It's an Obedient Drudge Sort of Thing

Dear America,

"This day, I trust the reign of political protestantism will commence. We have explored the temple of royalty, and found that the idol we have bowed down to, has eyes which see not, ears that hear not our prayers, and a heart like the nether millstone. We have this day restored the Sovereign, to whom alone men ought to be obedient. He reigns in Heaven, and with a propitious eye beholds his subjects assuming that freedom of thought, and dignity of self-direction which He bestowed on them. From the rising to the setting sun, may His kingdom come."

this is Sam Adams addressing Congress, August 1, 1776;  the house was nearly ready to sign our Declaration of Independence.  and so begins a happy tuesday morn.

"Having been a slave to the influence of opinions early acquired, and distinctions generally received, I am ever inclined not to despise but pity those who are yet in darkness. But to the eye of reason what can be more clear, than that all men have an equal right to happiness? Nature made no other distinction than that of higher or lower degrees of power of mind and body. But what mysterious distribution of character has the craft of statesmen, more fatal than priestcraft, introduced?

According to their doctrine, the offspring of perhaps the lewd embraces of a successful invader, shall, from generation to generation, arrogate the right of lavishing on their pleasures a proportion of the fruits of the earth, more than sufficient to supply the wants of thousands of their fellow-creatures: claim authority to manage them like beasts of burden, and without superior industry, capacity, or virtue, nay, though disgraceful to humanity by their ignorance, intemperance, and brutality, shall be deemed best calculated to frame laws, and to consult for the welfare of society.

Were the talents and virtues, which Heaven has bestowed on men, given merely to make then more obedient drudges, to be sacrificed to the follies and ambition of a few? or, were not the noble gifts so equally dispensed with a divine purpose and law, that they should as nearly as possible be equally exerted, and the blessings of Providence be equally enjoyed by all? Away then, with those absurd systems, which, to gratify the pride of a few, debase the greatest part of our species below the order of men. What an affront to the King of the universe, to maintain that the happiness of a monster, sunk in debauchery and spreading desolation and murder among men, of a Caligula, a Nero, or a Charles, is more precious in his sight than that of millions of his suppliant creatures, who do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with their God! No! in the judgment of Heaven there is no other superiority among men, than a superiority in wisdom and virtue. And can we have a safer model in forming ours?"

Worth repeating:  "Were the talents and virtues, which Heaven has bestowed on men, given merely to make then more obedient drudges, to be sacrificed to the follies and ambition of a few? or were not the noble gifts so equally dispensed with a divine purpose and law, that they should as nearly as possible be equally exerted, and the blessings of Providence be equally enjoyed by all?"


We have sunk so low, haven't we?

Today marks the day in history where our lawmakers will vote whether or not to allow for an increase in the debt limit without applying spending limits or restrictions first.  It is expected to be rejected....  and what an affront to the blessings of Divine Providence, if it were decided such, in unequal portion, if only to gratify the wayward ambition and folly equally dispensed, if we were to find, a fearing to rise above the common sense solution...

Just where is our Sam Adams today...oh where oh where can he be?

There is a fabulous website available, if in search of the truth, the way and the light, of America's history.   This speech upon one August morn, and a rather long one, at that, is made available in it's entirety and well worth the lending of your eyes, if such the leveraging of the sanctity of one's time against the value of timeless, if not priceless, snippet for all posterity, is deemed all that important.  Go Here for the whole thing.  If not, here is a bit more:

"From the day on which an accommodation takes place between England and America, on any other terms than as independent States, I shall date the ruin of this country. A politic minister will study to lull us into security, by granting us the full extent of our petitions. The warm sunshine of influence would melt down the virtue, which the violence of the storm rendered more firm and unyielding. In a state of tranquillity, wealth and luxury, our descendants would forget the arts of war, and the noble activity and zeal which made their ancestors invincible. Every art of corruption would be employed to loosen the bond of union which renders our assistance formidable. When the spirit of liberty which now animates our hearts and gives success to our arms is extinct, our numbers will accelerate our ruin, and render us easier victims to tyranny."

