Showing posts with label Independence Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Independence Day. Show all posts
Monday, July 9, 2007
7/4/2007
INDEPENDENCE DAY 2007
THE FOUNDATION
In celebration of 4 July 1776
“Our cause is noble; it is the cause of mankind!” —George Washington
INDEPENDENCE DAY 2007
Our Lives, our Fortunes, our sacred Honor
Our nation began with these stirring words in the Declaration of Independence: “When in the Course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.” Now, 231 years later, they still ring true.
We may envision the Founders as rash, rowdy rebels. Not so. Already accomplished in fields of endeavor, they were settled in character and reputation. They deemed their decision necessary, and their first thought was of “a decent respect to the opinions of mankind.” They were men of purpose and principle, who well understood the peril of choosing to declare independence from Great Britain. Dr. Benjamin Rush wrote to John Adams, “Do you recollect the pensive and awful silence which pervaded the House when we were called up, one after another, to the table of the President of Congress to subscribe to what was believed by many at that time to be our death warrants?”
The Founders reasoned that the colonials were compelled to the separation, outlining a detailed list of particulars describing the King of Great Britain’s “long train of abuses and usurpations” that could end only in an intended “absolute despotism” and “establishment of absolute tyranny over these states.” They appealed that the free citizens they represented therefore had both a right and a duty “to alter their former systems of government” and “to provide new guards for their future security.”
They further explained, “In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.” They had been patient, measured and restrained in responding to the incursions on their freedoms but could be so no longer.
The central passage of the Declaration’s opening is the document’s most famous, suggesting the form of government truly fit for a free people: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,—That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
The Founders sought liberty, not license—rather than a loosening of restraints, a freedom to pursue right. The objective was citizens’ safety and happiness, later called “the common defense,” “the general welfare,” and the “blessings of liberty.” The mottos of the American Revolution were “No King but King Jesus!” and “Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God.”
Given their experiences with a leader who had violated the laws supposed to control his own conduct as much as theirs, the Founders sought to avoid the instability of democracy or of oligarchy, in which one or a handful of people can overturn the foundations by a simple vote or decree. Fisher Ames warned, “The known propensity of a democracy is to licentiousness which the ambitious call, and ignorant believe to be liberty.” John Witherspoon referred to pure democracy as “very subject to caprice and the madness of popular rage.” The Founders ultimately chose a constitutional democratic republic—based on the foundation of the reliable rule of law, responsive to the people’s “consent of the governed” through representation of the citizens, predicated on the virtue of the people.
The colonists came to these shores with a learned tradition of liberty, and this new land offered a manner of living that further taught freedom. Our performance in upholding this heritage is mixed. We are divided as a nation, no longer pressing toward unity and allegiance to shared principles. Facile commentary lauds comity as the antidote for what the Founders derided as faction, applauding the elitist establishment fetish for bipartisanship. But they are exactly wrong. Indeed, bipartisanship today is more akin to factionalism than are those adhering to the two major political parties out of principle.
There remains one crucial question: What are we willing to risk to salvage the heritage our Founders handed down to us? Our warriors in the field have demonstrated that they stand in the direct line from our Patriot Founders—prepared to sacrifice all in service. Many activist citizens gave time, effort and resources to turn aside the Senate’s recent attempts to foist a dangerous change in immigration laws on the nation. But the United States as a nation is not as secure as at its tenuous beginnings.
The signers of the Declaration concluded their treatise, “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… 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.” Do we citizens, inheritors of the Republic bequeathed us, still stand ready to hazard even half so much?
Quote of the week
“A general dissolution of principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy. While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but when once they lose their virtue then will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader.” —Samuel Adams
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Great article Snooper.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICAComment by cassygop | July 4, 2007 | Edit
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Happy Independence Day! Nice wat to celebrate.
Comment by mdvp | July 4, 2007 | Edit
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The Jihadi trolls wish they had what we have
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Snooper, that could be but would they know what to do with it? I think NOT.
America stands for Freedom and those people couldn’t grasp that. -
True words Cassy.
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Jihadi trolls wish they had what we have
Comment by snooper | July 4, 2007
What’s that? Stupidity and ignorance? Nope, we don’t want it.
Snooper, that could be but would they know what to do with it? I think NOT.
America stands for Freedom and those people couldn’t grasp that.
