In the last dozen years or so, I've been told "thank you for your
service" more times than I care to count. This is a Very Fine Thing,
and if you're a veteran or currently serving, thank you too.
One class of comment, however, has for the longest time made me feel uneasy in a way which I haven't been able to nail down until very recently. It's this notion that we in the Armed Forces defend freedom, fight for freedom, preserve freedom, protect our liberties, etc ad infinitum.
Except in a very abstract sense, this hasn't been true for America for several generations. This is itself a Very Fine Thing - God be praised, we simply haven't needed to. We've gone overseas and fought quite hard for *other* people's freedom, but we haven't fought to defend our own Nation since the Chicago Cubs won the National League pennant. And the last time we defended the citizens of the Continental United States was 102 years ago when we we sent "Black Jack" Pershing after Pancho Villa in 1913.
It is true we stood down the Soviets, but this was less a matter of defending liberty than of ensuring we didn't blow each other to smithereens. This too was a Very Fine Thing. But if we were defending anyone's liberty, it was that of Western Europe.
So what do we do for America, if we don't defend her liberties and freedoms? Very simply, we go abroad and visit violence - or threaten the same - upon those who encroach on our Nation's interests. There is no shame in this - the profession of arms is honorable and we do a very good job - but to say we're defending freedom is flatly incorrect.
So who does defend America's freedoms and liberties?
YOU DO.
And how well have you done?
Over the last dozen years we've been subjected to any number of intrusions, indignities and outright violations of our rights and prerogatives as citizens, and it didn't matter which political party was in power.
Who brought these violations upon you? "The Terrorists?" Of course not. They couldn't care less how we live; and the worst of their actions did not of themselves rob the Nation of a single one of its liberties. The Evil Corporations? Don't be silly - your freedom does not affect their bottom line one way or another.
YOU DID.
You permitted those who represent you to assume these powers in the name of security and convenience. You declared your assent to them without much in the way of protest, and affirmed it by electing and re-electing men and women who came right out and told you what they were going to do to you. You said nothing worth listening to and did nothing worth paying attention to when they created the several departments of the new Mommy-and-Daddy State. For all the bloviating and bluster, you say nothing worth listening to and do nothing worth paying attention to now.
Your apathy was all the consent such people need. It's not THEIR fault - it's YOURS for allowing them to have such power in the first place!
In all these violations and encroachments, there was nothing whatsoever the Armed Forces could do, would do or ought to do. What sort of Nation would we be, if the Army could step in to stay the hand of elected authority? No sort of Nation I want to live in, certainly.
No, your liberties are YOURS to defend, and I don't think I exaggerate by saying that history will look with little charity on your efforts thus far.
If the American serviceman has to fight for YOUR freedom, either of two conditions obtain:
1) We've been invaded (fat chance - simple geography dictates that we can no more be conquered than can Russia or China) or
2) You've let things get that far out of hand.
This is very important to remember this Independence Day: YOU YOURSELVES ARE THE ONLY DEFENDERS OF AMERICA'S FREEDOM. The Armed Forces can't do it - in fact we are prevented from doing it by our composition, our obligation and our culture. We're not Turkey or Egypt, thanks be to God. It's not the government's responsibility OR PURVIEW to tell you what freedoms you have and what you don't. It is prevented from doing so by the Bill of Rights. It is YOUR responsibility - your DUTY - to tell the government what powers IT has, and when it may exercise them.
So how do you do this? How do YOU, John Q. Public, bring a Leviathan government to heel?
One class of comment, however, has for the longest time made me feel uneasy in a way which I haven't been able to nail down until very recently. It's this notion that we in the Armed Forces defend freedom, fight for freedom, preserve freedom, protect our liberties, etc ad infinitum.
