion called crony capitalism where the government supports and subsidizes favored marketplace competitors. Imagine the market research savings a corporation can realize if they can get the poor, unsuspecting taxpayers to foot the bill. Read more of this article »
The major news media was replete with reports over the weekend that the coffee company, Starbucks, “has no problem with customers packing heat while placing their orders.”
“The coffee giant says it won’t take issue with gun owners who take advantage of ‘open carry’ laws and bring firearms into their restaurant.” (Source: NBC News)
To tell you the truth, I’m not sure why this is even considered “newsworthy.” Perhaps because Starbucks is a Seattle-based company that caters to the “yuppie” crowd? Maybe because the anti-gun national news media is shocked and chagrined at Starbucks’ statement? Who knows? That Starbucks would not want to alienate millions of gun owners (many of whom lawfully carry concealed weapons for personal protection) makes perfectly good sense to me. I’m sure the statement by Starbucks has little to do with guns and everything to do with business. But the fact is, there are tens of thousands of lawfully armed citizens who carry either concealed or open that have been peacefully doing business with thousands of companies around the country for years.
At last glance, 12 states allow unrestricted open carry. Those states are Alaska, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, South Dakota, Vermont, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Virginia. Plus, at least 13 other states allow restricted open carry (meaning a permit is required). I know it infuriates gun-grabbing liberals to admit this, but the facts are absolutely undeniable that an armed citizenry is far and away a more civilized and peaceful citizenry. Read more of this article »
There has been copious speculation about who will arise to oppose Barack Hussein Obama at the end of his first and only term in office. There are almost as many ideas as there are people disgusted with the path of our country. I am looking for something more than an ideal candidate that can win an election. Instead of a politician running for an office, I would suggest we should be looking for a statesman… a leader with a vision and passion.
We often think of men like Washington, Jefferson, Adams… presidents all, but they were not alone in building the fledgling nation. There were others who drove the cause of freedom, helping pave the way to our independence. Patrick Henry was one of these who guided the our country into the light of independence. This future governor of Virginia is credited with helping his contemporaries see the need for independence and helping them to commit to fighting for it.
Through the years, his words have inspired many to a greater belief in both liberty and themselves. He demonstrated a single minded dedication to his country and its people. In view of the hazardous days ahead for our nation, it would be well to study these ideas coming from this man who loved his land and loved liberty. Read more of this article »
I think we need to face it: 2010 is more than a new year; it is also part of a new era in which all vestiges of normalcy and common sense have been left behind. In other words, it is a madhouse out there. Let me give you some examples of what I’m talking about.
Example Number One: In the world of anti-gun elitists, only common people are not allowed to defend themselves.
According to the Richmond (North Carolina) Times-Dispatch, “A sheriff says a North Carolina state senator shot one of two intruders at his home and hospital officials say the man is in fair condition.
“Multiple media outlets reported that Columbus County Sheriff Chris Batten said that 74-year-old Sen. R.C. Soles of Tabor City shot Kyle Blackburn late Sunday afternoon.”
According to the report, “Batten says the shooting occurred when two men went to the senator’s house and tried to kick in his front door. No charges have been filed.” Read more of this article »
One does not have to be a prophet to know that we are on the precipice of some potentially catastrophic–or at the very least, challenging–days. In fact, most of us are already in challenging days, and some are already enduring catastrophic events. That is, if one would call being out of work, losing one’s home, facing life-threatening medical conditions without any prospect of medical insurance, several families being forced to live in one house due to homes being foreclosed, etc., catastrophic.
The potential for an escalation of cataclysmic events, however, is very real. Only a “blooming idiot” would call someone who attempts to prepare for “the day of adversity” a Chicken Little now. Anyone who does not see the storm clouds on the horizon isn’t paying attention.
For example, can one imagine what would happen if terrorists nuked a major American city or cities? (Once again, I encourage readers to go get the videos of the CBS TV series “Jericho” to get an idea of how quickly life, and even civilization, could change.) Imagine if there was another 9/11-type event. What would happen if some form of Zimbabwe-style inflation hit the US? What would happen if anything disrupted the distribution of Welfare checks, or food to local grocers? Imagine a Hurricane Katrina-style natural disaster in your town. I think people everywhere are beginning to awaken to just how vulnerable we all really are. Read more of this article »
In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies.”
