"The world has never had a good definition of the word liberty, and the American people, just now, are much in want of one. We all declare for liberty; but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing.
What constitutes the bulwark of our liberty and independence? It is not our frowning embattlements, our bristling sea coasts. These are not our reliance against tyranny. Our reliance is in the love of liberty, which God has planted in our bosoms. Our defense is in the preservation of the spirit which prizes liberty as the heritage of all men, in all lands everywhere. Destroy this spirit, and you have planted the seeds of despotism around your own doors.
At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? By what means shall we fortify against it? Shall we expect some trans-Atlantic military giant to step the ocean and crush us at a blow? Never! All the armies of Europe, Asia, and Africa combined could not, by force, take a drink from the Ohio or make a track on the Blue Ridge in a trial of a thousand years.
At what point, then, is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, [that] if it ever reach us, it must spring [from] amongst us; it cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we [ourselves must] be [the] author[s] and finisher[s]. As a nation of free men, we must live through all time[s], or die by suicide."
(From Disney's Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln)
People need to realize that our freedoms are granted to us, by us through our Constitution. The government is not there to tell us what to do; but to be told what to do. We must, at all costs, preserve these liberties that we love and cherish and believe in. In the recent years, our public servants (who go by the titles of Assemblyman/woman, Congressman/woman, Senator, Governor, and President) have felt empowered to dictate laws and policies to the citizens of this great nation. They do not have the power to do so. We have the power to rise up and speak aloud in a strong voice "We want to power in this nation! We ask that you simply manage it and represent it well." Unfortunately, neither is currently happening. So come November, the people need to rise above the MTV's vote push, the Black Panthers' "protecting" of voting locations, the excitement of voting for the first black President and puncture the chads, click the electronic spinning wheels, or the touch the screens in the voting booths to rescind the previous votes from the pop-culture fads.
Do your diligent study of the issues, policies, and candidates. Study history, review the policies of the past in the U.S., look at the 10 years following. Then make a decision on what has worked in the past and was has not. History repeats itself, let it not repeat itself from 2 years ago. Remove the powers that be in Congress and let new public servants come in to actually serve the voters.
