By J.D. Longstreet ——Bio and Archives--June 10, 2013
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"Safety from external danger is the most powerful director of national conduct. Even the ardent love of liberty will, after a time, give way to its dictates. The violent destruction of life and property incident to war, the continual effort and alarm attendant on a state of continual danger, will compel nations the most attached to liberty to resort for repose and security to institutions which have a tendency to destroy their civil and political rights. To be more safe, they at length become willing to run the risk of being less free.” (Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist Papers, No. 8.)I submit to you that THAT is exactly what America has done. One of America's revolutionaries I much admire was Samuel Adams, cousin to Founding Father John Adams. Sam was a pamphleteer (among other things). He was a rabble rouser, at least in the eyes of the British. He constantly fanned the flames of revolution with his pen. Sam Adams was a freedom lover. He said this:
“It is the greatest absurdity to suppose it [would be] in the power of one, or any number of men, at the entering into society, to renounce their essential natural rights, or the means of preserving those rights; when the grand end of civil government, from the very nature of its institution, is for the support, protection, and defense of those very rights; the principal of which…are life, liberty, and property. If men through fear, fraud, or mistake, should in terms renounce or give up any essential natural right, the eternal law of reason and the grand end of society would absolutely vacate such renunciation. The right to freedom being the gift of God Almighty, it is not in the power of man to alienate this gift and voluntarily become a slave.” (Samuel Adams, Life of Samuel Adams, 1:504.)If Sam was right, and I believe he was, freedom is a gift from God and to even TRY to give it up, as Americans are doing today, or to even ATTEMPT to take it away -- as America's government is trying to do today -- IS NOTHING SHORT OF BLASPHEMY! Sam rightly points out -- it is the duty of government to PROTECT those rights -- NOT To Take Them Away. I would like to be able to add some words of encouragement -- that this will soon be over and we can roll back these restraints on freedom. But that would be untruthful. I don't think it is over by a long shot. I think it is only going to get worse-- much worse. As we stated at the beginning of this piece, when Obamacare comes fully into its own I believe Americans will be in a state of stunned disbelief at the freedom they/we will have given up. I am happy to say that I cannot see far enough into the future to say how this will end. It is enough that I believe it will end badly for everyone. I can, however, say how it would end if our first president, George Washington were still in charge. During the Revolution, after the battles of Lexington and Concord, Washington made his opinion on the matter perfectly clear. He said it would be better for America to be drenched in blood than for Americans to become slaves to their own government. Here are his exact words: “Unhappy it is though to reflect, that a Brother's Sword has been sheathed in a Brother's breast, and that, the once happy and peaceful plains of America are either to be drenched with Blood, or Inhabited by Slaves. Sad alternative! But can a virtuous Man hesitate in his choice?” (George Washington, 1776) Are we virtuous men, today? Then why are we hesitating in making our choice? Like modern day Athenians, we Americans have traded our freedom for "promised" security -- and we shall never be free again. © J. D. Longstreet
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(Editor’s note: J.D. Longstreet passed away in 2014. He will be greatly missed.)
Longstreet is a conservative Southern American (A native sandlapper and an adopted Tar Heel) with a deep passion for the history, heritage, and culture of the southern states of America. At the same time he is a deeply loyal American believing strongly in “America First”.
He is a thirty-year veteran of the broadcasting business, as an “in the field” and “on-air” news reporter (contributing to radio, TV, and newspapers) and a conservative broadcast commentator.
Longstreet is a veteran of the US Army and US Army Reserve. He is a member of the American Legion and the Sons of Confederate Veterans. A lifelong Christian, Longstreet subscribes to “old Lutheranism” to express and exercise his faith.