I would argue that we, like our patriot forebears, have also endured “patient sufferance.” For at least a half-century, we have patiently endured the erosion and abridgment of our freedoms and liberties. We have watched the federal government become an overbearing and meddlesome Nanny State that pokes its nose and sticks its fingers in virtually everything we do. We cannot drive a car, buy a gun, or even flush a toilet without Big Brother’s permission. We are taxed, regulated, and snooped-on from the time we are born to the day we die. And then after we are dead, we are taxed again.
In the same way that Jefferson and Company patiently suffered up until that shot was fired that was heard around the world, we who love freedom today are likewise patiently suffering “a long train of abuses and usurpations.” In fact, I would even dare say that these States United have become a boiling caldron of justifiable frustration and even anger.
Accordingly, it is incumbent upon us to very seriously and thoughtfully examine those principles that we absolutely will never cede or surrender. We have already surrendered much of the freedom that was bequeathed to us by our forefathers. We are now to the point that we must define those principles that form our “line in the sand” and that we will not surrender under any circumstance. Either that, or we must admit to ourselves that there is nothing–no principle, no freedom, no matter how sacred–that we will not surrender to Big Government. Read more of this article »
It was a cold and sometimes drizzly and blustery day in central Virginia Saturday, but that didn’t mean the struggles we face take a holiday… just because it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable to be out and about, the struggles do not end. The first event of the day began with the “Can You Hear Us Now” gathering outside the Richmond NBC affiliate. I chose Channel 12 because, unlike the other two stations, this one wasn’t located in on of the “nicer” sections of town. It turned out my guess was right as, even though we had twenty or so patriots with their signs, it was the smallest of the groups.
It was, however, a great group and we carried our message to the public at least, as we got no official response from the station, granted these places have minimal staff on duty over the weekend. However, other than homeward bound traffic, we saw the more people going past the location than any other time during the week. We were under the observation and protection of three motorcycle officers across the street as the city had been notified that we would be making our case. There were a surprising number of positive responses though from the people driving by… I didn’t see any negative reactions, even though some just turned away when they read our signs. It was a good time and several thousand Richmonders saw that we were not happy with the deference NBC shows to the big government politicians.
From there, I went over to the Republican Round Up held by the House Minority Whip. As it has been for the last several years, it was a gathering of Republican faithful from Virginia’s 7th District and around the commonwealth. The weather was still inhospitable, but the barbeque was good. Read more of this article »
We hear a lot and talk about our rights as Americans. We talk about the Bill of Rights… the first ten amendments to our constitution. These amendments were added almost immediately after ratification because the original document, while beautifully setting up the a government that functioned well for many years. It would be good to review this document from time to time, just to so we know what rights we have, and when they are being violated.
Bill of Rights
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Amendment II
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.
Amendment III
No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law. Read more of this article »
On this 8th anniversary of the attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, it behooves me to comment on the spirit of hatred that seems to motivate many people in and out of our great land. That the supporters and disciples of Vladimir Lenin, Karl Marx, Joseph Stalin, Leon Trotsky, Mao Tse-tung, and Adolf Hitler would hate America is understandable. Communism, socialism, and fascism are diametrically opposed to everything the United States was founded upon. Therefore, it is not surprising that people who espouse the tenets of these “isms” would exude hatred for America–at least for the America of our forebears. What is most disconcerting, however, is the number of people within our country (and I don’t mean illegal aliens) who harbor hatred in their hearts for our beloved land.
To be sure, one can count me in with those who hate the manner in which the international banking cartel has wormed its way into the inner workings of our federal government. I hate the condescending, elitist attitudes of many in higher education. I hate the way globalists–such as David Rockefeller and his ilk–have been able to use the federal government to promote and safeguard their own private financial and political agendas. I hate the way secularists in public education and private organizations–such as the ACLU, People For the American Way, the Anti Defamation League, etc.–have been able to strip our culture of its Christian heritage. I hate the way politicians from both parties in Washington, D.C., ignore and trample the U.S. Constitution. I hate the way professing Christians and “conservatives” turn a blind eye and deaf ear to the warmongering, police-state mentality of many within the national Republican Party. I hate the way Nancy Pelosi and her gaggle of liberal Democrats use their power to promote socialism in America. I hate the liberal bias of the mainstream news media. I hate the so-called “political correctness” that permeates the philosophy of virtually every major organization in America these days. I hate the attempts by liberals and “do-gooders” of all stripes to take away my right to keep and bear arms. And, yes, I hate the way America’s foreign policy has been manipulated by foreign lobbyists, socialists within the United Nations, and international business interests.
