Is life so dear and peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.

--Patrick Henry

I was heartened that as the fireworks started, a friend who is not generally into govt policy said he's concerned about liberty. Someone else said if we lose our republic, future historians will seize upon one event, maybe something yet to happen, as the crossing-the-Rubicon moment. It will be a long process represented by some token event. Three people other than me made similar comments before we turned to less philosophical matters.

I came away happy that these concerns are on people's minds.

I had a conversation with a friend earlier this morning, I`ll repeat my comment here: "America is not dead, we are holding our own, mostly South of the Mason - Dixon and West of the Mississippi" There are many more groups like this than the MSM and its handlers in power would care to admit to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrbUhRA7puQ

I think you meant to say it this way:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLCEUpIg8rE

=)

we can carry the torch constantly, and each life we touch

will be better off for it!!! -- j

.

Well said.

Before I fully understood the importance of the American Experiment I knew I was missing something. In my family and among my friends, America, its freedoms and liberty and economic system were rarely discussed except for parents to say something like, "You kids don't know how good you have it. You're lucky to have been born in this country. When I read the fountainhead, many things that had confused me were cleared up, and one of the most important was admiration for the USA. As I read about the country, its founders, thir system of government and economics, the more I admired the country they ushered in to the world. My patriotism ggrew, but not blindly. There was recognition for the stumbles but pride in the transformative power of a free society with the engine of capitalism running it. Then, along about the time of the Carter Administration it all began to change. (Yes, I know it was changing well before that) The collectivist thinking impinged itself on my consciousness until today, I have seen my beloved country deteriorate toward something despicable. While I hope it will change and climb up toward its past glory, I see no hope for it at present. I dearly wish to be wrong.

This was the saddest 4th of July for my wife and I. I won't get into the details but know that your rights are about to be trampled and it started here in California. America will be forever changed, for the worse.

NEVER SURRENDER!

Hear hear! There are many of us who understand and value freedom. We must use the freedoms we have to speak up, associate together, and take action so that our freedoms continue for us and our children.

From what I've seen, the flames of discontent are becoming more than embers and the current government is fanning those flames. IMHO, I don't see how we're much more free than we were in 1775.

Amen is all I got to say.

As I just happened to be watching Lone Survivor at the same time, I could only ask myself: why in the H--- are we fighting a war this way and doing so little to protect those who risk their life???