A Quiet Rage Building Across the Nation…We’re Partly to Blame!
Earlier this week I posted a graphic on my FaceBook wall that stated, “All across America a quiet rage is building against the assault upon American values. More so than ever in the history of America, the concerns and patience of its people are being tested, tried, and attacked by a group of elitists that are hell-bent on the destruction of this country.” It then ended with the phrase, “Refuse to remain silent!”
The post elicited responses by some who concurred with the sentiment, and some who didn’t. The posting afforded a teaching moment about what the right of the political spectrum feels about the “fundamental transformation of America” that has been occurring for several years, but accelerated dramatically over the past five.
Some were upset that the term “rage” was used, and thought it improper to be enraged toward those who’re dismantling our republic. But in a politico-cultural context, emotions like anger and rage can be a powerful motivator, especially in regard to values, convictions, and ideals that are violated and impinged upon.
Likewise, those of us who treasure America as the land of the free and the home of the brave, see contemporary statists, those who are actively engaged in expanding centralized governmental authority at the expense of personal liberty, as adulterators and enemies of freedom. They are “fundamentally transforming America” into a fiercely potent centralized government that was never intended for this republic; a fascist police state that, regulates, coerces, bullies, and spies on its citizens. And they have done it surreptitiously, clandestinely, and dishonestly. How any thinking person, who professes love for America, can accede to the destruction of American idealism perpetrated by those who have a stated objective of “fundamentally transforming” the nation is beyond my comprehension!
And for those on the left who are obsessed with race, obsequiously regurgitating racist epithets against we who love what America used to stand for, it makes no difference what color the skin is of the torchbearer leading the destruction of American values. He could be green, white, red, or purple, and we’d still object to the dismantling of the country, as we’ve observed the past few years. Stated more succinctly; you mess with what made America great, and you start simmering a pot of patriotic rage until it reaches a boiling point, and race has absolutely nothing to do with it.
For men and women of principle, who believe that this country was special and intended to be different from the rest of the world, what is happening to America is not just unacceptable, but it’s evil. How else can the destruction of good be characterized?
Edmund Burke stated that, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men should do nothing.” We can no longer do nothing! The silent majority must find its voice, and a backbone!
When you think about it quantitatively, conservatives are mostly to blame for our current modified state of the union. How many conservatives refuse to vote if their candidate is not in the race, or are disengaged or oblivious to the destruction occurring around us, or do nothing, or say nothing, to preserve and protect our constitutional republic?
Conservatives have allowed this transformation to occur, by acquiescent reticence. I think no one has stated it more perfectly than Albert Einstein who said, “The world is a dangerous place not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.”
Speaking out against this erosion of freedom is good, but it’s simply not enough, and it must be more vociferous and protracted. Too many battle among themselves for ideological purity, fight amongst themselves over the most efficacious political tactics, or just throw verbal stones at those whose destructive policies are morphing the country into something never intended, but then flame out before anything is accomplished. If they don’t bother to vote, don’t get involved in the process, and don’t try to make a difference electorally, and worse yet, are divisive to the conservative ranks, they deserve some of the blame for what is happening. Every conservative must do what he can, and most of all, to vote. If every conservative voted in every election, statists wouldn’t stand a chance.
We who consider ourselves to be patriots, devotees to the principles that made America great, need to be proactive in our resistance to those who are corrupting and transforming our republic. We can no longer sit idly by complaining, and doing little else. The silent majority must find it’s voice, and then act!
Associated Press award winning columnist Richard Larsen is President of Larsen Financial, a brokerage and financial planning firm in Pocatello, Idaho and is a graduate of Idaho State University with degrees in Political Science and History and coursework completed toward a Master’s in Public Administration. He can be reached at rlarsenen@cableone.net.
Do not obey. Do not comply. Resistance is not futile.
Give of your time. Give of your money, too, if you can afford it. Protest, volunteer, write letters, make phone calls, appear at meetings. Lend your voice to the resistance!
Exactly! Not all of us can run for office, or even write columns, but all of us can do something. We must be willing to do what we can; all of us!
