For my entire life I have been taught that I am a free person and my freedom was granted by my creator, God. My freedom is not a gift from a benevolent government, one that has the power to give one day and take away the next.

I was taught that here in the United States of American our federal government had no power to change my rights and freedom unless “We the People” through a long process agreed to the change. I was taught that our elected had to follow the same laws as I did and there was not a double standard for the Average Joe and Ruling Elite.

I was taught that “We the People” have protected our Liberty through a binding document called the Constitution. Our government has only a limited power that document allows. The government cannot pass oppressive taxes, cannot give away the hard earned money I have worked for to their favorite charity. I was taught our government “for the people and by the people” could not give away my life for the benefit of another. The only time my life may be asked for is in the defense of the liberty we as individuals and a nation hold dear and for that I will freely sacrifice for mine and my nation’s posterity.

I was taught that a family had a Father, Mother and Children. I was educated in schools that began each day with the pledge of allegiance and a prayer. Morals were taught from the Bible. As a child I never even entertained the thought of disrespecting my father and mother or any adult.

I was taught that if I studied and worked hard I could become free from poverty and could provide for the family I would one day have.

I am confused, where did that all go? Do we not have protections for our freedom? Do we not have elected representative’s that swore to defend my rights and freedom? Isn’t the money I earn mine to use as I see fit? I understand that we as a nation must provide for our defense, but I do not understand why we must enable sloth with permanent government welfare. Wasn’t charity supposed to come from private organizations and individuals that gave because they wanted to, not because they were ordered to? Wasn’t a helping hand to help someone out of poverty, not to enable them to live off of our labor and do no labor of their own? I understand a helping hand is sometimes needed and that I will freely give but why do my elected decree that I support those who just choose to live of the fat of my labor?

How have we allowed pretenders to subvert our Rule of Law? How come our elected representatives have not fulfilled their oath of office and protected and defended our Rights and Liberty? Why haven’t those who swore to defend and protect have instead subverted and worked to transform our God given freedom into slavery to tyrannical government?

Why am I faced with having to choose to sacrifice my life to defend my liberty from the very ones who promised to defend my freedom and rights or to capitulate to a life of servitude?

I sit in my home office and as I write this essay I have to wonder, when this is published, who will come to my door late at night? Will I be arrested for politically incorrect thinking? Will I be labeled a potential domestic terrorist and thrown into jail to protect the ruling elite from such dangerous thinking of liberty and freedom?

We live in a time that offers no easy choices. I wish to live unmolested and to realize freedom from threat and have security for me and my family. Why must I be placed into a position of choosing?

As Patrick Henry said, “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!”