“[T]he hour is fast approaching, on which the Honor and Success of this army, and the safety of our bleeding Country depend. Remember officers and Soldiers, that you are Freemen, fighting for the blessings of Liberty — that slavery will be your portion, and that of your posterity, if you do not acquit yourselves like men.”
–George Washington, General Orders, 1776
On July 4th of 1776, the consequences for the actions about to be undertaken by 13 British colonies in America were very real. Heated discussions had been exchanged over the course of months. Lives and fortunes had already been lost by some. Daily the weight of a deaf and overbearing government is felt. Security, liberty, and freedom are intangibles. At any moment a brigade of British regulars could show up and arrest them all. And all hang. Yet, some things are more important than personal risk: the gifts of freedom, of liberty, of security, of representation in fair government, of self-determination.
The price of failure for the dissident and the treasonist in taking up arms against the Crown was death or slavery. Mr Wilberforce’s time had not yet come. Slavery was still common around the world.
Facing the high risks to self, to family, to fortunes, American patriots stood together in a just cause for liberty and freedom. We should never forget the price paid for our liberties, our freedoms, our nation. Men, women, and teenagers met a challenge and fought a war of separation, a war for independence that we – their posterity – would enjoy the blessings of liberty.
Today we can openly debate politics, religion, and free thought because of the risk-taking that was done in 1776. But, let us not forget that each generation must also rise up to the challenge of maintaining what previous generations quite literally fought and died for. Not all are soldiers. Not all are politicians. Not all are statesmen. But all who are American citizens are required to stand up, be counted, and know what is worth fighting for in these United States of America.
If we know our American history well enough and know our founding documents well enough, then those who actively seek to destroy the work of that history and principles of those documents cannot succeed. The United States of America is a democratic republic – a democracy ruled by the rule of law, a nation that requires its people to voice their opinion, a nation that requires its people to select their own representation to government; a nation of the people, by the people, for the people; a nation tolerant of ideas, but intolerant of changes that would take away or remove liberties granted by our Constitution.
On this Independence Day weekend, let us enjoy our families, our friends, our cookouts, our fireworks, and our celebrations of our liberty. Fathers and mothers, teach your children why we celebrate this day as you enjoy – I pray – a happy, festive, 4th of July celebration!
And, may GOD bless America!
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Here is a link to a favorite song by the Goads. Enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN-g_uHird4
Doc Rogers writes.... 