As Memorial Day weekend is approaching it brings back memories of days past. Growing up my family spent Memorial day weekend in a small green cinder block cabin that my Grandfather built on Princess Pond Subdivision on the banks of Lake Marion. Each memorial day I would brace myself for "the speech" my Dad would give just before we hit the water for a day of swimming, fishing, and pleasure boating. Dad would sit us down on a big cypress bench near the water and tell us to look out at the beautiful Lake. I can give this speech verbatim you see because I still give it to my kids. He would say " You see this lake out here. Today you are going to get to fish and swim and enjoy the day, but the reason you are able to do that is because Men gave their lives for you to be able to. Men like John Kenneth Wells who served his country. Survived the Bataan Death March and then perished in a prison camp. He did that so that you and I could enjoy what we have today. And what do we have?........Freedom!"
My Dad took freedom seriously, but that doesn't seem to be the case with most Americans today. A few years ago I was contracted by a Church to do some Ministry for them, and while eating lunch one day together the conversation moved towards a recent Ban put in place by the city of Greenville which prohibits smoking in the entire downtown area. My friend said "Oh I'm in favor of that, I cant stand people smoking while I'm eating". Now let me say that I am certainly not endorsing smoking or any particular vice for that matter, however I pointed out to him that acts like that are how freedom becomes extinct. I said "How long is it going to be before they prohibit Hamburgers in downtown Greenville?" The reply was something like "Ohh that will never happen". But it does happen. New York city has already banned foods with any trans fats in them. Now I know what you are thinking. "Chris come on man trans fats and smoking is bad for us" and my reply is just wait. Let me illustrate it like this.
In Florida last year a young man decided to get on a pool float on the beach where his friends were enjoying the day. He laid on the float and went to sleep. When he awoke he was nearly 2 miles offshore. He was blessed because a Coast guard helicopter spotted him and brought him to safety. When questioned he replied: "I only closed my eyes for a second and when I woke up I couldn't see land". It only takes a few minutes of letting our guard down to be far far off course. We have seen the tide of freedom slowly ebbing out a bit at a time but pretty soon we will not be able to see land. If the drift continues it may be too late.
The freedoms we enjoy are being attacked and taken away by the current administration at every turn. Gun control, forced medical care, media bias, government corruption and cover up, Conservative Christian profiling and targeting, overspending resulting in debt enslavement, punishment of success, welfare proliferation, apologizing to our enemies and lack of Presidential institutional control. All while the media reports a 53% approval rating?
Yes our Freedom IS in danger.
We live in a country that was started by people who's freedoms were being taken away. Who rose up to and not only voiced their opinions about freedom they took action to ensure that it was obtained and kept. One of my favorite Patriots said it like this:
“Is life so dear, or 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
Freedom is worth standing up for. Freedom is worth speaking out for. Freedom is worth Fighting for. Freedom is worth Dying for!
We have all kinds of causes in this world, but without the Cause of freedom, all other causes are lost!
Don't let our Freedom go Extinct!
