Give me liberty or…maybe like a paper cut

[Billy Britt]

This week marks the anniversary of the Patrick Henry’s speech in which he said, “Give me Liberty, or give me Death!” The speech was given before the Virginia Convention, on March 23, 1775, at St. John’s Church in Richmond, Virginia.Henry’s oratory was credited as having swung the balance in convincing the Virginia House of Burgesses to pass a resolution delivering the Virginia troops to the Revolutionary War.Liberty or DeathIt would be difficult to imagine a politician of today’s ilk uttering these words without a bout of uncontrollable laughter.One would be hard pressed to find what, if anything, a modern politico would die for, much less liberty.Liberty can generally be described as the freedom to act or believe without being hindered by unwarranted force.The U.S. Constitution was intended to provide a framework for laws that sustained individual freedom.In political philosophy, it is the condition in which an individual has the right to act according to his or her own will as long as it does not infringe the rights of (or do harm to) others.In contrast, collectivist political theories, socialist or communist believe that rather than leaving individuals to pursue their own ends, the state must ensure that the individual serves the whole society. This coercion by the state is anathema to our system of government, but a creeping collectivist agenda seems to always be at play.From the collectivist perspective, liberty is replaced by a false equality; therefore, in an effort to bring state ordered equality the government assumes primary responsibility for the welfare of its citizens.Democracy is often sadly misunderstood, and the will of the people becomes the tyranny of the masses.Therefore, limits on the decisions that can be made by such majorities are put in place, such as constitutional limits on the powers of government as in our “Bill of Rights.”Ayn Rand, wrote in Atlas Shrugged, “My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute.”While I would add that we have a spiritual obligation, we must as a nation stresses independence and self-reliance.Furthermore, a laissez-faire government that has little or no state intervention in economic issues, including the use of free markets, minimal taxes, minimal regulations and private ownership is most able to promote liberty.A government that takes capital from the most productive sectors of the economy and gives it to the less productive sectors by enforcing economic egalitarianism, will reduces productivity and the incentive to work.Many believe that Henry’s words were inspired by a line spoken in the play Cato, a Tragedy, “It is not now time to talk of aught/But chains or conquest, liberty or death” (Act II, Scene 4).Whatever the source, it would be good for us to remember his words, “It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace—but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”I am not laughing but praying for a renewal of our nation’s purpose.

[Kevin Nye]

Hey David, you ought to try some Kodiak "Nut Brown Ale" (my wife's favorite) http://www.midnightsunbrewing.com/beer_kodiak.php I am sure you would love it...

Kev

And hey, I tried to call you this weekend, but you didn't answer. But, we well click at some point... Cheers! Pip pip and all of that!

[David Bailey]

Not sure if I should get involved in this one. (I am English) But I like a good 'ole tea party! Tea and crumpets any one? Newcastle Brown Ale sounds better though...

[Kevin Nye]

Sadly, I think the people of our generation have been too fat and sassy. We have so much. We have not experienced the tyranny that was perpetrated against our Fore Fathers. Even the very Poor live a lifestyle of relative comfort. Therefore, there has been no conceived need to put so much on the line like Patrick Henry and our Fore Fathers (one word? Two words?) did. But I think that if the bubble bursts and our Nation is dumped into the chaos of anarchy following a massive economic collapse, there will be those who would give their all for our Liberty. Unfortunately, if that were to happen, this generation of self servers would not be be as likely to follow and would then therefore add to the problem via their self serving survival efforts. The Patriots of the Past saw and experienced a direct betrayal by the Crown of England. It wasn't a "gray issue" like it seems to be today. The Lobster Backs were in the streets, in peoples' homes, the taxation was crippling and unfair and the problem was easily identifiable as those leaders explained it to those followers who felt it in their own businesses and in their personal lives. Today, because of what I believe to be a very dishonest Media (which in my opinion amounts to nothing more than dishonest propaganda), the issues seem to be too "gray" for the masses to identify and retaliate against in the form of voting.

Hopefully though, things will turn around. Tea Party anyone? There have been numerous TPs already. I wonder if anyone is brewing up a tea party for the 15th of April?

[Pat Malone]

"...Praying for a renewal of our nation's purpose." I'll join with you on that, Billy.
It seems to me that truly great men so seldom come along. And when the earth is blessed with several at one time, the world is changed. What a remarkable time that was -- Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin...
Words had meaning in those days; words like "liberty" and "sacred honor."
I don't know what is in the soul of a man. Sadly, though, the actions of too many "public servants" clearly demonstrates that current misnomer.
As a nation, we face so many challenges. These are the times that try men's souls. Ultimately, I believe that fixing a nation is like fixing a man. You never really accomplish anything by working on the outside; change happens from the inside out. Until the individuals in a society choose a greater good, choose to live for more than their own comfort and gain; that society will not positively change. Men may legislate some kind of changes, but not the new day they seek. Some threaten our liberty, while others abuse it. Without love, liberty ends in an occasion to the flesh; with love, liberty serves one another. That is a cause worth living for.

[John Richeson]

I think most Americans still agree with and stand by that famous statement. You were in NYC during the WTC attacks. I can't imagine what you must have gone through being right there. But we saw an outpouring of patriotic unity that I believe always lies beneath the surface here among the common man.

One of my favorite movies is The Patriot. Being from that area of the country I have great respect for those early patriots who fought in hand to hand combat for their freedoms. Thank God they did.

Sorry for the gore of these scenes. I'm a guy. What can I say. Good guys won.