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A bit of history and some suggestions for this Independence Day weekend and beyond.
Two hundred, forty-five years ago this Sunday, most of the fifty-six men who would eventually put their signatures to parchment, did so that day in Philadelphia, and in doing so established what would eventually become the republic now known as the United States of America. While the first paragraph, and the opening lines of the second, are the most well-known, the last paragraph is perhaps the most important (emphasis added).
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
Among those signers were two men, who were about eight years apart in age. The older, not quite forty-one, was a lawyer, would greatly influence both the legal system, to include the presumption of innocence and the right to representation, and the later Constitution of the United States, he was also a statesman and became the first vice president and second president. The younger, who was only thirty-three at the time, was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, a farmer, a nature scientist, an architect, statesman, explorer, and philosopher, who later became the second vice president and third president. They both worked together on the writing of the Declaration and later, at the behest of Congress, as diplomats in Europe.
Due to political differences, which stemmed primarily from opposing views of the natural role of the new government, and the younger winning election as the third president, against the elder for a second term, a great rift developed between the two. Early in the morning the day of the younger’s inauguration, March 4, 1801, the elder left the White House, then known as the Executive Mansion. The two one-time friends never saw each other again, having no communication for the next twelve years. The elder finally reached out to his old friend, colleague, and one in the same political ally and rival, and the two men began a series of letters over their final dozen or so years on the planet, which eventually healed the relationship.
They literally died within hours of each other fifty years to the day after that fateful date in Philadelphia. The elder, at 90 years of age, passed away at 6:20 PM, the younger, at 83 years of age, passed away at 12:50 PM.
The two noble men were John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
For the Holiday Weekend
Independence Day traditionally involves a get together with friends and family, grilling out, and perhaps shooting off some fireworks, or attending a public display of the same. Not that long ago, there might have been a local parade involving military units, the high school band, and such fanfare. Rarely, would folks give pause to reflect on the solemn significance of the day. This year, it is no secret that the country is in challenging times. I and others have written much about those challenges and although I will touch on them below, my aim is not to dwell upon them. What I would like to offer is some simple suggestions for the weekend, and beyond, which if taken to heart, might serve as catalysts for reflection and, more importantly, action.
Express Gratitude
Regardless of what situation one might find themselves in, no matter how miserable, difficult, or challenging the moment might be, there is always something to be grateful for. And expressing gratitude, verbally and in our actions, is one of the strongest ways to keep ourselves centered, hopeful, and energized. If you are fortunate enough to be a citizen of the U.S.A., either by the happenstance of birth, or the intentional action of legal naturalization, you live in what is still the best place on the planet to live. I have literally been all over this planet, toured, visited, or lived in 41 countries, and there is no where I’d rather be.
Do we have issues? Yes. Are we a divided in opinion as to the direction of the country should take? Yes. Are the forces of evil ideologies wearing away at the foundation? Yes. All true. However, we have an amazing history, with an amazing corpus of foundational thought, ideals, literature, and law. There are people everywhere who have, or are, waking up to the evil storm that threatens to consume us, and who are fighting back. Be grateful you live in the U.S.A.
Most of us, hopefully, have read the Declaration at some point in our lives. However, when was the last time dear reader, that you actually did so? This year, perhaps, read it again. Read it aloud, with your friends, your children, your spouse or significant other. As you do, ponder the significance of the event. Consider carefully the reasons and grievances laid out against King George. Compare and contrast those to events today. Those men were willing to lay down their very lives to fight against the tyranny of the king. How many today would do the same?
Visit a National Monument
If one lives near a Revolutionary War battle field, consider visiting that over the weekend. Learn what happened there, who fought, who won, who lost, who lived, and who died. If that is not an option, consider visiting a Civil War battle field, a military museum, the local veterans’ memorial park, the state capitol. Visit anything that will take you out of the present day, into the past, the real past, and help you connect to the souls, those both grand and sordid, who came before.
Unplug but Watch a Movie
One might ask, what an odd suggest to make for Independence Day? I will be the first to suggest turning off and disconnecting from the pontificating talking heads of the main stream media, who with their divisive rhetoric and incessant big pharma paid propaganda are one of the most significant challenges facing the country today. And “Hollyweird” has a whole gambit of issues too deep to get into here.
However, as always, good folks have a way of getting things done in the end, and there are two movies worthy of viewing this Independence Day. Both are extremely well done, respectful to the period depicting, and in the case of the second, fairly factual in the depiction of the event. Both present the character, courage, and conviction that was once common across the land. I’ll let the trailers speak for the movies themselves.
The first recommendation is Roland Emmerich’s 2000 The Patriot starring Mel Gibson and Heath Ledger.
The second recommendation is John Lee Hancock’s 2004 version of The Alamo starring Dennis Quaid and Billy Bob Thornton.
