I was talking to someone the other day who is of the more liberal persuasion. He said he is afraid many Americans are becoming “radicalized”. I asked him, “How do you mean?” To which he said, “They are buying weapons and ammo by the bucket full as if they are ready to fight our own government.”
This statement has haunted me since the day he said it. What bothers me is not that he has observed an increase in sales of firearms and ammunition. It isn’t that he thinks Americans are becoming radical. What bothers me is the total lack of recognition of how “radical” our forefathers had to be to shake off the chains of tyranny.
As you know, Thomas Jefferson made some interesting and famous statements regarding liberty and tyranny. Here are a few:
“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”
“Every citizen should be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and Romans, and must be that of every free state.”
“…a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they (the subjects of King George, Americans) should declare the causes which impel them to the separation (from England).”
Thomas Jefferson knew that in order to gain, keep, and maintain liberty, blood must be shed. This was once common knowledge agreed upon even by his political foes. However, this view is now viewed as fringe extremism. Pacifism toward tyranny is a perversion. Americans who are simply content to allow governmental tyranny in the form of government control of health care, UN usurpation of US sovereignty, global warming policies and the like are nothing but spoiled, fattened children who confuse the abundance of prosperity with the beautiful hardship of liberty.
It is a dangerous thing to not recognize that our elected officials can be domestic enemies. However, it is even more dangerous for the populace to recognize it and then do nothing. I am afraid for my country. If there is no revolution in the ballot box, and we fall completely under tyranny, I can forsee the “extreme” elements of our country taking up arms to restore this country. If they do, they will simply be watering the wilting tree of liberty.
Do I desire this? No, absolutely not. What I desire is for our elected leaders to govern, not rule; to govern in the best interests of the people, performing their roles as representatives of the people and the states, rather than perverting their roles and turning them into positions of power over the masses.
I pray for a ballot revolution in 2010 and 2012. God, may it be so.
7 responses so far ↓
1 Ditto Head (3 comments) // Dec 8, 2009 at 10:07 am
You do know that Thomas Jefferson was a Unitarian and rewrote the Bible. It’s called the Jefferson Bible. As such, I think that many of the radicals are certainly functioning in the same mindset. Of course, Jefferson was also of the “do as I say, not as I do” mindset too.
2 Conservatarian (7 comments) // Dec 8, 2009 at 10:24 am
Perhaps, but where there is truth do not throw it out simply because there are other points we disagree with. If Obama says the sky is blue, I will agree with him, eventhough I am diametrically opposed to him on practically everything else.
3 Conservatarian (7 comments) // Dec 8, 2009 at 10:26 am
One other thing: not all the Founders were Unitarians. There were many Christian men who agreed full well with the sentiment that Jefferson espoused. If they hadn’t, he would not have been charged with drafting the Declaration of Independence. Lord knows we need those radicals now more than ever.
4 Ditto Head (3 comments) // Dec 8, 2009 at 10:29 am
Back then most Unitarians were Christian but believed in the Unity of God, not the Trinity which was not a Biblical construct anyway. I just find it interesting that Jefferson is quoted when it’s useful but not seen in his totality. He was full of contradictions and personal demons.
5 Conservatarian (7 comments) // Dec 8, 2009 at 10:32 am
I agree in part. However, “agreeing when it is useful”, which is disingenuous, is different from agreeing when it is true.
6 Ditto Head (3 comments) // Dec 8, 2009 at 10:38 am
True or The Truth is a very relative term and usually known best in the eye of the beholder.
7 Conservatarian (7 comments) // Dec 8, 2009 at 10:48 am
Seems I have heard that phrased in Pilate’s question to Christ, “What is truth?” Christians like myself believe truth (and principles derived from truth), are found in scripture, and not the Jeffersonian kind, either. The truth can be rightly divided, but it can’t be chopped up like so much hash. The truth is always true, even when it isn’t “useful”.
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