These are the times that try men's souls

THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.

Thomas Paine
December 23, 1776

2013 finds America full circle from where our Founding Fathers began. Tyranny has raised its ugly head in the form of a President who would be King. The stark reality that our Constitution no longer is relevant to those who hold the highest office in the land puts into perspective what the Founding Fathers must have pondered leading up decision to fight the American Revolution. They and their fellow colonists had a decision to make. Would they live under the yoke of tyranny and slavery or fight for the chance to live as free men? A decision that millions of American patriots are contemplating this very moment.

Undoubtedly, colonial Americans were torn and divided. Some wanted freedom from England, others wanted to remain subject to English crown. Others probably didn’t care. Much like the divided America we find ourselves in today. We have enjoyed the freedoms and liberties that built this once-great nation. And we have watched those liberties usurped by tyrannous men piece by piece over the past decades.

Today, the Vice President of the United States said the President would take executive action on gun control. He didn’t say the President would try to pass legislation through Congress. He said the President was considering exercising executive orders. The President is not allowed unlimited power to unilaterally issue mandates that circumvent the Congress, but he has and does. With little or no resistance from Congress. If the Constitution is no longer followed by those who have sworn to protect it, what do we have? Tyranny.

Obama’s designs on taking our guns is no surprise. While supporters couch their desires for taking our guns behind public safety, nothing is further from the truth. Their aims are to disarm the American populace because we can never be completely controlled when we can shoot back. I’m convinced Obama’s gun control desires are not his ideas. His statist puppet masters have long sought to disarm the American populace. Obama’s attempts are merely the most overt we have seen. For the past four years, gun purchases have been at all-time highs as Americans knew where Obama was going if reelected. After the November election, gun sales have been at a fever pitch as American prepared themselves for what was to come. It has come. It is here.

Everyone who loves liberty and what we once knew America to be has had the time to ask themselves what they are prepared to do and what the price of their actions may be? Do we fully realize what we may lose or do we just bluster on internet blogs? We know what is coming from our adversaries. We know their capabilities and desires. I hope I am wrong but I believe we shall soon have to make the decision to live as slaves or fight and possibly die as free men. AWD made that decision a long time ago.

The dream and light of America will live as long as it burns bright in the hearts of those who love freedom. We have fought wars, internally and externally, to extend the blessings of liberty for future generations. I am not prepared to allow the likes of Barack Obama, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and the other corruptocrats to take the very freedoms from me they have sworn to uphold.

They must be made to realize the whirlwind they will reap by trying to seize our Constitutionally-protected firearms. The statists may not believe in the 2nd Amendment or even the Constitution but a whole hell of a lot of us do in this great land and will fight to continue living under its blessings.

I don’t want to say too much tonight. I feel much like an athlete before the biggest game of their life. Or perhaps the way a soldier feels before going into combat. I feel like something terrible yet exciting awaits us over the hill. I am comforted in speaking with a lot of my friends and acquaintances that we are prepared to do what we must do. That alone should say enough.

I will end this with my favorite quote from the Founding Fathers. Samuel Adams owned the tavern from where the Sons of Liberty raided the English ships in Boston Harbor. Have you ever heard or read something and wished you had said it? Samuel Adams is that guy for me. Here are the words he spoke at the Pennsylvania State House in 1776:

“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquillity of servitude than the animating contest of freedom—go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen!”

Molon Labe

awd

Submitted by WiscoDave