Recently I ran across a quote from Thomas Paine that I recalled when reading this article: ….”These are the times that try men’s souls…it is a time of crisis when Summer Soldiers and sunshine Patriots will shirk from service…but, he that stands for it now deserves the love and gratitude of every man & woman..”
He goes on: “Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered, yet the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph…what we obtain too cheap, we esteem lightly, It is only in dearness that gives everything thing it’s value”
In the ’70’s we allowed family values & stewardship to seep through the cracks as we indulged in the self-expression, draft dodging & feels good, do it era….It has cost us dearly.
We must re-establish & define what “service” is. Not just for us as individually, but for us a ONE NATION. This is a give & take world. So unless someone has a candidate that walks on water, we may just have to ‘give’ a little to get our Beloved Country restored to her proper place…..sitting on your hands & ranting just isn’t going to work. ASK yourself & your candidate, “What does it mean to SERVE, really serve?” Don’t settle for the ‘people’s business” line. There’s more to it!
Jan, as always, so articulately and substantively stated! You’re exactly right! I was thinking of that Thomas Paine quote as well, and it serves as a superb addendum to the column.
Thank you, my friend!
The democrat party is the engine of tyranny and the republican party has been their enablers. It’s time to remember that our land of the free and home of the brave came to be by God’s hand and “WE THE PEOPLE.”
So well written both article and comments. We love to blather at Washington DC but the truth is we will never change DC until we change how Americans – we the people – think and act.
I don’t recall which founder, perhaps Jefferson or Franklin said that it is not the responsibility of elected officials to be moral but the responsibility of the electorate to determine that a Candidate is already moral. We cannot do that if we ourselves are not moral. Dianne Feinstein, Nancy Polosi, and other liberals we love to hate are excellent representatives of their districts and states because they legislate according to what the majority of their constituents want. Or at least think they want!
The true source of our problems is indeed ourselves. As you have pointed out, Russ, it isn’t so much the evil doing evil as it is the good doing nothing. We have had it so good for so long that we have become lazy. But that isn’t the worst. We have become completely ignorant of our core values our first principles and of our supreme law of the land. Once upon a time you could search this nation over and very rarely find a citizen who did not know his government was by LAW a Republic and who did not know WHAT the Constitution said. (Today most Americans think we are a Democracy!!) Who did not acknowledge that this was a Christian Nation based on Christian Values and Common Law. That was not fiercely defensive of his unalienable rights! Who did not understand that those rights were bestowed upon him BECAUSE of his creator and could not be taken away by ANY Government!
Today it is rare indeed when someone knows all of these things. We as a people have become addicted to Government and worse yet to SOCIALISM. When I quote Ayn Rand – “In order to be the best you can be for mankind you must be the best you can be for yourself” I am reviled and hated! No one seems to understand what that means! But then they do not understand that every act of goodness of doing what is right – even when you COULD get away with doing wrong is an Act of Defending Freedom!
It all starts HERE! With number one. It isn’t enou8gh to just vote any more (it never was). We must scrutinize our candidates. We must get involved with their selections and we must actively promote those who are moral! We must also educate those around us so that they will come to know what it really means to be an American and WHY this nation was meant to be different – why we must defend that and REMAIN different in a world of Socialist demagoguery! We must actively teach our fellow citizens what the Constitution says and why.
Only then will we chance DC and I dare say it will be almost automatic!
Perhaps in the long run this administration will be a good thing. Perhaps we will finally wake up and put an end to the massive progressive push toward communism that has been going on since 1913! Perhaps we will “repent”, as it were, and return to the Goodness we were founded upon! Righteousness cannot BE righteousness unless there is great evil to distinguish it!
Richard; my apologies for calling you Russ.
You’re exactly right, Darrell. Well said, my friend. And referring to me as Russ was just fine. I’m frequently called much worse by liberals. 🙂
We must resolve to no longer be the doormats to the liberal agenda. Like the frog and the scorpion story we’re all familiar with, the scorpions will always be such. But we’ve got to be much smarter, informed, armed, proactive and prepared frogs. 🙂