Some days it does not pay to get out of bed. Sometime back the New York Giant’s Plaxico Burress headed out for an evening on the town in Manhattan. One last accessory he packed was his unregistered hand gun. Then, while showing off his toy, somehow he shot himself in the leg. Now to make matters worse, he is going to jail for two years for simply having the gun. It could have been worse, New York City has such myopic anti-gun laws he could be spending the next three and a half years behind bars.
One would think that with the crime level in the city and the overtaxed police department, they would understand the need for people to defend themselves. However, the idea of handling ones own problem is foreign to the northeast liberal thought process. The only trustworthy approach is to let an anointed government agency take care of you.
Back to poor Plaxico… perforating his leg… heading off to the big house. It kind of reminds me of something John Wayne told us: “Life is tough, It’s tougher when you are stupid” Responsible gun owners know their weapon is not a toy to be played with… especially when one is drinking. Plaxico didn’t see it that way. Perhaps the sentence is appropriate more for stupidity if not for possessing a weapon the government did not know about.
This sentence is indicative of the irrational fear the government in the Big Apple has of people defending themselves. By comparison, Philadelphia Eagle Donte Stallworth, got behind the wheel after a few too many ‘adult beverages’ and actually killed someone. This landed him in jail for thirty days in another jurisdiction. Since Burress hurt no one but himself… but COULD HAVE killed someone with his unregistered weapon, he bought himself two years.
There is no understanding the progressive mind… only limiting the damage it can do.
During Patrick Henry’s famous “Give me liberty or give me death” speech, he said the following:
“Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth and listen to the song of that siren, till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth, to know the worst and to provide for it.”
Later in his historic speech Henry said, “Three millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, Sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, Sir, is not to the strong alone. It is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, Sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable. And let it come! I repeat it, Sir, let it come!” Read more of this article »
By now, most Americans are familiar with the horrific murder of a Pensacola, Florida, couple by the name of Byrd and Melanie Billings. They were the parents of 17 children, 13 of whom were adopted–most of whom had disabilities. This case hits home with me, because they lived in my hometown of Pensacola. I did not know them personally, but they were fairly well known around town. Byrd was a well-to-do businessman who owned a used car business and financial loan service.
Byrd and Melanie were shot to death in their own home a week ago Thursday. So far, eight people have been arrested in the case: seven men and one woman. The seven men are each charged with two open counts of murder, and the woman is charged with accessory to murder after the fact. Law enforcement officials said yesterday that at least one more “person of interest” is being sought.
The Billings murder case was broken open by the fact that their home was equipped with a surveillance system, which recorded the vehicle used to transport the murderers to the home and probably much of the criminal activity inside the house, although the sheriff’s office has not released the video of what was recorded inside the house. The video of the van led police to the suspects. Our State Attorney, Bill Eddins, says that all of the perpetrators who actively took part in the shootings are in custody. At least five of the men were inside the house when the murders took place; and police said the killers were in and out of the house in four minutes. Read more of this article »
“Sic Semper Tyrannis”, thus reads the phrase at the bottom of the seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Translated, it means “thus always to tyrants.” Above it is an image of Virtue, sword in hand and a foot on the chest of the fallen Tyranny with his crown laying nearby. The symbolism is obvious: that virtue will triumph over oppression. Those of us who have read the Bible through to the end understand this will be the ultimate outcome. That is the ultimate outcome… but what about now?
The motto was suggested at the Virginia Convention in 1776 by George Mason… then placed in the official state seal designed by Declaration of Independence signer, George Wythe. This was at a time when the commonwealth and our fledgling nation were locked in a struggle for survival and independence from the British crown. The Declaration phrased it, “appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions”, meaning that they were looking for divine assistance in their struggle for freedom.
