Posted by
EFuller on Wednesday, July 04, 2007 10:14:04 AM
Terrorists, the 4th and False Ideas of Freedom
America was founded by rebellion against tyranny – a government that trampled the God-given rights of people. Though some find it fashionable to honor rebellion against God, morality or any authority, the American spirit began as a principled rebellion against abusive government.
Many today have lost this spirit. They enshrine a false idea of personal freedom. This self-centered ideology declares that individuals are free to define their own ethics and rewrite the values and institutions of society. They submit to no rules but their own.
In contrast the signers of the Declaration of Independence recognized the authority of “Nature’s God” and held a “decent respect to the opinions of mankind.” They sought to protect society, not rewrite its values. They saw themselves as a community – a people – united in the purpose of protecting the rights to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
These first Americans were possessed with a spirit of sacrifice for the common good. The signers of 1776 declared, “…with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” Each fought for the people, not simply for self. This same spirit flows through the men and women who don uniforms today – whether military, police or emergency services. It stirs us all to serve and protect our communities and nation.
Today, Islamic terrorists seek to subject us to political and religious tyranny far worse than the American colonists faced from Britain. They will be defeated – not because our weapons are strong, but because our will is strong.
The American spirit of independence knows nothing of surrender. Echoes from history like “I have not yet begun to fight!” and “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!” burn in our hearts. Remembering the Alamo and Pearl Harbor heightened our determination. Like the explosion of fireworks, this spirit bursts forth in glorious and fierce defiance against the enemies of our freedom.
Remember, 9/11…