The Price of Freedom

It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to demonstrate.
It is the soldier, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the soldier,
Who salutes the flag,
Who serves under the flag,
And whose coffin is draped in the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.
It is the soldier.

Today, I visited the grave of Cesar F Machado-Olmos, L CPL, US marine corps, Iraq. He was born on September 20th, 1983 and died just 7 days before his 21st birthday in 2004. Even in death, Lieutenant Corporal Machado-Olmos has the unwavering support of friends and family. His grave site was lovingly decorated and the poem above was laminated and attached to a flagpole. Also on the card was a picture of a bald eagle and a quote by Wendell Phillips: “Eternal Vigilance is the price of liberty.” Finally, the card contained a handwritten poem titled “Grieve not.”

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there, I do not sleep
I am the thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glints on snow
I am the sunlight on ripened grain
I am the gentle autumnal rain
When you waken in the morning hush
I am the soft uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circled flight
I am the stars that shine at night
Do not stand at my grave and cry
I am not there, I did not die.

I do not know Lieutenant Corporal Machado-Olmos except by his grave, but I know he was a true patriot. I am just one of the nameless, faceless Americans for whom he gave his life. Someday I will thank him in person.

This Saturday, May 19, 2007, is Armed Forces Day. It is a day to honor our men and women in uniform—past and present. Let us honor them without qualification. They are brave. They are selfless. They are real life superheroes.

A few years ago, I received a brochure in the mail. Pictured on this brochure are several white crosses and the words, “The privilege of voting comes with a high cost. But don't worry. A friend picked up the tab for you.” I keep this brochure to remind me of the price of freedom. To all the heroes—living and dead—who have paid this price, I say thank you. I will try use my freedom wisely and do good things with my life. I will honor you and the country you fight for. I will do everything I can to preserve the freedom that means so much to both of us.

IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields. -Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae


God bless our troops,

Strategos

Reading, 'Riting, 'Rithmatic and REVOLUTION

Education, both religious and secular, is first and foremost the responsibility of parents. In a time of compulsory education laws and socialist state-sponsored humanist instruction, this truth is largely forgotten. Some good friends of mine have made the difficult decision to home school their children. They sometimes feel that they aren't included as full members of the community because they are “different,” but I admire their courage. For them, home school is a marvelous opportunity to teach their children in an environment of love and faith. While home school may not be the best option for every family, it certainly ensures that children will be educated according to the beliefs and traditions of parents, not the beliefs and traditions of the State.

“What students would learn in American schools above all is the religion of Jesus Christ.” -George Washington

It is impossible to truly understand the miracle that created the United States of America without first understanding that God was the author of it. Trying to explain the history of America without discussing divine guidance is like trying to explain the purpose of the interstate highway system without talking about cars. Since God cannot be discussed in our places of learning, our public schools have utterly failed to teach children about their American heritage and the faith of the founders that won the Revolutionary War.

"Posterity, which will reap the blessings, will scarcely begin to know of our sufferings." -Abigail Adams

The founders sacrificed much, some of them everything, for the freedoms we enjoy today. Revisionist historians who view the actions of the founders through the warped lens of modernity are often less interested in truth than in sensationalizing the weaknesses and frailties of men and women whom they ought to revere. The posterity that has been blessed by the courage and prayers of their forebears may not be able to fully understand the struggles of their ancestors, but parents can teach their children the story of America. The real America is not defined by openness and tolerance, diversity, multi-culturalism and godlessness. Rather, it is defined by religion, principle, morality and character. If parents fail to teach their children the importance of the American Revolution and the character and strength of the founders, their children will lack the understanding and motivation to resist the losses of freedom that will inevitably continue. Every child should know what America stands for and be prepared to defend this nation and its founders at a moment's notice.

“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” -Thomas Jefferson

In a “state of civilization,” children should be taught the four R's: Reading, 'Riting, 'Rithmatic, and REVOLUTION;. (A fifth R, Religion, should also be acknowledged and discussed in public schools, though the primary responsibility for religious education rightfully rests with parents and churches.)

Let us help preserve our “state of civilization” by teaching our children what George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Abigail Adams, Patrick Henry and other great men and women stood for and fought for in the war that created the freest nation on earth.

