We’ve just celebrated the Fourth of July and our Declaration of Independence; America’s declaration of freedom and liberty from the British Crown. Of course the Declaration was followed by a long war to secure the liberties proclaimed in it.

Today America is at war again and for many of the same reasons. This time, however, our liberties are being taken from us by our own government, not a tyrant from abroad. Our very own federal government is abusing the citizenry, usurping authority it doesn’t have, withdrawing liberties it has no authority to withdraw, making a mockery of our “inalienable rights,” shredding our Constitution, and in general becoming the “domestic enemy” many of us took an oath to protect against. One can easily see that we are under greater assault to our liberties now than were our founders 238 years ago.

Today’s war, in my opinion, is four wars in one, and yes, we are losing them. When I say “we,” I mean the patriots; those who have respect for our original founding principles, our Constitution, our republic, and all that has made us the exceptional nation we’ve become since our founding. And we are losing because those patriots, and those who favor the patriot side of the issue, allowed it to happen by lack of involvement, or insufficient involvement, while those who are waging the war to destroy traditional America are working full bore, 24/7.

I see four internal wars that collectively are spelling doom for America: the political war, the cultural war, the education war, and the media war. They all overlap and reinforce each other. Politically, in my lifetime, there has never been a greater divide than what exists now between the Democrats and Republicans. I was born into a Democrat family. For my first few voting opportunities, early 1960’s, I was a Democrat. I voted for JFK. But, on a Left-to-Right scale, the Republicans are today where the Democrats were in 1960, and the Democrats have moved off the scale to the far Left. Very few of us remain who were in the same position, conservatively, as were Republicans in 1960 and we’re now labeled extremists, rightwing nuts, “whacko birds,” racists, and terrorists. And, we’re aging fast. Soon we’ll become an extinct breed. Our current president is as far left as any in my lifetime (FDR to present), and for almost six years has made a successful, concentrated effort to further divide us. Somebody said “a house divided cannot stand.” He is lawless, prefers to be King Obama, and circumvents Congress and the Constitution at will. One party has become anti-God; the other one silent and spineless. The Right, conservatism, is losing out to progressivism; a modern day word for socialism, communism, Marxism, statism. History proves that to be a failed system.

Culturally it’s the same. With the illegal alien invasion of millions, many of whom won’t assimilate into our culture; the Left’s abandonment of Christian teachings; churches and pastors sitting on the sidelines; political correctness gone amuck; the war on Christianity and favoring of Islam by the media and the political ruling class; the push to allow sharia law in Muslim communities; the changing of definitions that have been with us for thousands of years (marriage); immorality is commonplace; political corruption; honor, integrity and responsibility gone; lies trump truth and fact,; our citizenry distracted from events of the day by multiple electronic. digital gizmos, etc., etc., the values that existed at our founding and for 200 years thereafter, are no longer followed by a large number of our citizens. What made us who we are, seems to no longer be important.

The education war has been ongoing since the 1960’s. All those antiwar radicals, some of whom were domestic terrorists, have found their way into politics and professorships at major, prestigious universities and proceeded to propagandize two generations of our youths. In the 1960’s these folks were condemned for their beliefs and activities yet today they are esteemed for their efforts to destroy America. Go figure. What was once bad is now good, what was evil is now righteous, what was condemned and punished is now applauded and highly paid. The Left’s latest effort to continue this propaganda is called Common Core. It has different names in some states; in Texas it’s sometimes referred to as CScope. It’s the latest attempt from the Left to rewrite history, redefine what our values should be, avoid truth, water down true education, and in general to “transform” our youth into collective, global, one world, non-thinking puppets to be molded as the elitists so desire. Forget individuality, self-sufficiency and independence. Now it’s to be “collectivism.” All propaganda; all evil. We’re suffering from state induced stupidity. A death knell to a constitutional republic that requires people to think for themselves and be informed. And, an opening to greater tyranny of We The People.

We are also losing the media war. Conservatism is out numbered 10 to 1 in major media outlets. MSM is Pravda, American style. The term “journalist” today doesn’t have the same meaning as it did 40-50 years ago. The press is specifically granted it’s “freedom” by the Bill of Rights but it has long since forsaken it’s Constitutional responsibility to report the news in favor of swaying opinion; from watch dogs to lap dogs. If America saves herself and it requires another shooting war to do, it would be a fatal mistake to not “purge” the media in that undertaking. Interpret that word any way you like but if the media does not return to its constitutional responsibilities and obligations, the saving of America will be short lived.

If you’re familiar with the stated goals of the Communist Party USA, you know they wanted to infiltrate the political system, gaining control of one or more political parties, infiltrate the education system, infiltrate the churches, infiltrate the media, and culturally divide our country among a couple dozen more. Success! All accomplished and more! Here’s a quote from Adolf Hitler: “What luck for the rulers that men do not think.” And one from Benjamin Franklin: “This will be the best security for maintaining our liberties. A nation of well informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the religion of ignorance that tyranny begins.” America is proving both of these men to be correct? You hear some of the statements that come out of Washington today from our elected officials and you laugh at the absurdity of it yet millions of uninformed, ignorant, dependency-minded voters lap it up.

Are we losing the war? Yes we are. When @ 86.4 million nongovernment, privately employed citizens are paying the salaries, benefits and subsidies of @ 147.8 million citizens (government employees, social security, Medicare, Medicaid, welfare, the unemployed, etc), we are losing. (Data from the US Census Bureau as of end of 2012.) Can we turn it around, without violence? That’s questionable. Those who are correct- thinking, informed and engaged citizens are in the minority and aging. If we don’t rise up in large numbers, we will eventually be enslaved. By large numbers meaning multiple millions, in the streets, in the media, in our elected officials faces, everyday, all day, until they get the point. I previously did a commentary outlining what I believe needs to be done; the actions we need to take to get back on track: See here and here. I’ve also pointed out that very few of us are actively engaged. It is estimated that only @ 5% of our citizenry are engaged in the affairs of our country beyond the mere act of voting. I’d recommend you read the first two paragraphs of that commentary. That’s pitiful and indicative of our state of affairs. Too many of us are sitting out this war to our own detriment and that of future generations. “What did you do during the war, Daddy?”

Will America wake up? Will we wake up in time or is it already lost? To be continued.

Comments welcomed.

(Mr. Reams is a Christian, senior citizen, family man, veteran, and a retired small business owner. www.AllianceofConstitutionalPatriots.com  http://VeteransVent.Wordpress.com)