Going Forward
There is much work to be done to correct the alarming track towards socialism that the country has been on for some time now, and the suggestions above, if acted on, will not correct that track, but are offered to energize, or reenergize one’s spirit. Going forward will take action, much action.
Read The Constitution
Read and understand the Constitution. Read it over and over and over. Get uber familiar with it. It belongs to you and me, not the lawyers, not the “Constitutional scholars,” and certainly not the politicians. Much harm has been done to it over the last two centuries, accelerating with Lincoln’s essential disregard for it, and fermented with the concept that it is a “living document,” subject to the whims and flagrancies of the day. Malarkey! It is a living document only in the sense that there is an amendment process, which is intentionally difficult.
Understand that the states came before the federal government, as emphasized above in the last paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, and exist still as independent sovereign states, free to secede at any time.
Understand the concept of federalism embodied in the Constitution.
Understand the concept of a republican government, versus a socialist government.
Understand Article IV, § 4.
Understand the Bill of Rights, especially the Ninth Amendment, which stipulates that the Bill of Rights is not all inclusive. Understand that your God given rights exist by virtue of your existence, not as a function of what politicians deem by fiat that you get to have.
Read Works by the Founding Fathers, or Well Researched Historical Drama
Read The Federalist Papers and The Anti-Federalist Papers. Read the works of Adams, Jefferson, et al. Read the works of Jefferson Davis. Eighteenth century English can be cumbersome, agreed, however, it is important to understand, from the hand of those who were there, what their perspective was.
If one cannot manage to wade thru the verbosity and prose of the past, read some accurately researched historical drama. David McCullough’s John Adams and 1776 are two of the best.
Regardless, study the history!
Exercise Your First Amendment Rights
Do not cave to tyrannical censorship. The reason for censorship, is that those who would destroy this country care only about maintaining power and they know that they cannot do that if they rely on a discussion of ideas alone. They cannot win on ideas.
Speak your mind in person. Post on social media. If they cancel you, as LinkedIn has done to me twice, move onto another platform. Do not rest. Write you blog. Write the newspaper. Write your book. Write and speak against tyranny as if your very life depends on your words, for it may well soon come to that.
One of the reasons for the current quandary is that too many have been willing to remain silent, going along to get along, so as not to rock the boat nor make as scene. Sometimes a scene needs to be made to wake people up the stupidity of their actions. Indeed, Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-18, and John 2:13-16 describe such righteous action when Christ threw the merchants out of the temple.
If you are religious, go to church. Regardless of what governors, or courts might say, the government has zero right whatsoever to tell anyone how they may or may not worship, as long as such worship does not infringe on anyone else’s rights; i.e. “worship” that involves torture or sacrifice of a human clearly infringes upon the rights of the victim. In that case, yes, it is the government’s job to step in and protect the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness of the potential victim. But if you’re not involved in satanic worship, please go to church, and tell those who are trying to take that away from you to pack sand.
The right to peacefully assemble covers a multitude of activities, so again, the government has been way out of bounds of late. Get together with your friends, neighbors, and family. Have party, a big party. Celebrate!
For all worthless effort it sometimes feels like, write, call, and visit your representatives. Hold them accountable for their decisions. Keep the pressure on. Keep it on forever.
Don’t be afraid to stand up against the tyranny, for a bully only wins when his victim cowers in fear.
Buy a gun
The Second Amendment is vitally important to the prevention of tyranny, which is why those who are only concerned about staying in power constantly try to spin the facts in a negative light and constantly try to pass unconstitutional legislation, which limits your right to own firearms, of any caliber, up to and including nuclear weapons and F-15s.
Buy a gun, buy ammo, practice, learn your weapon. Always carry it with you, even if your neighborhood is perfectly peaceful, as ours is. Yet I carry mine every morning on our walk, simply to exercise my right to do so. Fight to make your state “constitutional carry.”
Get Involved with Extreme Federalism
Sundance, at The Conservative Treehouse, has written on this recently, and he is 100% on target. The only way to turn off this track is to get involved at the local level, for individuals and states to reclaim their First thru Ninth, and Tenth Amendment rights. Whether it is getting more involved with the school board to push back on the divisive Critical Race Theory and 1619 Project, speaking up at a town meeting, being an election monitor, running for local or state office, forming a Make Americans Free Again group, or any of number of similar groups popping up, get involved.
The ultimate sovereignty is the individual human, the individual citizen. Study and know the Constitution, study the history, stand up, speak up, exercise your rights, get involved. The bully only wins when his victim cowers in fear. Have faith and do not be afraid…
In this way we can all honor the actions of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry, and so many others who fought valiantly against tyranny to bequeath us this wonderful republic. Do not let their actions, and those who died alongside them fighting that tyranny, to have been in vain.
Have a great 4th of July weekend and thanks for reading folks.
Namaste,
Mark
July 2, 2021
Great read, and excellent tips!
Excellent article and advice. Happy 4th to you! 🇺🇸🙏