Let us teach our children that the price of freedom, once lost, is blood—and that price was paid over and over again by the builders of our nation.

Let us teach our children to defend their freedom before it slips away.

Let us teach our children to preserve their American heritage and pass it on to their children and grandchildren.

Let us teach our children the stories of America.

“Let us, before we die, gather up our heritage and offer it to our children.” -Will Durant

God bless the U.S.A.,
Strategos

Washington's Glasses

The following story titled “Washington's Glasses” is from The Spirit of America, compiled by William J. Bennett. It illustrates the greatness of George Washington, without whose wisdom and courage our Republic might have died in infancy.

“At the end of the Revolutionary War, the new United States came close to disaster. The government owed back pay to many officers in the army, men who had fought long and hard for the nation's freedom. But Congress had no money, and rumors abounded that it intended to disband the armed forces and send them home without pay.

“As the weeks passed, the army's cry for pay grew louder. The soldiers insisted that they had performed their duty faithfully, and now the government should do the same. They sent appeals to Congress, with no effect. Patience began to wear thin. Tempers smoldered. At last some of the officers, encamped at Newburgh, New York, issued what amounted to a threat. The army would not disband until paid; if necessary, it would march on Congress. Mutiny was close at hand.

“There was no doubt in anyone's mind that one man alone could persuade the army to give the government more time.

“On March 15, 1783, George Washington strode into the Temple of Virtue, a large wooden hall built by the soldiers as a chapel and dance hall. A hush fell over the gathered officers as the tall figure took to the lectern at the front of the room. These men had come to love their commander-in-chief during the lean, hard years of fighting; now, for the first time, they glared at him with restless and resentful eyes. A deathlike stillness filled the room.

“Washington began to speak. He talked of his own dedicated service, and reminded the group that he himself had served without pay. He spoke of his love for his soldiers. He urged them to have patience, and pointed out that congress in the past had acted slowly, but in the end would act justly. He promised he would do everything in his power to see that the men received what they deserved.

“He asked them to consider the safety and security of their new country, begging them not to 'open the flood gates of civil discord, and deluge our rising empire in blood.' He appealed to their honor. 'Let me entreat you, gentlemen, on your part,' he said, 'not to take any measures which, viewed in the calm light of reason, will lessen the dignity and sully the glory you have hitherto maintained.'

“He paused. A restlessness pervaded the air. His audience did not seem moved. The men stared at him tensely.

“Washington produced a letter from a congressman explaining the difficulties the government now faced. He would read it to them. It would help them comprehend the new government's difficulties. He unfolded the paper. He started to read, slowly. He stumbled over some of the words, then stopped. Something was wrong. The general seemed lost, slightly confused. The officers leaned forward.

“Then Washington pulled from his pocket something the men had never seen their commander-in-chief use before—spectacles.

“'Gentlemen, you must pardon me,' he said quietly. 'I have grown gray in your service, and now find myself growing blind.'

“It was not merely what the beloved general said, but the way he spoke the few, simple words. The humble act of this majestic man touched the soldiers in a way his arguments had failed to do. There were lumps in many throats, tears in every eye. The general quietly left the hall, and the officers voted to give the Congress more time.

“George Washington had saved his new country from armed rebellion. As Thomas Jefferson later said, 'The moderation and virtue of a single character probably prevented this Revolution from being closed, as most others have been, by a subversion of that liberty it was intended to establish.'”

God bless the U.S.A.,
Strategos

The Author of American Freedom

“In the beginning of the Contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the divine protection.—Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered.” -Benjamin Franklin, 1787

Today it is disheartening, but not surprising, to see the very God to whom we owe our freedom under attack. We are no longer allowed to pray to Him in our public places of learning, no longer allowed to discuss His role in our creation (as if the theory of evolution has been proven law), and no longer allowed to display His commandments in our courts of law. We have banned the Author of American Freedom from our public places. Largely forgotten is the final verse of the Star-spangled Banner, which states in part, “Blessed with victory and peace, may the heaven rescued land, praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation.”

Although in common use today, the words separation of church and state occur nowhere in the United States Constitution or the Declaration of Independence. They are from an obscure letter written by Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptists Association in 1802. Jefferson wished to assure the Association that the government had no wish to establish a national religion when he stated that the second amendment created a “wall of separation between Church and State.” Lost to antiquity for over a century, these words resurfaced in a 1947 supreme court case (Everson vs. Board of Education) and formed the foundation for future subsequent assaults on public religious worship.

