“I do recommend and assign Thursday … next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be.” –George Washington (October 3, 1789)
As is our tradition, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving with family and friends in the mountains of East Tennessee — in warm homes with plenty.
Though I do not let a day pass without expressions of gratitude to our Creator for His provision, too often I fail to take account of the full measure of His gifts. My failure, at times, to adequately express this gratitude stems from preoccupation with the challenges I face as an individual, and moreover, concern for the ongoing crisis we face as a nation.
I welcome this Thanksgiving week as an opportunity to pause, step back, and reflect upon how blessed we really are, blessed far beyond any measure of what we deserve. It comes this year at a time of bitter setback for our nation’s great heritage of Liberty.
One of the ways God has richly blessed this unworthy servant is by allowing me to lead a team of Patriots endeavoring to keep the “flame of Liberty” burning bright for our countrymen across the nation and around the world. We are honored to share the burden of defending our inheritance of Liberty with millions of other Patriots, steadfast in that defense.
Yesterday morning, we received the following message from a Marine Corps officer in Afghanistan, a parent who, like many others serving our country, will not be home to share Thanksgiving or Christmas with family. This note reminded us of the privilege and responsibility we bear on behalf of our uniformed Patriots, and the sacrifice they make willingly in the name of Liberty:
“Thanks for all that you do, not only for the cause of Liberty, but also to support those of us who are currently deployed to the far reaches of the Earth, in support of our Country. We do not have the luxury of being able to voice our opinions and beliefs, a choice we made when we took our oath, but I can rest easy, knowing that you are fighting the good fight for us. Knowing that there are still true Patriots, willing to speak up for us, to speak up for what is right, eases the grief of being away from my family and children. Thank you. Semper Fidelis!”
In honor of the service of this Marine, and hundreds of thousands of American warriors around the world, I invite you to take a moment and put our national Day of Thanksgiving into proper context and consider our Creator, who has guided our nation through its darkest of days. As George Washington declared, “The hand of providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more than wicked, that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.”
In his first Thanksgiving proclamation, President Ronald Reagan wrote: “America has much for which to be thankful. The unequaled freedom enjoyed by our citizens has provided a harvest of plenty to this Nation throughout its history. In keeping with America’s heritage, one day each year is set aside for giving thanks to God for all of His blessings. … As we celebrate Thanksgiving … We should reflect on the full meaning of this day as we enjoy the fellowship that is so much a part of the holiday festivities. Searching our hearts, we should ask what we can do as individuals to demonstrate our gratitude to God for all He has done. Such reflection can only add to the significance of this precious day of remembrance. Let us recommit ourselves to that devotion to God and family that has played such an important role in making this a great Nation, and which will be needed as a source of strength if we are to remain a great people.”
To supplement that reflection, I recommend that you read our brief History and Legacy of Thanksgiving, and the proclamations of those that followed the first harvest feast celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1621. I would suggest that you also view this video (above) from my colleague, renowned constitutional scholar Matt Spalding, entitled “We still hold these truths,” which is devoted to our nation’s First Principles. (For the accompanying study guide, click here.)
I leave you with an excerpt from a prayer for our nation recently penned by my friend, Dr. John Guest. Though born in the Old Country (Oxford, England), John became a U.S. citizen decades ago, and like most Americans of European extraction, he has become an outspoken advocate of our Founders’ proclamation of Liberty, as “endowed by our Creator”:
“Lord God Almighty, you have made all the peoples of the earth for your glory, to serve you in freedom and in peace: Give to the people of our country a zeal for what is right and what is true and the integrity to use our Liberty in accordance with your gracious will. We thank you Lord, for the gift of our Nation and its heritage. May we live up to the Patriot dreams of our Founding Fathers. We praise You for the Constitution and government our Founding Fathers designed. Forgive us that we have strayed so far from the ideals of religious freedom and individual responsibility they embody. We thank You for our Godly heritage and the Biblical principles on which the laws and institutions of our land were established.”
Fellow Patriots, I humbly thank you for the privilege of serving as editor and publisher of The Patriot Post. On behalf of your Patriot team and our National Advisory Committee, I wish you a peaceful Thanksgiving, and God’s blessings to you and your family.
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.” –Psalm 100:4-5
[Permission to forward, repost or reprint this essay is herein granted.]
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“[Independence Day] will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shows, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”
John Adams
The COMMON SENSE of American Liberty
On this, my favorite day of American celebration, I was sitting on my front porch thinking about America. The beautiful American flag flies from the rafters beside the Gadsden flag, waving in the gentle summer breeze. I love this country, and I know many of you do, too, so the natural progression of my thoughts took me to why? Why do I love this country? Very quickly, the one word response arose: CHOICES.