This struggle was one that they understood to be theirs… that they were not just depending on the righteousness of their cause being sufficient for success. These founding fathers knew they had to put forth the effort and endure the pain and hardship of their course… but they also knew that they had the force of natural law, the desire for freedom and their creator on their side. Read more of this article »
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It is well documented that many of America’s Founding Fathers had a very real and deep-seated distrust of standing armies–and for good reason. They had just fought a costly and bloody war for independence, which had been largely predicated upon the propensities for the abuse and misuse of individual liberties by a pervasive and powerful standing army (belonging to Great Britain) amongst them. Listen to Thomas Jefferson: “I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.” Note that Jefferson identified both banking institutions and standing armies as being “dangerous to our liberties.” James Madison said, “A standing army is one of the greatest mischief that can possibly happen.” Elbridge Gerry (Vice President under James Madison) called standing armies “the bane of liberty.”
In the past few years the number of concealed hand gun permits have exploded all across the nation, except in states that believe the protection they provide is all the protection their citizens deserve. Of course it sounds like a cliché, but it is true that, if you are in imminent danger, a gun in the hand is better than a policeman on the phone.
Many times I hear the ostriches among us exclaim, “What freedoms have we lost? America is the freest country on earth.” We have all heard that, right? Of course, part of the problem is that, thanks to our education system, media, and churches, many Americans do not even know how to define liberty and freedom. The truth is, America’s Founding Fathers were willing to pledge their “lives, fortunes, and sacred honor” and fight a bloody revolutionary war for far fewer abridgments of liberty than we Americans endure every day of our lives today. FAR FEWER!
There has been much speculation lately about Governor Cristie joining the GOP presidential race. It has been inspired in part by Republican establishment types shaking in their boots that they may have a genuine conservative representing “their” party. The other part of the equation is people who genuinely believe he is the answer to defeating the pretender in the White House.
Not that the national media notices much, but the federal government under President Barack Obama has been supplying guns to Mexican drug gangs for quite a spell. With only a few print media bothering to cover the story, Obama’s Justice Department has been discovered secretly supplying firearms to Mexican drug lords using taxpayer “stimulus” monies. If that wasn’t bad enough, guns supplied to these Mexican miscreants by federal agents were used to kill at least one US Border Patrol agent. After the death of the BP agent, California Congressman Darrell Issa launched an investigation into the matter and uncovered what most anyone would correctly describe as a vast government conspiracy to supply firearms to Mexican drug cartels. As a result of Issa’s congressional investigations, numerous heads at the ATF have lost their jobs–or more correctly–have been “reassigned.”
The sun is shining here in central Virginia, and I feel a gentle breeze on my face, but things are far from normal for many of us. While we are a hundred miles inland from the coast, a short drive around my neighborhood finds three foot diameter trees across the road, remnants of power poles hanging from the wires they used to support and other wires wrapped around trees. I can only imagine what the good folks at Dominion Power are dealing with closer to the usually bustling Virginia beach.
The shootings of at least 18 people (6 killed, at least 12 wounded) in Tucson, Arizona, has predictably ignited a firestorm of anti-gun, anti-right, and anti-anything not “liberal” diatribes from the typical big government talking heads in Washington, D.C., and New York City. Anti-freedom congressmen railed for more gun control, including resurrecting Bill Clinton’s so-called Assault Weapons ban, and other laws restricting “high capacity” magazines (the assailant reportedly used a Glock 9mm in the attack).
I am very hurt that already some in the political world and in the media are attempting to fix blame for the tragic slaughter of innocent people in Tucson, AZ on political and social conservatives. Millions of Americans feel strongly about the unrelenting attacks on Constitutional freedom, and the growing tyranny of an insatiable hunger for political power. There has been some very strong language used on both sides, but heated political debate does not incite violence in reasonable people. Likewise, the actions of a crazed individual should not be blamed on people of strong convictions on the political right or the left.
Saturday was a sad day in Tucson when a deranged young man peppered a US congresswoman and the crowd around her with shots from a 9mm Glock. The target, Gabrielle Giffords did not die, but others around her did, simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. The shooter, Jared Loughner had a history of run ins with local law enforcement and is reported to have spent his time reading the Communist Manifesto and Mein Kampf.
In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies.”
It’s sad what is happening to the National Rifle Association (NRA). For decades they have stood for the rights of gun owners and helped elect legislators who will vote to preserve them. They are still doing this, more or less. However, in their tunnel vision, focusing only on the right to protect ones self with a fire arm, they are exposing the fallacy of any single issue organization.
The decision by Congress to socialize medicine in the US ranks among the most draconian, most egregious, most horrific actions ever taken by the central government in Washington, D.C. This bill rocks the principles of liberty and constitutional government to the core. It changes fundamental foundations; it repudiates historical principle. Oh! The same flag may fly on our flagpoles, the same monuments may grace our landscape, and the same National Anthem may be sung during our public ceremonies, but it is not the same America. The Congress of the United States has now officially turned America into a socialist state.