Except in a very abstract sense, this hasn't been true for America for several generations. This is itself a Very Fine Thing - God be praised, we simply haven't needed to. We've gone overseas and fought quite hard for *other* people's freedom, but we haven't fought to defend our own Nation since the Chicago Cubs won the National League pennant. And the last time we defended the citizens of the Continental United States was 102 years ago when we we sent "Black Jack" Pershing after Pancho Villa in 1913.
It is true we stood down the Soviets, but this was less a matter of defending liberty than of ensuring we didn't blow each other to smithereens. This too was a Very Fine Thing. But if we were defending anyone's liberty, it was that of Western Europe.
So what do we do for America, if we don't defend her liberties and freedoms? Very simply, we go abroad and visit violence - or threaten the same - upon those who encroach on our Nation's interests. There is no shame in this - the profession of arms is honorable and we do a very good job - but to say we're defending freedom is flatly incorrect.
So who does defend America's freedoms and liberties?
YOU DO.
And how well have you done?
Over the last dozen years we've been subjected to any number of intrusions, indignities and outright violations of our rights and prerogatives as citizens, and it didn't matter which political party was in power.
Who brought these violations upon you? "The Terrorists?" Of course not. They couldn't care less how we live; and the worst of their actions did not of themselves rob the Nation of a single one of its liberties. The Evil Corporations? Don't be silly - your freedom does not affect their bottom line one way or another.
YOU DID.
You permitted those who represent you to assume these powers in the name of security and convenience. You declared your assent to them without much in the way of protest, and affirmed it by electing and re-electing men and women who came right out and told you what they were going to do to you. You said nothing worth listening to and did nothing worth paying attention to when they created the several departments of the new Mommy-and-Daddy State. For all the bloviating and bluster, you say nothing worth listening to and do nothing worth paying attention to now.
Your apathy was all the consent such people need. It's not THEIR fault - it's YOURS for allowing them to have such power in the first place!
In all these violations and encroachments, there was nothing whatsoever the Armed Forces could do, would do or ought to do. What sort of Nation would we be, if the Army could step in to stay the hand of elected authority? No sort of Nation I want to live in, certainly.
No, your liberties are YOURS to defend, and I don't think I exaggerate by saying that history will look with little charity on your efforts thus far.
If the American serviceman has to fight for YOUR freedom, either of two conditions obtain:
1) We've been invaded (fat chance - simple geography dictates that we can no more be conquered than can Russia or China) or
2) You've let things get that far out of hand.
This is very important to remember this Independence Day: YOU YOURSELVES ARE THE ONLY DEFENDERS OF AMERICA'S FREEDOM. The Armed Forces can't do it - in fact we are prevented from doing it by our composition, our obligation and our culture. We're not Turkey or Egypt, thanks be to God. It's not the government's responsibility OR PURVIEW to tell you what freedoms you have and what you don't. It is prevented from doing so by the Bill of Rights. It is YOUR responsibility - your DUTY - to tell the government what powers IT has, and when it may exercise them.
So how do you do this? How do YOU, John Q. Public, bring a Leviathan government to heel?
- Read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Understand what is said in each document. Share it with your family, so they know what the plain and powerful language of these two important "Charters of Freedom" mean.
- Learn our Nation's history. The story of our Founding ought to bring a thrill to the heart of every American. It is truly one of the miracles of the modern era.
- BE A CITIZEN. Citizenship is more than just paying taxes. It's more than voting. It's taking an active role in the life of the Nation. Not because you're told to, but because what we have as American citizens is valuable to you and worth preserving. Get informed about the issues in your community. Belong to some sort of organization you have to show up to meetings for. Get to know those who represent you at all levels of government (can you name your Congressperson?). Learn the FACTS about the larger issues - not just the spin. Learn to think critically.
- Exercise your rights. You only have the rights you're willing to declare and defend. This takes some measure of risk, and also the chance of being unpopular. But the rewards - for yourselves, your communities and posterity - are far greater.
- The Armed Forces of the United States can do NONE of these things for you. You must do them for yourself.
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