Comment by cassygopNope, all America stands for any more is $$$$$
Moderator’s Verbiage: And there we have it. The troll has admitted to being a Jihadi Troll. Case closed. The troll is an idiot. This is what happens when IT and they cannot keep their stories straight. Dumber than a box of used Jihadi condoms IT is. Just goes to show ya what a moron this troll is.
Comment by raoul | July 5, 2007 | Edit
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Moderator’s Verbiage: And there we have it. The troll has admitted to being a Jihadi Troll.
Oh really? And when did that occur? Since you delete everything we on the Left write because it smacks of the truth, how can anyone believe a lying sack of fecal matter like you? All I gotta say, for the last time is fuck you, fuck the troops and fuck this illegal government. All of you are a sorry bunch of losers who wouldn’t know what the word ‘patriotism’ is if you fell over it. But that is no different than your lack of knowledge concerning God. You mix Him up with the lying piece of crap, Bush, all of the time.
Cheerio losers - I’ll stop by in a while to see what you’re whining about next. ha ha ha..
Moderator’s verbiage: ZERO!! Read your OWN words you pathetic Jihadi Troll. Check out #6, moron. LOL!! What a jerk! You the Chief Coward of all trolldom. Congrats asshole!! LOL!!
Just for you, moron: Jihadi trolls wish they had what we have
Comment by snooper | July 4, 2007
What’s that? Stupidity and ignorance? Nope, we don’t want it.
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raoul…you are a laughable loser. Go back to your sewer pit and profane the name of God but don’t come in here spreading your brainless hypocritcal lies.
NOBODY HERE BELIEVES YOU AIR HEAD. GET IT?
Now make sure you copy all this so you can show it to all your gibbering moonies claiming how you you won the debate.
They’ll believe you because you’re all a bunch of losers suffering from Severe Acquired Leftist Anencephalic Dementia.You are a fool raoul…a demented sick air head with not one brain cell in that ugly box you call a head.
WE DELETE MOST OF WHAT YOU GUTTER RATS WRITE BECAUSE IT IS USUALLY FILLED WITH PROFANITY AND ALWAYS FILLED WITH LIES.
YOU WOULDN’T KNOW TRUTH IF BIT YOU DIRTBAG.Comment by dsolo | July 5, 2007 | Edit
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YEAH! What dsolo said!
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“WE DELETE MOST OF WHAT YOU GUTTER RATS WRITE BECAUSE IT IS USUALLY FILLED WITH PROFANITY AND ALWAYS FILLED WITH LIES.”
Look in the mirror and practice what your preach, Loser.
Moderator: LOL!! Is da poor widdle mowon wibwal upswet? LOL!! Such LOSERS y’all are!! LOL!!
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why isn’t raoul’s comment deleted?
Moderator: We let a few of the idiot’s comments through so folks can see what a troll IT is. I also moderate al lcomments so they don’t spam blogs like the trolls like to do. It pisses them off.
Comment by paranoidandriod | July 5, 2007 | Edit
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raoul, we may not want stupidity but YOU seem to show up anyway.
Now act your d@mn age and not your IQ for once.
In regards to the f’s that you yap about your a pr*ck who wouldn’t know what truth means. Your accounts of being a jihad is most dangerous for our Country therefore be advised that a jihadist like YOU should leave and NEVER be heard from again. Make haste to the cave with OBL. You should have plenty to yap about with him.
And stop messing with the Troops or I will get mad!!!!!!
Comment by 
Comment by JB Williams On Independence Day
Independence Day Message From JB Williams
Time for All Good Men
To come to the aid of their Country!
©2007 USA
(Reprinted by permission) (I have added some emphasis to a particular entry)
So, you’ve had Enough War… Have you discussed this with the Jihadists?
Although presidential candidate John Edwards (D) recently declared the War on Terror “nothing more than a Republican campaign bumper sticker”, it appears that Jihadists around the globe have a different take on the matter.
For a change, I can agree with most Democrats in Washington DC on something. I’d like very much for this war to be over, our soldiers to be home safe and sound, for the world to be the peaceful place that we all hope it can some day be and for all the talk of terrorism and war to soon be in our past.
But then my TV screen was once again plastered with familiar images of reality from our dear friends across the pond in the UK. Within hours, our own national security teams were busy ramping up their continued efforts to secure America against similar events. Jihad continues in many parts of the world and America is indeed fortunate to have avoided new attacks since 9/11/01.
