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Liberty or death

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Lady Liberty: a symbol of liberty and individual freedom. Time for some redemptive change to help us rediscover it. And to distinguish among the concepts liberal, libertarian, and conservative.

One reader asked me yesterday,”Mr. Porter, why do you write about Liberty or Freedom so much.”  I do realize that I seem to write in the defense of Liberty a lot.

What is liberty?

Human life is one long struggle for Freedom. People struggle individually for Freedom from different personal things in their lives. You have your personal struggles and I have mine. But there is a Freedom that is paramount in importance to our personal ones. It is the one Freedom which binds us all together. It is Freedom from the bondage of another individual or the bondage of a big overbearing government. It is the Freedom of living the way you desire to live and the Freedom to pursue that desire without causing harm to another or their property. If we find ourselves without this Freedom, none other matters. Death would be better than suffering the consequences of the loss of this Liberty.

The Declaration of Independence sets forth the relationship between government and people. It also defines liberty as an inalienable right of the people.

The Second Continental Congress observes the first Independence Day by signing the Declaration of Independence. Credit: John Trumbull.

The citizens of the thirteen American Colonies were delivered from the human bondage of an overbearing King and his government with our long and bloody fight for independence from England. Citizens of the United States were delivered from human bondage of other citizens with our long and bloody Civil War. My writings on this subject are efforts on my part to hopefully help Americans see that we are allowing ourselves to once again fall into bondage to a large, all powerful and overbearing Federal Government by continuing to elect (hire) people to serve us in Washington who believe it should be just that.

The wrong message

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We hear candidates for Congress and the Presidency say things like, “Our government needs to be more efficient and streamlined.” I believe it must be drastically reduced in size and scope of power by abolishing several departments entirely.

We hear much talk about, “A do nothing Congress,” because no laws are passed or no new programs introduced. I would like to see a “do something” Congress also, such as, do put a freeze on any new laws and do repeal a great many we now have.

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As a wise gentleman running for the Presidency once said,

My aim is not to pass laws, but to repeal them. It is not to inaugurate new programs, but to cancel old ones that do violence to the Constitution, or that have failed in their purpose, or impose on the people an unwarranted financial burden.

Our Constitution, as we all know, is being shredded. I believe every action taken by our Congress or the President should first be determined whether it is Constitutionally permissible before whether it is needed is even considered.

We must take care

Our Freedom is in our hands. We are the caretakers of it, not only for ourselves, the living, but for those yet born generations who will follow. If the burning desire for it is not in our hearts we will surely lose it.
In 1944, Judge Learned Hand said, “Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; if it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it.” So in answer to my email friend’s question; I am doing the very best I can to rekindle the flame of Liberty in the hearts of those who may have lost it, and keep it alive in those whom yet it flickers.

I ask that you assist in the effort and forward to all you can in any manner you choose.

May God bless and keep you.

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Until next time,

John Porter

118 Approach Drive

Harrison, Arkansas

870-741-4119

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