Since that time, we have walked on the path towards national atheism, changing God-granted freedom of religion into freedom from religion. The former is Constitutional, the latter is not. In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote of “unalienable rights,” but these rights cannot exist in an atheist nation. Instead, the State is the supreme power and Godless men grant and revoke freedoms according to their pleasure.

The first amendment states that, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ...” For more than 150 years after these words were written, school prayer was regularly practiced in American institutions, both public and private. Any confusion about the meaning of those words today can be easily cleared up by an investigation of the lives and writings of the founders. Washington wrote in 1789, “If I could have entertained the slightest apprehension that the Constitution framed in the Convention where I had the honor to preside might possibly endanger the religious rights of my ecclesiastical society, certainly I would never have placed my signature to it.”

What can we do to help America again become the land of religious freedom that it once was?

First, and most importantly, we must pray. Pray for our nation, for our leaders, and for good to overcome evil at every level of government. Pray for good men and women to be elected, maintain their integrity and always stand for what is right. Pray for our lawyers and judges that they will act with integrity and remember the divine heritage that belongs to our nation. The blessings of prosperity that we enjoy in America today are largely the result of the prayers of our mothers and fathers.

Second, become informed. Study the current religious issues, study the Constitution and learn of the important role religion plays in maintaining a civilized society. Read Original Intent by David Barton. This book provides a thorough and scholarly description of the gradual loss of our religious freedom. In his farewell address of 1796, George Washington said, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.”

Third, become involved. Actively participate in and contribute to organizations that are fighting for religious freedom. Two such organizations are the American Center for Law and Justice (http://www.aclj.org) and the Alliance Defense Fund (http://www.alliancedefensefund.org).

Last spring I visited Washington D.C. with my family and was impressed by the religious symbolism I found there. The Speaker of the House looks up from the House floor at a sculpture of Moses' face, symbolizing that God's law is higher than man's law. Scriptures are etched into stone on public buildings, and the House and Senate begin each day with prayer. Despite the well-publicized efforts of a militantly atheist minority, there are still good men and women fighting for our freedoms in our nation's capitol.

They should not have to fight alone.

God bless the U.S.A.,
Strategos

In Defense of the Second Amendment

"The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference - they deserve a place of honor with all that's good." -George Washington

In the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy, I want to share an excellent article from the Patriot Post (see the link at the end of this article).

In a perfect world, we would be at peace with one another. But in THIS world, we need the ability to protect ourselves. The anti-gun, anti-freedom lobby will use the Virginia tech gunman as their poster child for continued assaults on American freedom, but the real answer is MORE armed citizens, not fewer. Only 6 people died in the Trolley Square shooting in Salt Lake City last February, in part because an armed off-duty police officer (a private citizen at the time) engaged the gunman for precious minutes before police teams arrived.

The second amendment is often misinterpreted because of the "well-regulated militia" clause, which some view as allowing only members of the armed forces to own guns. Constitutional Law Professor John Eidsmoe argues that the other rights in the first 10 amendments protect individual freedoms: freedom of speech, religion, due process, etc. Why would the right to bear arms apply to state-sponsored defense? In 1789, many citizens owned firearms and used them for hunting. The founding fathers didn't specifically mention hunting in the second amendment, but this practice still continues today. If the founders had meant to control individual gun ownership, as Constitutional revisionists falsely claim, passage of the Bill of Rights would have been proceeded by confiscation of weapons from all citizens who did not belong to the militia.

The primary purpose of the Constitution is to channel, check and balance political power. The framers did not want America to revert to a monarchy where the abuses of King George could be perpetrated upon their posterity in some future generation. The second amendment right to bear arms represents a final check against government abuse--the very check which the founders took advantage of when all options of peaceful reconciliation were exhausted. Yesterday, April 19th, marks the day when the battles of Lexington and Concord were fought, initiating the American Revolution. That day, patriots stood together and took up arms to defend their rights. In the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy, I hope patriots will stand together and take up political arms--pens, keyboards, telephones, checkbooks, microphones--and join the fight to preserve those same rights in our generation.