With much media fanfare, 9 members of a Michigan militia were arrested last March and charged with “seditious conspiracy”–specifically, plotting to murder law enforcement officers. Ostensibly, this was supposed to precipitate some kind of wholesale revolt against the government. Question: Have any of you heard anyone from the propaganda press corps (national news media) tell you what has been happening with this case? No? Did you not wonder why? Well, I’ll tell you why: the case has fallen apart.
The major news media was replete with reports over the weekend that the coffee company, Starbucks, “has no problem with customers packing heat while placing their orders.”
There has been copious speculation about who will arise to oppose Barack Hussein Obama at the end of his first and only term in office. There are almost as many ideas as there are people disgusted with the path of our country. I am looking for something more than an ideal candidate that can win an election. Instead of a politician running for an office, I would suggest we should be looking for a statesman… a leader with a vision and passion.
I think we need to face it: 2010 is more than a new year; it is also part of a new era in which all vestiges of normalcy and common sense have been left behind. In other words, it is a madhouse out there. Let me give you some examples of what I’m talking about.
One does not have to be a prophet to know that we are on the precipice of some potentially catastrophic–or at the very least, challenging–days. In fact, most of us are already in challenging days, and some are already enduring catastrophic events. That is, if one would call being out of work, losing one’s home, facing life-threatening medical conditions without any prospect of medical insurance, several families being forced to live in one house due to homes being foreclosed, etc., catastrophic.
In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies.”
It was a cold and sometimes drizzly and blustery day in central Virginia Saturday, but that didn’t mean the struggles we face take a holiday… just because it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable to be out and about, the struggles do not end. The first event of the day began with the “Can You Hear Us Now” gathering outside the Richmond NBC affiliate. I chose Channel 12 because, unlike the other two stations, this one wasn’t located in on of the “nicer” sections of town. It turned out my guess was right as, even though we had twenty or so patriots with their signs, it was the smallest of the groups.
We hear a lot and talk about our rights as Americans. We talk about the Bill of Rights… the first ten amendments to our constitution. These amendments were added almost immediately after ratification because the original document, while beautifully setting up the a government that functioned well for many years. It would be good to review this document from time to time, just to so we know what rights we have, and when they are being violated.
On this 8th anniversary of the attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, it behooves me to comment on the spirit of hatred that seems to motivate many people in and out of our great land. That the supporters and disciples of Vladimir Lenin, Karl Marx, Joseph Stalin, Leon Trotsky, Mao Tse-tung, and Adolf Hitler would hate America is understandable. Communism, socialism, and fascism are diametrically opposed to everything the United States was founded upon. Therefore, it is not surprising that people who espouse the tenets of these “isms” would exude hatred for America–at least for the America of our forebears. What is most disconcerting, however, is the number of people within our country (and I don’t mean illegal aliens) who harbor hatred in their hearts for our beloved land.
Some days it does not pay to get out of bed. Sometime back the New York Giant’s Plaxico Burress headed out for an evening on the town in Manhattan. One last accessory he packed was his unregistered hand gun. Then, while showing off his toy, somehow he shot himself in the leg. Now to make matters worse, he is going to jail for two years for simply having the gun. It could have been worse, New York City has such myopic anti-gun laws he could be spending the next three and a half years behind bars.
During Patrick Henry’s famous “Give me liberty or give me death” speech, he said the following:
By now, most Americans are familiar with the horrific murder of a Pensacola, Florida, couple by the name of Byrd and Melanie Billings. They were the parents of 17 children, 13 of whom were adopted–most of whom had disabilities. This case hits home with me, because they lived in my hometown of Pensacola. I did not know them personally, but they were fairly well known around town. Byrd was a well-to-do businessman who owned a used car business and financial loan service.
“Sic Semper Tyrannis”, thus reads the phrase at the bottom of the seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Translated, it means “thus always to tyrants.” Above it is an image of Virtue, sword in hand and a foot on the chest of the fallen Tyranny with his crown laying nearby. The symbolism is obvious: that virtue will triumph over oppression. Those of us who have read the Bible through to the end understand this will be the ultimate outcome. That is the ultimate outcome… but what about now?