Freedom means choices. It means you and I do not have to agree on everything to be friends or neighbors. We do not even have to agree on everything to verify the fact that we do, indeed, love this nation. In fact, it is our varied beliefs, races, religions, ethnicities, etc, that make us the richest nation on earth.
Where Has America Gone? My family was Presbyterian, sort of. I was actually baptized Methodist, confirmed Presbyterian, mentored by an Anglican priest in college and a Nazarene Bible teacher, befriended by Catholics, African Baptists, Unitarians, Jews, and atheists, and married by a Baptist Army Chaplain. This is America to me.
The initials over each segment represent the various states joining together to form one nation against the tyranny of King George III.
England in 1776 was a great military and political power, and Boston was controlled by the British. The thought of war against such a power was, or some time, unthinkable, but “taxation without representation” drove the farmers and merchants in the Colonies to arm themselves and prepare for the unthinkable. They forged themselves, in spite of their significant differences, to join together to form the United States of America.
Published in 1776, COMMON SENSE challenged the authority of the British government and the royal monarchy. The plain language that Paine used spoke to the common people of America and was the first work to openly ask for independence from Great Britain. COMMON SENSE
Today, the struggle for Freedom continues. All Americans want Freedom. The discussion, then, is in the way that Freedom defines itself and plays out in our everyday lives. Now, as it has throughout history, there are two major visions of Freedom. One is based on a government sponsored definition of equality, a provision of utopian-like uniformity, an equal education for all, an equal provision of food, shelter, health care & fuel for all those living within America’s borders. In this instance, the government determines what an American is, what success is, what education is and who qualifies, and what is necessary to a successful “pursuit of happiness.” That is to say, the government determines what we each need, and then supplies it presumably better than we can tend our own needs. Are we all equal, or are we uniquely individual?
But is this not the same as a Government telling me how to live, how to pursue my own happiness, my own dreams? Is this not exactly what King George III and all other European tyrants did to their “peoples?”
The other voice resounds from the halls of the original Congress … It is a cry for “Individual Citizens’ Freedom.” It is a general rebellion against the tyranny of Europe, the rule of the political elite over the rest of the population, the ‘victimization’ of nearly half of the general population. It allows each man or woman to pursue their own strengths, dreams, and goals. It also allows the individual to fail, to learn from past mistakes, and try again. It allows one to soar in the heavens of accomplishment and reap the rewards, or reap the penalty of lethargy.
In BOTH cases, there is allowance for those genuinely limited by accident or birth. Various private or religious organizations exist for the purpose of tending the poor. It is barbaric and ignorant to suggest any human in America, let alone those in political office, intend harm on any individuals.
The great irony of our current political climate is that those who are crying for “increased equality” are, in fact, limiting it. I am comfortable with those of all or no faith, yet those of no faith are opposed to my freedom of worship. I am comfortable with those o differing political standings, but they will not tolerate my Conservatisim. I am comfortable with people of various races, ethnicities, or cultures, yet I’m railed against or being a “racist” by mainstream media! Seems to me like a radical case of the “pot calling the kettle black!” What we all USED to have in common were a simple universal code of decency, i.e. morality, and a respect for one another, our nation, and those who serve her in uniform (Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard, First Responders, Nat’l Guard, & Reservists)
On this 4th of July, 2012, I am grateful for the different people, customs, and traditions I have had the privilege to experience. I know they have made me a wealthier person. I cherish my life, my liberties, and my right to pursue my own interests, dreams, and goals. I vow to continue to work toward the goal of making (and keeping) these liberties available to ALL American citizens for the next generation to maintain.
The CHOICE is yours and mine to make. Whether the individual rights and liberties of each American citizen outweigh the vision of the politically powerful elite to do what they believe is best for us all … that is what ELECTION 2012 is about. And where the Constitution fits in the overall scheme of things.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA,
Land of the FREE, & the Home of the BRAVE
free·dom [free-duhm] noun
1.
the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint: He won his freedom after a retrial.
2.
exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc.
3.
the power to determine action without restraint.
4.
political or national independence.
5.
personal liberty, as opposed to bondage or slavery: a slave who bought his freedom.lib·er·ty [lib-er-tee] noun, plural -ties.
1.
freedom from arbitrary or despotic government or control.
2.
freedom from external or foreign rule; independence.
3.
freedom from control, interference, obligation, restriction, hampering conditions, etc.; power or right of doing, thinking, speaking, etc., according to choice.