Must read Patriot Post article

God Bless the U.S.A.,
Strategos

The Day of Reckoning

On this Easter Sunday, I am grateful for the opportunity to enjoy a bit of “domestic tranquility” while contemplating America's financial future. There is a web site that every American should be aware of: the National Debt Clock (http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/). It tracks the national debt (currently about $9 trillion) and calculates each citizen's share (about $30,000). What are the implications of this staggering debt? Anyone with an understanding of basic finance knows that the day of reckoning will eventually come for the individual or organization that habitually spends more than it takes in. Our nation is no exception, and the day of reckoning will come if we remain on this slippery slope. Consider the following statement from a 2007 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office:

“From a broad federal financial management perspective, the federal government’s financial condition and fiscal outlook are worse than many may understand. The U.S. government’s total reported liabilities, net social insurance commitments, and other fiscal exposures continue to grow and now total over $50 trillion, representing approximately four times the nation’s total output (GDP) in fiscal year 2006, up from about $20 trillion, or two times GDP in fiscal year 2000. The federal government faces large and growing structural deficits in the future due primarily to known demographic trends and rising health care costs. These structural deficits which are virtually certain given the design of our current programs and policies will mean escalating and ultimately unsustainable federal deficits and debt levels. Based on various measures and using reasonable assumptions the federal government’s current fiscal policy is unsustainable. Continuing on this imprudent and unsustainable path will gradually erode, if not suddenly damage, our economy, our standard of living, and ultimately our domestic tranquility and national security. Tough choices by the President and the Congress are necessary in order to address the nation’s large and growing long-term fiscal imbalance.” (http://tinyurl.com/36uy57)

A recent issue of The Patriot Post (http://tinyurl.com/346jh3) reported that, “Currently, there is no political will in Congress to actually do something about runaway spending ...” Senator Bob Bennett from Utah recently offered a prime example of this mentality. Asked about deficits in a recent interview, he replied, “Now, you talk about deficit, the amount we over-spend per year, it is currently below historic norms as a percentage of GDP. And, quite frankly, you say, what are we going to do? This last year, the deficit, that is the amount spent over the amount we took in, was $100 billion less than it was projected ...” (http://tinyurl.com/27gfjp)

So what, exactly, is Bob Bennett “going to do?” Sit around and wait to see if deficits are “less than projected” and then take credit for it? This hardly sounds like a solution. We are currently spending $406 billion (http://www.federalbudget.com/) in interest alone on the national debt. It doesn't matter how that compares to the GDP, it is a lot of money that could be better used elsewhere.

What we need is permanent change, including a balanced budget amendment. A good first step would be to institute a law that I call “pay for performance.” Under this law, a high percentage of congressional pay would be based on the ability of legislators to balance the budget. A portion of legislators' salaries would be set aside at the beginning of the year, and if they manage to balance the budget they'll receive it at the end of the year. If the budget doesn't balance, this money will go towards paying down the deficit.

It's time for patriotic citizens to stand up and be counted. Write to your representatives and tell them you've had enough of their fiscal mismanagement and demand a new era of accountability in Washington! In 1775, Samuel Adams said, “It does not take a majority to prevail ... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.”

Freedom from national debt is a worthy goal, one that our children will thank us for achieving. Let's start a few brushfires this week.

God Bless the U.S.A.,
Strategos

America Needs You

Since this is my first post to this blog, I would like to explain more fully my reasons for creating it. For a brief summary of my beliefs and motivations, you can read my profile. This post will contain more details about those beliefs. While I recognize that not everyone will agree with me on everything, I encourage everyone to read this blog and glean from it as much good as possible. My primary intent is to encourage people who love America and its Constitution to get involved and be a voice for the preservation of our freedoms.

Today, America is facing a political crisis. Many Americans, content as long as there are nice cars to drive and nice homes to live in, nice restaurants to eat in and good sitcoms on television, are unaware of this crisis. Worse, those who are aware of it may feel powerless or unqualified to do anything about it, or they excuse themselves because they are "too busy." Whatever the reason, too many Americans are content to ignore the events unfolding in Washington, D.C. and elsewhere in our country, events that are daily eroding the freedoms we enjoy.

