By Chris Carter —— Bio and Archives July 29, 2010
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“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed...”Although our Constitution would not be ratified for another twelve years, the foundations had been laid for a people that – in theory – would no longer suffer under tyranny. Government could no more intrude on our unalienable rights than could an armed citizen walk into the Oval Office of the White House. But has today's Federal government alienated American citizens from our unalienable rights? It is a sad truth that throughout human history, tyrants have used a mire of endless minutiae to obscure corrupt and manipulative power plays. The current state of political maneuvering seems to reflect this ongoing historic trend. How much of Washington's activity is “just” when you consider that Article Ten of the Bill of Rights states that the Federal government only has the power to do what is enumerated in the Constitution. It is telling to mention that a bill has been introduced in each Congress since 1995, stating only that Congress cite where the Constitution grants them the enumerated power to enact each piece of legislation. Rather than leaving the American people to wonder if any legislation was constitutional, we could see the article, section, and clause that grants Congress the authority. As simple and necessary as that sounds, no session of Congress has allowed that bill to reach a vote. If Congress was operating within their authority, wouldn't it make sense that they would want to prove that they were doing so? While our elected officials haven't necessarily “plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, [or] burnt our towns,” at least in an overt sense, they have repeatedly gone against the will of the people. A great number of Americans have expressed opposition to much of our government's agenda, which indicates that they no longer have the “consent” of a considerable percentage of the “governed.” In the event that Americans find themselves at odds with their government, the Declaration tells us:
“... That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”Unfortunately for the signers of the Declaration, King George most certainly did not see declaring independence as a right. Elitists almost never recognize the legitimate rights of others. But according to our nation's own foundational text, we now have that right:
“... when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.”Our government has not yet driven us to “absolute Despotism,” but recent trends indicate that we could be headed in that direction. Additionally, an orchestrated and deliberate propaganda campaign is underway, aimed at squelching any opposition: those who take a stand in favor of the Constitution, limited government, and the principles listed in the Declaration and Constitution are being labeled as “extremists.” If supporters of the government's founding principles are considered extremists, then what does that make the government? We certainly have not have reached the point of revolution yet, but we can “overthrow” the government – although on a smaller scale – at the voting booth. Will November's elections prove enough to return Washington to a government “of the people by the people and for the people?” We shall see. In the movie The Patriot, the fictional character Benjamin Martin stated: “Why should I trade one tyrant 3,000 miles away for 3,000 tyrants one mile away? An elected legislature can trample a man's rights as easily as a king can.” Many real American patriots probably expressed that same sentiment – a sentiment that could prove true for modern-day Americans in coming months. Over 200 years after the colonies declared independence from King George's tyranny, the United States has slowly devolved into a government that has in some ways has begun to resemble his rule. It appears that tyrants come in many guises. In summary, if our government chooses to violate our unalienable rights; if our government chooses to pass unjust laws, contrary to the consent of the governed; if our government chooses to take despotic actions that reduce us to servitude of the government, or some political agenda – then we have a right and a duty according to the Declaration of Independence to “throw off such Government.” Because regardless whether it comes from one tyrant in London or 3,000 tyrants in Washington, D.C., tyranny – in all its forms – must be passionately fought until it is defeated.
Chris Carter is the director of the Victory Institute and the deputy regional director of the U.S. Counterterrorism Advisory Team. His work appears at OpsLens.com, Canada Free Press, The US Report, International Analyst Network, Human Events, Family Security Matters, Deutsche Welle, NavySEALs.com, Blackfive and other publications. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, non-commissioned officer in the South Carolina State Guard, and retired firefighter.
Contact Chris at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or follow on Twitter: @crushingchris