These columns and others by astute observers have summarized many problems that our nation is facing. At times it seems as if the difficulties are so numerous that we can’t resolve them all. We can’t seem “to get a handle” on our current situation because it’s too difficult to grasp. Fiscal, social, economic and political problems are overwhelming us. Although each issue may appear to stand alone, they are all inter-related and interconnected. The linkage is rather clear if one lifts the hood and peeks underneath it. Just as health issues in one part of the human body can impact other vital functions, the national sickness is similar.
Clearly if we focus on the issues and problems, we will have to duct tape our heads to stop them from exploding. You can easily observe how broad the scope is for difficulties we face by monitoring your email threads. Every day seems to include a new outrage by the government wherein some typical citizen is abused by either government power or official indifference. I have discovered the secret handle that allows me to deal with all these diverse problems. I have been blessed to “get a handle on the issues.” Strengthen your grip because here we go.
Faith is vital for coping with the numerous wheels that seem to be flying off our nation and our society. The opposite of faith is despair which leads to inertia and passivity. Faith in God, faith in the future, and faith in your fellow patriots are all reservoirs of strength as you confront the chaos. Progressives (socialists, communists, statists) gleefully demean people of faith while at the same time failing to understand that their baseless hope in the power and beneficence of government is also faith-based. Sometimes it appears that their faith exceeds ours because they never quit despite numerous examples of the failure of their faith in government.
Freedom is the cornerstone of the handle….the glue that holds it together. While faith is necessary for life, freedom is critical for living. One must have the maneuverability to react to circumstances, and flexibility is nearly impossible when one’s freedom to think, to act and to organize has been severely curtailed by the state or social convention. We have witnessed that freedom is fleeting and becomes more endangered every day. So, we must positively capitalize on our remaining freedom to sound the alarms for our communities and our loved ones. Some of us have a tendency to under-estimate our freedom and resist “making waves,” but we’ll never get the envelope to the intended recipient if we are too timid to push it. Movements are started and expanded as more people choose to exercise their freedom.
Fidelity is a derivative of faith, but in the context of a crumbling nation, it references trust and loyalty. It is important that we not get caught-up in the movement and superficially support positions that we may not hold dear. During the past few years of my efforts for liberty, I have encountered legions of people who give lip service to freedom and constitutional government yet…at crunch time they are unwilling to let go of certain programs or big-government policies. Their faltering attitudes undermine the movement and diminish the impact because the numbers of supporters are not real. They are imaginary.
Before committing your “lives, fortunes and sacred honor” to a movement be absolutely certain that you have thought through the positions and will stand for its principles….despite fierce opposition.
Force is a fundamental aspect of societies and nations. Force is the primary tool of government to assure compliance with the various rules and laws of the community, state or nation. Our Framers understood that government embodied force as the basic component for implementing its policies and programs. Invariably the force of the government conflicts with the liberty of the individual which is why our wise designers sought to limit the size and reach of government. When governments exceed their legitimate purposes and become oppressive, the people may have to resort to force to reinstitute their basic liberties. Force should always be the last resort because by its very nature, it is destructive. When the power of the state grows too large, legitimate measures for correction are often ineffective. The state will either co-opt the dissenting movement with false promises or forcibly crush it. Force is part of the “handle” because the restorers should understand its importance to the government and the potential necessity for using it to recapture the Founding dream. Force should be avoided whenever possible, but astute patriots will always be aware of its presence and be prepared to utilize it when necessary. They key word is “prepared.” Force should not be the product of mob frenzy, but should only be judiciously employed as a last resort.
Faith, freedom, fidelity and force can be valuable tools for coping with the surrounding chaos if we work for the best and are prepared for the worst. It is absolutely critical that each of us look inward and precisely define our limits and our visions. Failure to do so will lead to tragedy.