The statement that “we are less free, more heavily taxed, and worse governed than our ancestors under British rule” [Sobran's The Real News of the Month, “How Tyranny Came to America”] may seem extreme, but it is nevertheless true. Here's another extreme statement, from patriot and Christian Chuck Colson: “We Americans think we enjoy self-government. We have all the trappings of self-government, like elections. But in reality, we have gradually lost many of our rights to govern ourselves. We have the form of self-government, but only some of the substance.”

America is an example to the world, and has been since its inception. If there are similarities between American freedom and the freedoms of other countries, they are the direct result of the American experiment. America has not just made itself free, but much of the world as well. I refer not to Imperialism or foreign wars such as Iraq and Vietnam (which I will defer as topics for another day), but to freedoms such as those obtained through the spread of democratic ideas such as those that led to the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.

Thomas Jefferson said, "The last hope of human liberty in this world rests on us." That human liberty is not the exclusive property of Americans, it is the divine endowment of everyone in this world. Unfortunately, oppressive governments have been stealing those divine rights from their unfortunate subjects since the dawn of time. When we as American citizens trifle with the liberty that is our divine endowment, when we lay passively down while our rights are usurped, we hurt not only ourselves and our own generation, but every generation in every part of the world.

Let there be no doubt that we are now engaged in a battle for freedom, just as our founding fathers were engaged in a battle against the British government. This political battle is being fought right here on American soil. Patrick Henry said, "The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave." Let us, as American citizens, be vigilant, active and brave! Let us get involved and let our voices be heard! Today our enemies attack our right to worship, to bear arms, to teach our children the values we were taught, to earn, to keep and to save, and much, much more.

One of the greatest threats to our Republic today is from those who foolishly believe that the greater understanding of men and women in our "enlightened age" somehow qualifies them to rethink and reinterpret everything the founding fathers believed in. If I were to write a letter of instruction to my children, with the intent that they would pass it on to their children and so on for several generations, I would want that letter to be interpreted by my posterity in accordance with the language and intentions with which I wrote it. If I wrote in such a letter that my children should "always live in accordance with the true religion of Jesus Christ, but do not go to extremes," I wouldn't want my great-great-grandchildren to interpret the word "extremes" to mean such ennobling acts as studying God's word, attending church or sharing the gospel, even if such things were considered to be extreme in their time. How could my posterity know what I really meant, even 150 or 200 years after my letter was written? They could study my life, look at my writings and determine how I lived. This would be critical information to have when determining the meaning of my letter. I would be more upset if they used my letter as an excuse not to practice religion than I would be if they simply disregarded it.

Technological advancement does not make us better than our ancestors, nor do the foundational principles of successful government change significantly from one age to another. So-called "enlightenment" that denies the Providence in which our founding fathers believed so strongly is not enlightenment at all. Furthermore, since the founding principle of our Constitution and its predecessor the Declaration of Independence is the fact that men and women are "endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights," a declining belief in and acceptance of God cannot but lead to enslavement by government. If this is enlightenment, give me the barbarism of my revolutionary ancestors.

The founding fathers created provisions for changing the Constitution because they knew progress and growth would necessitate such explicit changes, but they never intended for this document to be simply reinterpreted to fit the false beliefs of their posterity. The INTENT, or SPIRIT of a law is as important as its CONTENT! Regarding the Constitution, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia made the bold statement that "Words mean what they mean." Contrast this with President Clinton's legal machinations during his impeachment trial, during which he was quoted as saying, "that depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is." Such ridiculous semantic arguments may be acceptable in our most liberal law schools, but they should have no part in the interpretation of our great Constitution.

In 1976, Ezra Benson, former Secretary of Agriculture under President Eisenhower, said, "Yes, in the words of Thomas Paine, 'These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country, but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.' That was said on December 23, 1776. Now, 200 years later, Paine's words are even more apropos to our situation.
The days ahead are sobering and challenging and will require the faith, prayers, loyalty, courage, and moral integrity of every American citizen.”

Much has changed since 1976, and the enemies of our freedom are even greater in number, in activity, in success and acceptance. This cannot be if we are to remain free! Throughout this blog, I intend to sound a voice of reason and of warning. I will discuss historical perspectives and current events, focusing on the Constitutionality of our laws and the original intent of our founding fathers.

God Bless the U.S.A.,
Strategos