My point is this…
No matter how much we would like to call an end to this and every other war, we will not be able to do so until such time as our enemy, those engaged in Jihad all over the free world, is equally interested in peace. So far, they remain uninterested.
Based upon current terror attacks in the UK and well beyond, today does not appear to be a day for peace. Make no mistake, the goal is peace. But how we get there from here is not nearly so obvious for many so sorely inexperienced in such matters.
The question becomes what to do, as we clearly must continue forward in our international allied effort to rid the world of those who wish to advance their political or religious aims via the ongoing killing of innocent civilians? If quitting isn’t an option, that leaves only winning or losing on the table for consideration.
So long as Jihadists remain committed to war with the free world, no matter their motives, we must remain even more committed to derailing that agenda. Are there any doubts about that?
This means that quitting is off the table. I submit to you that losing such a battle for humanity is even worse than quitting. The victor is further emboldened by true victory and the long term cost of losing is easily imagined to be wholly unacceptable, no matter your political leanings.
If we can’t quit because they won’t let us and we can’t lose because the cost of losing is just too high, that leaves only one real option on the table and that option is winning.
In this regard, like it or not, the central front in this war is in Iraq today. So we must begin there. Winning in Iraq is a must. Accepting any form of defeat in Iraq is unacceptable and the reasons are too numerous to list in a column. So how do we win in Iraq?
Only about 2% of our entire population has any military experience at all. Less than that have combat experience and far less than that have war planning experience. I must start by suggestion that those with no experience in the matter learn to keep their opinions to themselves. You have a right to your opinion no matter how ill informed it might be. But ill informed opinions are of no real value to anyone, especially those who must find a way to win in battle.
Empty rhetoric, pro or con, is just that, empty rhetoric. It serves only our enemies, not our agenda for eventual peace or those who must achieve that goal.
Washington politicians, while they need very much for us to believe that they know everything, have proven repeatedly that they do not know everything. Most of them also have no military, combat or war planning experience. Many old warriors have since lost their stomach for war anyway.
Their job irreversibly changed the moment they failed to solve the problem short of military force. Once they agreed to send the military in to clean up the mess, they must allow the military experts to do just that. They too must look outside of themselves for the most informed and well experienced advice on the matter.
This leaves the only people who should ever lead a military mission - military experts and the commanders responsible for the success of the mission. This is no time for second guessing and endless negotiations. That time has passed. One must assume that congress exhausted all other options before voting to send American troops into harms way. God help them if they didn’t. Now it’s up to the military to accomplish the nation’s goal, which is military victory, for those keeping up.
The job of the Commander-in-Chief is not to micromanage military decisions on the battlefield. His job, once troops are deployed, is to do what’s necessary to provide those troops with all necessary support to complete the mission they were given, including the moral support of the people back home. Bush has failed in this regard, with a lot of help from Democrats and the press.
The time for Congress to debate military action was before they voted to authorize military action and indeed, those debates took place. Once they authorize troops into theater, their job is to provide any and all necessary support for the success of that mission and stop rehashing lost debating points that only undermine and demoralize the troops while emboldening the enemy.
Americans have become accustomed to sharing their opinions on everything, without much regard for the potentially counter-productive nature of some of those opinions. This practice must end. We must consider the consequences of our words.
As a general rule, Americans should refrain from public opinions that are anything less than supportive of our troops and their mission. The right time for second guessing will come when second guessing no longer has a direct negative effect on troops in harms way. There’s plenty of time for history to judge the quality of decisions already made.
I must share two personal stories with you in this regard.
I recently had the pleasure and honor of sitting for a few hours with several Marines returning from Iraq. The stories they told only deepened a sense of love, respect and honor that I have carried for these brave young souls all of my life. Act of pure heroism after act were recounted, always about a comrade, not themselves, all of them, nothing short of amazing.
But the most important story told, drawing an amen from each of them and a sigh of disbelief and discontent from me, was their experiences with the mountain of paperwork and questioning that followed every discharge of their firearm.
Each of them told of the countless hours spent filling out paperwork needed to explain, in fact justify, the discharge of every round. The Pentagon needs a paper trail for every round fired in combat, so that it can attempt to defend itself from misguided attacks and charges of soldier misjudgment or misconduct. This is no way to win a war my friends…
In two cases, the Marines were returning from their second tour in Iraq and had seen both horrific and heroic things. But nothing was as disturbing to them as the need to justify staying alive in the theater of combat. Both had been offered enormous cash bonuses to re-up and both declined. Neither wanted to leave Iraq and both want to return. But neither will return to a war they are not allowed to win…
The second story is told by a dear friend who had a very different experience that same week while waiting for a connecting flight in the Denver airport. She was so disturbed by the experience that she took action and then called me from her cell phone while still shaking.
