Patriot or Traitor?

"If ever time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." ~Samuel Adams 

"It is the duty of the patriot to protect his country from its government." ~Thomas Paine

"Whenever the legislators endeavor to take away and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put themselves into a state of war with the people, who are thereupon absolved from any further obedience." ~John Locke

At the core of the American mission statement, The Declaration of Independence, the signers assert:

That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

History is a record of man's inhumanity to man, & the struggle for individual freedom. Many people have rebelled from an oppressive system of government, only to find an equally oppressive system take it's place. The French exchanged the monarchy for Napoleon. The Russians traded the Czars for Lenin. Most of the time, the human struggle for freedom is met with just another state centered, state run system of oppression & domination. One of the rare exceptions to that has been the American experiment in human government. The very basis of American ideology is the right of the People to alter or abolish the government, if it does not secure our fundamental rights & liberties.

Now let us examine some disturbing facts concerning the current government. I am not sourcing these facts here, but they can be verified easily. These are not crackpot conspiracy theories, but current realities.

1. Stockpiling of ammunition by The Homeland Security.
Why is a department allegedly dedicated to securing the homeland buying enough ammunition for a multiple year conflict? They have bought millions of rounds of .223 & .308 ammunition, used typically in warfare. Are they expecting an invasion of Al Quada terrorists? No, they are preparing for civil unrest from the American people, just redefining any dissenters as 'terrorists'.

2. Army training in civil unrest, & a commitment to fire on us citizens from top military leaders.
The Army has a training manual for “Civil Disturbance Operations”, where it is stated, 'warning shots will not be fired'. It has also been reported that the administration is using the willingness to fire on us citizens as a qualification for military leaders.

3. Gun control & banning of weapons used in armed conflict.
The administration is trying to ban 'assault weapons', or semi automatic rifles, even though they are used in less than 2% of domestic crimes. They are primarily used in armed conflict like civil wars. The government seems to be trying to preempt any civil unrest by disarming the citizens. This has nothing to do with domestic crime.

4. Drone strikes & other military actions against us citizens.
The administration has doubled down on their authority to kill anyone it deems a threat. Drones or military actions can be taken against American citizens, without due process. The Levin/McCain bill (S.1867) gives more power to the military, even allowing detainment of us citizens for any reason & with no limits.

“We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we’ve set. We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.” Barack Obama

There are other things.. executive orders, disinformation, propaganda, etc, but there are enough red flags to alarm any American who is concerned about freedom. These are not the acts of a constitutional, protective government that is in line with our mission statement, but an intrusive, power hungry system bent on domination.

When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty. ~Thomas Jefferson

It is time for us to return our government to a subservient position. They are not our Lords, but are simply servants & stewards of our freedoms. Their power has increased, & they are drunk with it. It has corrupted them from their central duties to secure our rights, & they are intruding more & more into our individual liberties. They are ruining the currency with public debt & 'quantitative easing'. They are trampling our freedoms with redistribution & social engineering.  They are ignoring the constitution & the basis for our democracy.  This same pattern has been repeated throughout history, with governments taking more & more power & limiting the peoples' freedoms.

What can we do to stop this disturbing trend?

"The best defense against usurpatory government is an assertive citizenry." ~William F. Buckley 

1. Communicate with your representatives. Insist on a return to American ideals of individual freedom & responsibility.
2. Stand up for American ideals in everyday life. Condemn the encroachments & do not apologize for your heritage as a free American.  Oppose & expose propaganda.
3. Vote. The upcoming election will be very important, as a statist victory in the house would open the door to more intrusions, & could perhaps provide the final nail in the coffin.
4. Boycott. Do not support any sellers who work against American liberty. Be vocal & assertive in opposing those who oppose American ideals.  Boycott products, media, entertainment, or anything that profits from the American consumer.  Use your economic power!

There should be increasing intensity in actions if our calls are not heeded. Public protest, marching on Washington  civil disobedience, & other peaceful means should be employed to affect change. Violence should only be used as a last resort, as it has always been the final arbiter in human disputes. Americans are not afraid of violence, but mostly prefer a peaceful solution. But we will not trade our liberties for an illusion of peace & prosperity. I cannot at this stage recommend any violent actions. But i also cannot rule them out in the future.

It seems we cannot trust our representatives to represent us. So we must clarify & emphasize what their basic job is. If they do not do their job, we need to fire them & hire someone who will. Our words & actions in the next few years will have an impact on both our immediate freedoms, & those of future generations. It is time for us to stand & defend our country.  The silent majority needs to speak.