God Bless the U.S.A.
Alexander S. Peak
Also available in .txt and .pdf.
14 August 2005
[EDITOR’S NOTE: This piece contains language that may be
offensive to some audiences. Reader discretion is advised.]If tomorrow all the things were gone
I’d worked for all my life,
And I had to start again
With just my children and my wife,
I’d thank my lucky stars
To be living here today,
’Cause the flag still stands for freedom
And they can’t take that awayIt depends upon who this “they” are. If you’re referring to the politicians, they most certainly can, and do, take our freedoms away.
And I’m proud to be an American
Okay, well, I’m not really “proud” of this. I enjoybeing an American. I appreciate the opportunities it affords me. But I’m not “proud” to be an American. It is my belief that people should be proud of their accomplishments and stances, not their conditions. Nobody on the planet should be “proud” of his nationality.
Where at least I know I’m free,
Oh, whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa. I “know” I’m free? Bullshit. You call this freedom??
What about the Kelo decision which expanded eminent domain? How does that make me free?
What about Social Security? I never asked to be part of the Social Security system. I was forced into it by my government. I’m a slave to the system.
How about the USA PATRIOT Act!? Don’t think the Founders intended that one, do ya?
And how about the restrictions on trade? I mean, come on. How can we be “free” when we don’t even have free trade? If I wanted to import cigars from Cuba, I would be able to under free trade. But under our anti-free trade policies, I’m restricted in my actions. People aren’t even allowed to purchase marijuana from doctors for crying out loud! Under free trade, they’d be able to purchase whatever they want.
This also applies to guns. Under free trade, you’d be allowed to purchase guns from whomever you want. But because of gun “control” (i.e. victim disarmament), we’re restricted.
And let’s not forget the REAL ID Act. Mark of the beast, anyone? As if the Social Security number wasn’t bad enough!
Also, we’re sacrificing our national sovereignty to entities like the U.N.
Also, the F.C.C. censors television and radio. So much for free speech.
The F.E.C. also engages in censorship, in an even more insidious form. It censors political content!! I’m sure that’s exactly what the Founders wanted, right!? Ugh, yeah, “right”.
And I won’t forget the men who died
We can find some definite agreement there. The people who gave their life to defend our new nation from Britain’s attacks are definitely heroes, and I very strongly appreciate their sacrifice.
The following is something I did not write myself, but which I would like to share with you.
Independence Day:
Now that you’ve enjoyed your freedom of celebrating Independence Day, did you stop to think what sacrifices were made so that you could? For instance, have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?
Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.
They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.
What kind of men were they?
Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.
Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.
Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.
Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.
At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr. noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.
Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.
John Hart was driven from his wife’s bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart. Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.
Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more.
Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged: “For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” They gave you and me a free and independent America.
The history books never told you a lot about what happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn’t fight just the British. We were British subjects at that time and we fought our own government!
Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn’t.
So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It’s not much to ask for the price they paid. Remember: freedom is never free!
Who gave that right to me,
Ohh, whoa whoa whoa, stop right there. “Gave” that right to me!? Rights can’t be given! They can’t be granted! Don’t you know anything about the philosophy of our Founders? Natural rights are not given by people (democracy), or by governments (communism, fascism). Rights are innate. They exist in us all, naturally. That’s why they’re called natural rights!
So yourself a favour, read the Declaration of Independence! (Locke may be a bit too hard for you.)
And I gladly stand up next to you
And defend her still today,I defend her, against the tyrants that aim to destroy the freedoms for which she stands!
’Cause there ain’t no doubt
I love this land,I know I do.
And please don’t use double-negatives.
God Bless the U.S.A.
Please do.
From the lakes of Minnesota
To the hills of Tennessee,
Across the plains of Texas
From sea to shining sea,
From Detroit down to Houston
And New York to L.A.,Out of those places mentioned, all I’ve seen are New York and the Atlantic Ocean. I’m sure all those places are very beautiful, though.
I was lucky enough to get to see New York before 9/11. I saw it from a ferry going from New Jersey to Liberty Island, and I must say, it was stunning. The towers were extremely beautiful. I’m glad I actually had the opportunity to see them with my own eyes.