A very young soldier in desert fatigues also returning from Iraq emerged alone from an incoming flight ramp in Denver, where my friend was awaiting her connection. Several others waiting for their connections noticed the young soldier as well and began their cat calls, “baby killer - murderer - scum” - they shouted at the soldier as they circled him in such an effort to intimidate, that armed airport security came to walk him through the gauntlet.
The soldier said nothing, not a word. He kept walking, eyes locked forward. My friend joined the airport guard and walked him past the crowd, took him to the airport tavern and bought him a cold drink, thanking him for his service and apologizing for the gross ignorance he had just experienced.
Once nerves settled, she asked about his experience in Iraq. It was like every report I have ever gotten directly from Iraq, amazing, heartfelt and incredibly moving. It was his first tour and there would be others. He was proud of the job he and his fellow soldiers were doing in Iraq, how attached they had become to so many of the Iraqi people, the children in particular.
And then he said, - “we know why we are there, what we are doing and what must be done and we will do it. But none of us look forward to returning home right now Miss…. We are more welcome in Iraq than in America…”
Maybe I should have cut this column down to that story alone, because what more needs to be said really?
My friend was still crying when she climbed off the plane back home. She asked me, “What has happened to my country?”
I wish I knew….
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To the Soldier Thank you and you are all appreciated & loved.
I’m sorry that some people have no idea what’s at stake, thank heaven you all do.
The democrats are doing it again and I’m tired of their retardedness. It’s NOT our Troops that are murderers it’s our enemys, with the democrats helping their efforts.
Yes the democrats with their stupid neolib fantasies about jihadists.
Our Troops are doing a great job and don’t deserve this. Note to dems: Shut the he!! up when it comes to our Troops.
This war is something that we cannot afford to lose.
Nothing is wrong with America but some of the people in it need help depicting out just who our enemy is, it sure isn’t our brave Military.
These people that are making snide remarks don’t realize that it’s because of the Soldier that they are able to make statements like that. Can’t comprehend it.
DOI!
Declaration of Independence
“In its main features the Declaration of Independence is a spiritual document. It is a declaration not of material but spiritual conceptions. Equality, liberty, popular sovereignty, the rights of man—these are not elements which we can see and touch. They are ideals. They have their source and their roots in religious convictions. They belong to the unseen world. Unless the faith of the American people in these religious convictions is to endure, the principles of our Declaration will perish. We cannot continue to enjoy the result if we neglect and abandon the cause. If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just power from the consent of the governed, that is final. No advance, no progress can be made beyond these propositions. If anyone wishes to deny their truth and their soundness, the only direction in which he can proceed historically is not forward, but backward toward the time when there was no equality, no rights of the individual, no rule of the people. Those who wish to proceed in that direction cannot lay claim to progress.” —Calvin Coolidge
Foundations
From The Patriot Post
THE FOUNDATION: WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE
The Liberty Bell
“Objects of the most stupendous magnitude, and measure in which the lives and liberties of millions yet unborn are intimately interested, are now before us. We are in the very midst of a revolution the most complete, unexpected and remarkable of any in the history of nations.” —John Adams
THE GIPPER
“Somewhere in our growing up we began to be aware of the meaning of days and with that awareness came the birth of patriotism. July Fourth is the birthday of our nation. I believed as a boy, and believe even more today, that it is the birthday of the greatest nation on earth… In recent years, however, I’ve come to think of that day as more than just the birthday of a nation. It also commemorates the only true philosophical revolution in all history. Oh, there have been revolutions before and since ours. But those revolutions simply exchanged one set of rules for another. Ours was a revolution that changed the very concept of government. Let the Fourth of July always be a reminder that here in this land, for the first time, it was decided that man is born with certain God-given rights; that government is only a convenience created and managed by the people, with no powers of its own except those voluntarily granted to it by the people. We sometimes forget that great truth, and we never should. Happy Fourth of July.” —Ronald Reagan
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Thank you President Reagan for those words of wisdom that some forget.
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Wolverines!!! Perhaps a peek at what is in store for us all.
Wonder how many are willing? How many are ready?
Ruck up…Go red!
AMEN!! I have been ready for years!