The American Patriot
by Brent Johnson
What is an American patriot?
Is he (or she) a citizen who obeys all rules, regulations, statutes, and edicts issued by the federal or State government? Does the patriot blindly follow the procedures established by the Executive Branch? Does he pay any and all taxes quietly and without objection or resistance, simply because the government has told him he must pay them? Does he support government education for his (and your) children? Is he gung-ho in favor of the so-called "War on Drugs," "War on Poverty," War on Terrorism," and the like?
I consider the citizen I have just described to be nothing more than a slave; he is certainly not an American patriot!
Do you believe that American patriots like Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Thomas Paine, Molly Pitcher, Paul Revere, Benjamin Franklin, etc. would just obey the arbitrary decisions of the Executive and Judicial Branches of the government they helped to create? Certainly not!
What is an American patriot?
An American Patriot is someone who believes in the principles on which America was founded; that each of us has a right to life and liberty, and that government's only purpose is to protect and defend the God-given rights of each and every American. The American Patriot believes that there is nothing more sacred than liberty, and that any law, statute, rule or regulation which requires the Citizen to surrender any portion of his or her God-given rights, is bad law and should never be obeyed.
The American Patriot never succumbs to fear of incarceration, because he knows that his is a higher cause than anything the government can do to him. Better he stand for truth in jail than live a lie as a slave. Even so, few are ever incarcerated; mostly the United States federal government and its agencies and instrumentalities accomplish greater control of the American people through simple intimidation and threats. It is enough for most to be threatened with incarceration; most who call themselves Americans will gladly surrender their God-given rights when threatened by the government. But not the American Patriot.
The American Patriot will lay down his (or her) life before surrendering freedom. He lives for something, and is willing to die for that something. He understands that the true enemies of freedom include anyone who participates in schemes, plans and programs designed to exert control by the government over American Citizens.
When I die I want my epitaph to read:
I'd sooner give up my life for the truth than give up the truth for my life
Patriots have been ridiculed and defamed, mostly by government officials who have a vested interest in the status quo. We have been characterized as racists, extremists, terrorists, white supremacists, etc. For the true patriot nothing could be further from the truth.
In America, where people of varied beliefs are welcome to express themselves freely, there are racists and extremists of every type, in all aspects of society. Mark Furman was shown to be a racist police detective. Does this mean that all police detectives are racist? Of course not. By the same token, I have no doubt that some who call themselves patriots are racist, extremist and the like. Does this mean that true patriots are all racists? Of course not.
The American people have been subjected to extensive emotionalization of issues by government agencies and their officials. The government issues statements, promotes polling data, and publishes results of government tests, designed to create an emotional reaction from the American people. Subject matter examples of this tactic include environmental issues, education, gun control, poverty and hunger, etc. The American people then react emotionally, and no thoughtful solution can ever be achieved through an emotional reaction.
The American people do not think about whether gun control equates with government tyranny, they only know that little Johnny Jones accidentally shot himself last week. They do not objectively examine the question of whether the government even belongs in education, indoctrinating our children with half truths and outright lies, till they grow up illiterate and unprepared to function in the real world. Rather, they react to the idea that every child is entitled to an education, which by the way, is not true (each of us is entitled to the pursuit of an education, but not a government controlled education). They tell us that we will all die if we do not impose stricter "controls" on private Citizens and the business community, due to the deteriorating ozone layer. Well, how many of you reading this article KNOW that to be true? Or do you just BELIEVE what you have been told (like a good servant). We have been enslaved through our own emotions.
The truth - as our Founders knew - is that nothing is more sacred than personal freedom and liberty - nothing. The American Patriot understands the value of a gift from God! He will never give up his freedom "for the greater good," because there is no greater good than personal liberty and freedom!!!
Do you love your family; your parents, your siblings, your children? What would you do for those whom you love. What wouldn't you do for those whom you love? Most people today would answer by sacrificing time, maybe money, and other things for their loved ones. But isn't the greatest legacy you can leave to your loved ones, a legacy of freedom and liberty? What could be more important than living free, with self-determination and liberty? What could be more important than honoring the gifts that Almighty God your Creator has given you?
The Colonial Leaders are often quoted as saying that the struggle for freedom is an eternal one; that each generation must fight to retain its freedom, just like the previous one. It is not enough to reflect upon your ancestors, how they fought and died so that you might grow up in a free republic. It is not enough to shoot off fireworks on July 4, or watch the parade down some major metropolitan street on a "patriotic" holiday. This only pays lip service - merely words - to principles which require a great deal more. You must be known by your actions rather than your words. You must be willing to fight, and if necessary you must be willing to die, if you are to help preserve the highest principles of liberty and justice for all.
If liberty is the highest principle of all, then let me ask you a question. What would you do to preserve your personal liberty? If there is anything you wouldn't do to preserve your personal liberty, then that thing represents the leverage I need to enslave you forever. Therefore, the future of America comes down to one last question:
What wouldn't you do to preserve your personal liberty?