THE FOUNDATION: WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE

“What a glorious morning this is!” —Samuel Adams to John Hancock at the Battle of Lexington, Massachusetts, 19 April 1775

PATRIOTS DAY INSIGHT

“Don’t fire unless fired upon. But if they want a war let it begin here.” —Captain John Parker at the Battle of Lexington ++ “The Sun never shined on a cause of greater worth.” —Thomas Paine ++ “We know the Race is not to the swift nor the Battle to the Strong. Do you not think an Angel rides in the Whirlwind and directs this Storm?” —John Page ++ “Our cause is noble; it is the cause of mankind!” —George Washington ++ “The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments, of their duties and obligations… This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution.” —John Adams ++ “Patriotism itself is a necessary link in the golden chains of our affections and virtue.” —Stephen Decatur ++ “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.” —Thomas Jefferson ++ “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

PATRIOTS DAY 2007

“Contemplate the mangled bodies of your countrymen, and then say, ‘What should be the reward of such sacrifices?’ Bid us and our posterity bow the knee, supplicate the friendship, and plough, and sow, and reap, to glut the avarice of the men who have let loose on us the dogs of war to riot in our blood and hunt us from the face of the earth? If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility 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!” —Samuel Adams

In honor of those brave Patriots who, on 19 April 1775, at Lexington and Concord, fired the opening volley for American liberty—and those Patriots who continue in that tradition today, shouldering the burden of American liberty, particularly those on the warfront with Jihadistan.

By the Spring of 1775, the Massachusetts Colony was preparing for conflict with the Royal authority over taxation without representation. The colonial authorities had become oppressive, and American Patriots were prepared to cast off their masters.

On the eve of 18 April 1775, General Thomas Gage, military governor of Massachusetts, dispatched a force from Boston to confiscate weapons stored in the village of Concord, and to capture Patriot rebels Samuel Adams and John Hancock, reported to be in Lexington. But Patriots had anticipated this raid.

Paul Revere had arranged for advance warning, and though he was captured, Patriot allies William Dawes and Samuel Prescott continued their midnight ride for 22 miles from Boston’s Old North Church to Concord and warned militiamen along the way.

As dawn arrived on 19 April, between 50 and 70 militiamen came to the town green at Lexington to confront the British column. When a few links away from the militia column, the British officer swung his sword, and said, “Lay down your arms, you damned rebels, or you are all dead men. Fire!” Several Patriots were killed and wounded, but none had been ordered to return fire.

However, when the British arrived at Concord’s Old North Bridge, American “Minutemen” fired the “shot heard round the world” as Emerson notes above.

That was the beginning of an eight-year struggle for American independence, a beginning we honor as Patriots Day.

Concord Hymn Ralph Waldo Emerson

By the rude bridge that arched the flood, Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled, Here once the embattled farmers stood And fired the shot heard round the world.

The foe long since in silence slept; Alike the conqueror silent sleeps; And Time the ruined bridge has swept Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.

On this green bank, by this soft stream, We set to-day a votive stone; That memory may their deed redeem, When, like our sires, are sons are gone.

Spirit, that made those heroes dare To die and leave their children free, Bid Time and Nature gently spare The shaft we raise to them and thee.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE We invite you to visit The Patriot Shop and celebrate our nation’s heritage by purchasing and displaying high-quality framed images of our Founding documents. The Patriot Shop also has the largest selection of official military-branch insignia items on the Internet. Don’t forget to visit The Patriot’s Historic Documents pages for additional resources on America’s founding.

UPRIGHT

“The writers of the U.S. Constitution understood the necessity for an armed citizenry. When only the government has guns, everyone else is just a slave. Gun-banners who would turn everyone’s life and liberty over to the care of an all-powerful, central government, don’t understand and don’t agree with that.” —Alan Caruba ++ “All of these massacres, these terrorist attacks, have genuine possibilities for being stopped dead in their tracks if they encounter a well-armed, well-trained, educated public vigilant to defend their freedoms…[T]he proper public response is to promote the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution. We can stop this evil if we choose to. Let’s roll.” —Andrew Longman ++ “Why is the Virginia Tech murderer always referred to as the ‘gunman’ and not the ‘murderer’? Had he stabbed a dozen students to death, would he be the ‘knifeman’?” —Dennis Prager

“Unfortunately, the tax cuts that have produced our record-breaking government revenues and personal incomes will expire soon. Because Congress has failed to make them permanent, we are facing the worst tax hike in our history… Those who say they want a ‘more progressive’ tax system should be asked one question: Are you really interested in tax rates that benefit the economy and raise revenue—or are you interested in redistributing income for political reasons?” —Fred Thompson

“The current alarm [over global warming] rests on the false assumption not only that we live in a perfect world, temperaturewise, but also that our warming forecasts for the year 2040 are somehow more reliable than the weatherman’s forecast for next week.” —MIT meteorology professor Richard Lindzen