4.
freedom from captivity, confinement, or physical restraint: The prisoner soon regained his liberty.
5.
permission granted to a sailor, especially in the navy, to go ashore.
AMERICA is a collection of Americans!
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty
by which Christ has made us free,
and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1
What made America the greatest nation on earth?
What inspired early Americans to amazing courage?
What defined America to the World?
What is PERSONAL FREEDOM, anyway? We often talk about freedom and liberty with unclear images in mind. We point to specific things that restrict our freedom, i.e The Patriot Act, NDAA 2013, or prison. Do we consider the alternatives? Think of all the nations of the earth that do not know, have never known the liberties our Constitution establishes as Law within our borders.
I had the honor of witnessing the *Iron Curtain that cut through Europe from the end of WWII until the end of the Cold War in 1989 when it was finally dismantled by the people of a newly reunited Germany. The people that grew up behind that “curtain” were taught the barbed wire was there to keep the rest of the world out – because we all wanted the wonders of life they experienced. Those of us who are old enough to remember the images of that wall, the images of those attempting to leave the supposed utopia, know the truth. We know how devastating the culture was behind the wall. Those living behind that wall lived and died without any personal freedom. Choices were made FOR them by the “authorities,” the government. Freedom is the very antithesis of life behind the curtain, of life without choices, without personal freedom. It is something worth fighting for.
“The concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989. On either side of the Iron Curtain, states developed their own international economic and military alliances:
The Council for Mutual Economic Assistance and the military Warsaw Pact on the east side, with the Soviet Union as the most important member of each
Physically, the Iron Curtain took the shape of border defences between the countries of Western and Eastern Europe, most notably the Berlin Wall, which served as a longtime symbol of the Curtain as a whole.
The events that demolished the Iron Curtain started in Poland, and continued in Hungary, East Germany, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and Romania. Romania was the only Eastern bloc country to violently overthrow its communist regime.” (Wikipedia)
Most post WWII Americans are fortunate in that they have never known a time of extraordinary difficulty as was experienced during both World Wars or the Great Depression. For the most part, things have been pretty comfortable for the majority of Americans until recently. We have never had to stand in long “bread lines” or “Soup lines” in front of missions or churches. We have never been asked by our government to turn in our gold and metals to be used in the production of weapons. We have never lived with restricted food purchase. We did experience a brief “fuel shortage” in the 70′s, but that was a minor interruption and didn’t last long. We have not been asked to buy War bonds or known the urgency of the “draft.” And we are quick to forget about those times that Americans were called on to make certain sacrifices for the War effort. Seldom are these issues even taught in our schools today.
During the Revolutionary War, those we celebrate as heroes today, experienced the hardship of personal sacrifice, too. Many were wealthy landowners, but with their involvement in the Revolution, their lands and titles were confiscated by the Crown. “Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in the Revolutionary Army, another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.”
Grievous corruption within both political parties discourages many Americans from participation in the political process. The corruption has been tolerated by US – by We-the-People for decades! We did not reach this precipice overnight, but we must awaken and wrestle back the reins of our Representative Republic. It is do or die time, friends! This WRESTLING implies WORK … INVOLVEMENT… SACRIFICE, but ultimately, FREEDOM! Yes! we must WORK to regain what has been stripped from us, in the name of SOCIAL JUSTICE, in the name of TOLERANCE. (Tolerance is just another name for amorality!) We must get INVOLVED to STOP the infiltration of UN involvement in our Republic via the UN “Small Arms Treaty” and “AGENDA 21!” We, as Americans, must re-identify our priorities and separate our NEEDS from our WANTS. We must be willing to make some SACRIFICES for the sake of our LIBERTY, even as our Founders were certain their stand would cost them.
The root of the battle of the Obama Administration is found in one simple doctrine: Socialism = Collectivism rather than Individualism. How many of you have seen or been asked “progressive situational ethics” questions like this:
You live in a small rural village. Your village comes under attack, and all villagers go into hiding. Your baby begins to cry. What do you do?
A. Do you kill your baby to save the village, or
B. Do you take your chances?
Instinctively, I resist either/or situational questions because LIFE doesn’t work this way. While there are occasions where the sacrifice of one saves the many (i.e. a soldier falling on a grenade to save his buddies,) more often than not, there are OTHER OPTIONS. Obama’s world view falls in sharp contrast to our American Heritage.
We are ONE NATION UNDER GOD (whether we actively worship or choose another route,) but we are a nation of individuals free to make individual decisions and choices, individuals free to pursue our own personal dreams and live life in accordance with our personal belief system as long as it doesn’t INFRINGE the FREEDOMs of another.
