Independence Day thoughts

The approaching anniversary of our independence always gives me cause for reflection. In years past I have been optimistic despite some adversities, such as Obama trying to fundamentally change what our founders created. The way things are evolving I am not as confident this year. A crisis in this country has been slowly evolving for years. We the majority have complacently allowed it to happen. The socialist left is taking over our country. They are now openly brazen about it.

Author and historian Ariel Durant said, “A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within.” The Democrat left is doing a good job of that. 30 years ago gay marriage, free college education, and LGBTQ rights were not even on our radar. Now they are accepted a commonplace. I don’t have a particular issue with any of these or other issues until they usurp and exceed my rights.

A hermit reentering society today would think the country has lost its mind. Cities are burning and looting and violent riots are common. Oddly, ala Orwell’s “1984” the violent riots are being depicted by leftists and media as peaceful. Up is down, left is right. Even more oddly, or maybe predictably, the riots and looting are found in cities and states run by Democrats.

Democrats in these cities and states have had 50 years or more to solve the problems they keep getting voted in to solve. They have made failed promises for decades. Democrats haven’t solved minority unemployment, minority crime rate, or minority education. Come to think of it, they have made all public education worse. Not only can Johnny not read or do simple math, public education is now a leftist indoctrination system. Yeah, keep them illiterate and feed them socialist Kool-aid.

Our basic right of freedom of speech and freedom of thought are being beat back by the left. The media, social media, education, and leftist politicians all play their part in these acts. Any speech that does not follow the leftist narrative is now hate speech. The fact that hate speech is not prohibited by the Constitution is irrelevant. Just shut up and go along. The silent majority is now the silenced majority.

In the 1960s minorities asked for individual freedoms. Over time, they stopped those requests and began to demand government intervention. This created a dependence on government. And that is why Democrats keep getting elected and have rather adroitly been able to shift the blame for their failures to Republicans.

We have recently seen how a bureaucrat can with the stroke of a pen deprive us of a choice. Our governor’s recent mandates are one example, mirrored by many others nationwide. Corruption at the federal government level is becoming more and more apparent, as is its participants’ attempts to stifle investigation.

Ronald Reagan said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” There is a silenced majority who agree. That is why the Middle America, flyover country, blue collar sector of the country that elites hold in such disdain spoke in 2016 and elected Trump as president.

Great leaders seem to come along when least expected, and sadly not often enough. Abraham Lincoln was another. He led the country through one of the most trying conditions of our existence. Paul Harvey was a radio show host whose non-political common sense was priceless. My mother-in-law believed Ronald Reagan was a gift from God to this country. One may be able to say the same about Donald Trump. And it has been a non-stop destruction attempt since Trump was elected. After Hillary Clinton lost, the left has become open and insolent in attacking what the silenced majority hold dear.

This holiday weekend, you might open your beverage of choice. I hope you think about what it would mean for a government to make that beverage choice for you. With that in mind, please resolve to remain silenced no more. We have been quiet for too long. They can’t keep all of us quiet. It is our duty to speak out, write officials, letters to the editor, and use social media. We must take on the left. If not us, then who? If not now, when? Our country depends on it. Oh, and thank a veteran while you are at it.