and with a simple warning, we no longer rest in the arms of our destiny in 1776, but venture through a time machine into the 21st century, living in "a state of tranquility, wealth and luxury" for so long now...the people, now fully integrated, having successfully entered the new era of forgetting our past, fall into decline, while "every art of corruption would be employed to loosen the bond of union which renders our assistance formidable."  And with one swift, debilitating motion, if not ten thousand waves, the "spirit of liberty," once emblazoned on our sleeves, displayed reverently and vibrantly within our hearts and minds, is gone.

Our freedom is living paycheck to paycheck -- increasing in depth and breadth of debt, following each and every tax year -- from here to Kingdom come.  Every original intention has been thrown by the wayside, and likewise, subsequently buried by unseemly governance, fodder of political folly, and utter ignorance of the words set forth, of their fullest intent indeed, made known and absolute within the people's Declaration of Independence and the nation's Constitution.

Blame, in equal portion, has been spread throughout the land -- ourselves included.

Perhaps this would be a good time for our leaders, and ourselves, to return to the eloquence and sophistication of an era gone by; perhaps this would be a good time to re-read our first intent, and re-acquaint ourselves with our founders, the enlightened minds and true statesmen, who with every breath, projected our highest and best good.

Again, from my new favorite website, another quote from Sam:

"Neither the wisest constitution 

nor the wisest laws 

will secure the liberty and happiness 

of a people whose manners 

are universally corrupt." - 

Essay in the Public Advertiser, 1749

Neither shift of blame, nor the point of finger, will secure a reasonable, manageable future without the loss of face; we must therefore look in the mirror and reflect the truth we know within our hearts...as a people, either way --  to be thrust into austerity, or falter -- so essential is the need to suffer the consequences, for we must own this.

This is no time to play political games, twenty first century style, waging war upon the airwaves, feasting upon plain commercialism of untruths, using gluttonous attacks of character and virtue in thirty second fits of fury.

This is the time to be statesmen, and women, in order to unite together in the town square for a common cause.  Not only must we fight to preserve whatever it is we have left, but we must salvage the intricacies of our story and history, the background and context of a past long forgotten; a story thoroughly and completely scrutinized and scrubbed, by the same colleges who once stood for the glory of God,  bestowing every gratitude and thanksgiving and praise upon Him, and taught within that very framework, endowed by our Creator and made man, making available to generations of rising countrymen the continuation of God's grace upon this land...so that they too, would learn and grow and reflect that Magnificence back upon their fellow man, to make good. 

Culpable is the system rising out of ignorance, flamed by social justice, and guilty of blind allegiances to an elite crowd of learned men and women to false gods -- forgive them, for they know not what they do.  Or, do they?  why of course! that is the answer to end all questions of Divine Providence and grace be to all in equal portion!  TO end the era living freely under The Divine, that becomes the means to the ultimate end!

This morning begins a jaded G meeting up with the remains of a day gone by.  Can you tell?  

Make it a Good Day, G

go to Revolutionary War and Beyond and discover a whole new world.

And call your congressman:  as according to oh wise one, Timothy Geithner, we have until August 2, 2011 to decide our fate on our debt limit -- from now until then, we will bear witness to political posturing for all posterity -- in the spirit of liberty, it is time to state your claim now... don't hate... just sayin'

a powerful song, sung by Billie Holliday, is playing with a click on Dear America.  Don't forget, everyday we play a song just for you.  Today's song is chilling -- stop. listen.  just look at how far we have come. and just know, there is a time for every season under heaven.

While a deeper understanding of our history,  in full context, allows for us to witness a gift in each new day.  The real story of America is drenched in sunlight when we read for ourselves the actual words of the countrymen who made us.  me thinks we could use a little polishing up.