LIBERTY LOST: LIBERTY 1

James Madison said, “I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.”  Over 200 years ago, when our great Republic was yet a toddler in the age of older nations, our Founding Fathers recognized and battled the same examples of attacks on the rights of We The People as today. The silent encroachments of our liberties via environmental “regulations”, UN treaties that relinquish our Republic’s sovereignty, city ordinances that dictate what size drink we may purchase, restrictions of speech, controlled press, and mandates that prevent our choice of healthcare must cease in order for the Constitution to continue to be relevant.  These  encroachments have been taking place by various administrations for decades. So much so, that we have become a people accustomed to them to the point that we have forgotten that it is We the People and not We the Governed. Our Constitution separates us from all other nations in the world in the fact that it bestows us the ability to govern ourselves and the power to govern the Government. Our rights are not given to us as “positive liberties”, (ie: you may do this, you may do that) but they are recognized as inalienable, deriving from no institutional source. Our Constitution states that our elected officials may not impede on our rights in any form, they are the restricted we are the Free. Being that we are the only nation with such power, the answer to “why” needs to be remembered and acted upon in order for its preservation.

I grew up hating history. I personally have failed every class from grade school forward. My disdain for politics was no less, and only by the grace of God himself were my eyes opened and a profound love for them birthed.

 It all started with the off purchase of a book “The Story of Liberty” by Charles C. Coffin, written in 1879. This book took me through the amazing journey of liberty beginning in the 16th century and end with the Pilgrims first few years of survival in the New World. In story form Mr. Coffin acquainted me with the men and woman who desired simple freedoms and the sacrifices made in search of practicing them, most of them with their lives. By the end of the book I had fallen in awe of these many brave souls, became eternally grateful for their sacrifices, and was renewed with an intense sense of reverence and gratitude for the freedom gifted to me by their blood, selflessly. My outlook on history was forever changed, and my desire to preserve our liberty,  whatever the cost, began.

See, now I understand the “why” of our liberties stated plainly in our Constitution. I understand the first amendment in a new light. When our founders wrote: “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”, they did so with good reason. Our Constitution is not a “copy” of any other nations,  its inception was a miracle to say the least, and its contents were of nothing ever before penned. That being true, logic leads to the conclusion there is a history of grief and trials that lead to its necessity of creation.

Thinking back to the era our founders lived, realizing they were ruled by England’s tyrannical crown, forced to practice faith under the Church of England, hiding behind pseudonyms to publish critical thoughts of the King, put to death for treason for publicly/privately speaking ill of the crown and/or its members, unable to assemble for independent Bible study, unable to publicly protest, and tried for treason if petitions of grievances made, it becomes plainly evident why the first amendment was penned. Daily we exercise this particular freedom in all its forms without a breath of thought why. We haven’t lived  under the full arm of tyranny to appreciate what our forefathers desperately wanted release from. They became traitors so we could be made free of the grievances that had plagued and persecuted our natural rights for millenia.

It is detrimental to our freedom’s preservation that we seek to know and understand our liberties. As Reagan once said: “Freedom is only one generation away from extinction”.

We must be diligently vigilant in preserving our freedoms and guarding against any and all encroachments thereof. We must always make known to our elected representatives that we are watching, we are active and we will Stand for our Constitution at all costs in order for liberty to not be LOST.

On April 26, 2014 is your opportunity to unite and make your voice heard across the nation. Join those of us who are committed to Stand at standacrossamerica.com and follow the movement on facebook.com/standacrossamerica and twitter @standacrossusa