EDITORIAL EXEGESIS

“’Tragedy’ is too meager a word to describe Monday’s shooting of scores of people at Virginia Tech. It was a massacre of horrid proportions. Nearly three dozen were slaughtered and nearly two dozen more were wounded on the Blacksburg, Va., campus… Such incidents usually lead to great outcries for greater security and stricter gun control laws. Perhaps this incident will prompt calls for airport-like security at our institutions of higher learning, if not at all our schools, if not in each and every public place. And turn America, land of the free, into America, home of the fortress? There may even be a rising chorus for repeal of the Second Amendment. After all, haven’t we had enough of this kind of thing—Columbine, the Pennsylvania Amish school shootings and now this? But if not guns, the deranged who perpetrate their atrocities will employ some other inanimate accomplice. It is not the instrument of the deeds but the mind-sets that precipitate them that must be addressed…[W]e must somehow overcome the pathology we sadly have become.” —The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

DEZINFORMATSIA

Miscounting: “In all, the massacre at Virginia Tech left 33 people dead—including Cho [Hui Seung] himself…” —ABC News, giving equal standing to the murderer ++ Pollaganda: “Do you think this incident [at Virginia Tech] is a reason to pass stricter gun control legislation?” —ABCNews.com poll question ++ From the gun grabbers: “…[The mass murder at Virginia Tech was] another horrifying reminder that some of the gravest dangers Americans face come from killers at home armed with guns that are frighteningly easy to obtain.” —The New York Times ++ “Virginia’s gun laws, indeed, are regarded by law enforcement officials as among the most lax in the country.” Ross relayed how “for gun control advocates, the ease with which Cho [Seung-Hui] was able to legally get his Glock and a box of ammunition reveals the problems with Virginia’s gun laws.” —ABC’s Brian Ross ++ European propaganda: “The question all around the world, when an incident, a terrible incident like this happens is how many shootings does it take before America has a serious discussion about gun control?” —BBC World anchor Katty Kay

This week’s “Non Compos Mentis” Award: “We’ve talked about the majority of Americans wanting out of Iraq at this point. I wonder at what point do you stop doing what you think is right and you start doing what the majority of the American people want?” —Scott Pelley of “60 Minutes” to John McCain

From the Girly Man Files: “I got beat up by girls all the time [when I was a kid]. They literally posted a sign-up sheet and would take turns. I think that’s why I’ve always been such a fan of Mencken’s line, ‘Afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted.’ I’ve been afflicted.” —MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann *“It’s been said that a conservative is a liberal who’s been mugged by reality. Apparently a liberal is someone who’s been mugged by little girls.” —James Taranto

Newspulper Headlines: What Would We Do Without Experts?: “Imus Firing Should Not End U.S. Race Debate: Experts” —Reuters ++ No Relation to Imus: “Don Ho Dies” —Pacific Business News (Honolulu)

Breaking News From 1853: “Levi Strauss Off to Profitable Start” —Associated Press

Gravity Strikes Again: “Man Falls When Aspen Chairlift Breaks” —Associated Press

That’s What We Call Objective, Dispassionate Reporting: “Clouds Part for Obama’s Appearance” —Associated Press (Thanks to The Wall Street Journal’s James Taranto)

THE DEMO-GOGUES

From the gun grabbers II: “The unfortunate situation in Virginia could have been avoided if congressional leaders stood up to the gun lobby.” —Rep. Carolyn McCarthy

From the Waffler: “It may change over years. It may change over months. I can’t tell you, but I’ve said very clearly I don’t consider myself out of it forever… If suddenly the field changed or the dynamics of the nation shifted, who knows?” —Jean Francois Kerry explaining why he chose not to run for president in 2008, or probably won’t run, or should but wouldn’t, or maybe could but won’t, unless at some undefined future time he might possibly…

An opportunity for opportunism: “I think we have to make a very strong, clear statement to the president. Now we’re going to support the troops—there’s no doubt about it… But we’re going to try to use this opportunity to change this course. The president was told by the people last November they want a changed course in Iraq. He has not done it. He’s gotten us in deeper militarily, although there is no military solution. We’re going to try to use this opportunity to change course.” —Senator Carl Levin

Word play: “Change, accountability and oversight have become more than words, they’ve become our mission.” —Chuck Schumer *Uh, “mission” is also just a word.

VILLAGE IDIOTS

From the gun grabbers III: “[I]n Bush’s response to [the Virginia Tech] shooting… he said he was shocked and saddened. Then he said everyone has the right to bear arms. He wouldn’t want to let any of those NRA-types imagine for a second that any amount of senseless killing could possibly shake his commitment to a fully-armed populace.” —novelist Jane Smiley ++ “In the midst of one of the greatest horrors ever to afflict this country, the Virginia Tech massacre, President Bush sent out his press secretary to proclaim his allegiance to the ‘right to bear arms.’… Given such comments, does anybody anymore listen to [him]?” —Stephen Schlesinger of the World Policy Institute at the New School University ++ “Put responsibility on the soft gun laws that allow anyone who wants guns to obtain as many of virtually whatever they want, especially at gun shows, where in Virginia there are no regulations or background checks. Put an onus on lawmakers to take the weapons out of the psychopaths’ hands. Simple logic dictates: If the mass murderer at Virginia Tech couldn’t get his hands on guns, 32 people might be alive today.” —author Dan Brown ++ “I think the reason it happens in America is there’s access to weapons—you can go into a supermarket and get powerful automatic weapons.” —British psychologist Keith Ashcroft