July 4th.....

On this July 4th, let us rejoice that our forefathers had the fortitude to rebel. Let us thank the gods that we had those who could create the foundations of our country, the framework that has led to the greatest and most prosperous country ever. Today is the day we celebrate the birth of our nation

But let us not forget that these people, these future citizens and statesmen, rebelled against the tyrannical government of King George. "no taxation without representation", and other cries, each protesting some form of regulation or taxation of free, hard working, unsubjugated citizens. Today, this July 4th, we celebrate the actions of the few, the minority that essentially created this country.

The rebellion was about taxes, but more about control of their destiny, rather than having their destiny controlled by some third class flunky back in merry old England.

Today, we are taxed, regulated, and policed to a far greater degree than that experienced by those who founded our country and who rebelled against the policies and control of King George III. We have a higher level of regulation and a higher level of tax, not to mention control and meddling in our very lives, than our forefathers had in 1775!

WHY?
Why do we allow this.... Why do we not stand up, and be counted? Is it because we have our own country and countrymen to regulate and tax our lives, instead of a disconnected monarch in England? Today, my friends, we have a set of disconnected rulers in Washington!

Then, they rebelled, Today, we sit quietly. Oh, I know, we are all going to Tea Party Protest meetings, where we will all stand there, and be counted (and no doubt photographed as potential terrorists) and some of us will wave signs, and we might chant and cheer.... but what will we have accomplished with our attendance? Will we have changed one single legislators mind? Will we have made any local government official say "no" to more spending, or "yes" to a cut in government? Will it make our government more efficient? Make it (them) spend less of our money? Will it change one thing?

I begin to doubt.

Which leads us to the question...What should we be doing instead? What actions should we take to cause change in our government? To make our legislators sit up and take notice, and change their ways?

Thomas Jefferson said "The price of liberty is eternal vigilance"

We seem to have fallen asleep on our watch., and let other forces take over our country. Today, we have less freedom, not more, than the not yet citizens of the soon to be created nation in 1775! Higher taxes and more government control than those brave rebellious souls did in 1776, before they signed the famous Declaration of Independence

We are the heirs of our rebellious ancestors, those who pledged "their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor"

Has the rebel spirit been lost? Perhaps.

Would they be proud of our actions today? I think not.

So what DO we do?