President Obama and his supporters are moving to build a One World Government by eroding American Sovereignty. What this means is that President Obama does not believe America, and other nations, have the RIGHT to rule themselves. Contrary to John Locke and others who influenced our Founders’ ideas of Self-Government, President Obama adheres to a global community (after all, he is a “community organizer”) with a Board of Directors in control of everything GLOBALLY: food, housing, transportation, commerce, production … EVERYTHING! This is where he is taking the nation, OUR nation, with or without our cooperation!
The practices of Socialism, though seemingly ideal on paper, do not implement well in humans as history repeatedly demonstrates. Find ONE, just one example of a nation that THRIVED under a Socialist or Communist regime. Search history, search the globe, and clearly, history teaches us that Socialist policy, i.e. “fair distribution” DOES NOT WORK!!! It is just another view of oppression of the masses by a handful of elite Know-it-alls who impose THEIR will, THEIR morals, and THEIR ideals upon the population … reportedly for our own good! Obama has been highly successful in turning the great LIBERTY ship of state nearly 180º, and openly talks sedition – revisionary hopes for our 235+ yr old Constitution.
Socialism at work
In contrast, the principles and practices that drove America up the mountain to the pinnacle, clearly have proven good for each and every American. Even the poorest among us in the USA are wealthy by the world’s standards no matter how it feels to those living in what we call poverty. Dreamers from around the world imagine life in the US and struggle to see Lady Liberty’s welcoming torch in spite of the turmoil within our nation.
Until a few decades ago, there was no such thing as RETIREMENT! One worked until they could no longer work, and then it was the family’s responsibility to tend and HONOR their Seniors. Families remained in tact. Children grew up and usually stayed pretty close to home. They supported one another, helped one another, and loved one another. EVERYONE contributed to the family’s welfare as they were able, and everyone reaped the rewards and security of family.
What changed to bring about this general dissatisfaction and restlessness that covers us like a wet blanket, and smothers the life from us? What happened to make us value LIFE so lightly? Success! Success allowed for more Leisure time, which lead to increased pleasure-seeking, which sooner or later, corrupts! Think about it.
Remember Little House on the Prairie or the Waltons? The men and women of the pioneer world (or early 20th century) worked from sunup to sun down. They were exhausted at the end of the day – too exhausted to get into trouble! Too exhausted to drink to excess or run around on their spouse. Obviously this is over-simplified, but as a rule, these men and women of prior generations were much more content. They reveled in the sense of achievement they earned by just surviving from day to day with the help of their faith and their community. Their lives were rich in relationships and achievement. Both of these, Americans today have surrendered. We no longer think we NEED outside relationships, so they are shallow, electronically maintained, and less valued. Similarly, Americans today value the paycheck more than the actual work or achievement of their day, so we look elsewhere for that satisfaction.
My gramma used to say, “Idle time is the devil’s plaything.” Our society today is prooving that to be true.
CONCLUSION: Each of us needs to rediscover the Source of our Freedom and re-evaluate our appreciation for the many choices we still have. What did our personal freedoms cost? Hundreds of thousands of lives. What have you paid for it? What are you willing pay to maintain freedom so America is still the “land of the Free and the home of the brave?” Are we brave enough to pay the price required to regain and maintain our personal freedoms? Time will tell!
According to the Declaration of Independence, “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 …” (emphasis mine)
Throughout history, men and women have known personal freedom while living in restrictive societies or under tyrannical governments, even the most vicious. This is because personal freedom is birthed within our own heart and life. Corrie Ten Boom and the Von Trapp family are some more familiar examples, but there are others – many others. If personal freedom lives inside us, it is both a motivator toward the establishment of freedom all around us, and a strength to overcome what obstacles to freedom exist.
When We-the-People find, relish, and remain ready to defend our personal freedom, the sinews of Progressivism will weaken under the contentment of a hard-working, compassionate, other-conscious population.
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free,
and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1
I welcome this Thanksgiving week as an opportunity to pause, step back, and reflect upon how blessed we really are, blessed far beyond any measure of what we deserve. It comes this year at a time of bitter setback for our nation’s great heritage of Liberty.
I leave you with an excerpt from a prayer for our nation recently penned by my friend, Dr. John Guest. Though born in the Old Country (Oxford, England), John became a U.S. citizen decades ago, and like most Americans of European extraction, he has become an outspoken advocate of our Founders’ proclamation of Liberty, as “endowed by our Creator”:
