911 Eleven Years Later. Are We Better Off?

I can still remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard that the first tower of the World Trade Center had been hit. I remember the gut wrenching feeling I had when I saw another airplane crash into the second tower. I remember the uncertainty of not knowing what would be next as reports of other unaccounted for aircraft came in.

Out of all of the things I remember feeling the strongest emotion was anger. I wanted justice! I was somewhat relieved When President Bush told us that we knew who the terrorists were. They were the Taliban who were in charge of Afghanistan.

The mission should have been simple, right? Go in and topple their regime. We should cripple their infrastructure. The solution we heard was different though.

We heard that we would start a war on terror. That we would not rest or tire until every terrorist on the planet is brought to justice. I was confused by this use of logic. Logic that says someone tripped me so I will trip everyone who has ever tripped someone. However, I was just angry enough to be glad we were doing something.

After all, these terrorists were restricting their own people's freedoms, torturing people, and attacking others nations unprovoked. And then something switched. The terrorists got what they wanted. We began to live in fear. Fear that they would somehow get us.

Even though we are more likely to die from almost anything other than a terrorist attack we altered our lives and let go of our freedoms. We are invasively searched at airports by the TSA. No warrant or probable cause is required. The Patriot act allows our government to spy on its own citizens without a warrant.

The NDAA bill goes even further. Now our government can indefinitely detain, incarcerate, and even use lethal force on us without ANY due process of law whatsoever. No lawyers, no phone calls, just martial law type justice.

And what crime will we find out that our loved ones are guilty of if they are killed or detained? None. It is a matter of national security. So in other words you could be an actual terrorist or someone that a higher up just wants to silence.

So where are we eleven years later?  Now we are the ones restricting our own people's freedoms, torturing people, and attacking others nations unprovoked.

On this anniversary of 911, I am thankful that President Bush lead us to topple the Taliban in Afghanistan. I am grateful that President Obama gave the order to go after Bin Laden. I mourn with our nation for those we loss and I also mourn for what we have lost.

From the halls of history Benjamin Franklin reminds us that "They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety."

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Slayer. Really?

20/20 Hindsight

Obituary Entry 4: Abraham Lincoln

Every Monday I look into the life of someone from the past and see how God worked. Today I want to talk about President Lincoln. Even with a new "biography" of his life hitting theaters, I believe something can be learned.

When I saw the posters and trailor for Abraham Lincoln Vampire Slayer I couldn't believe it. Then I heard that the author also wrote Pride and Predjudice and Zombies. Now it all makes since.

The funny thing is that Lincoln's life was already exciting. He was president during the bloodiest time in American history, freed the slaves, and was assassinated. Honest Abe doesn't need to hunt vampires to be remembered fondly by history.

I believe God works through people and sometimes in spite of them. In Abraham Lincoln's case I know that God worked, but I'm not sure if it was through or in spite of.

For starters every president swears to uphold the constitution which does not give the federal government the power to "preserve the union" or "free the slaves." It does give states any powers not specifically given to the federal government. This means they can secede or even have slaves.

The constitutional way would be for the Northern states to have allowed the south to leave over the many grievances that they had. Congress could have also defined personhood and then everyone of all ethnicities would be covered under the Bill of Rights (making the slaves free).

Regardless of his ability to lead or follow the constitution some good things came out of Lincoln's legacy. I still believe that all of the bloodshed was unwarrented and that the states should have been allowed to secede. But in hindsight God worked through a bloody mess of our own making to set people free.

Anyway you slice it freedom is a good thing. Lincoln took us one step closer towards freedom and equality. And to think he did it without have to slay any vampires.



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Response to Anonymous commenter is Here

Braveheart: A Lesson in Politics

I 'm aware that Braveheart is not exactly true to history, but it is a great movie. What if Braveheart was a commentary on the current political two party system in the United States? Who would the major players be? What political philosophy would they hold to?

King Edward I Longshanks would represent the Democratic Party, specifically President Obama. I am not saying that the Democrats are ruthless people, I am pointing out that they and Longshanks are both for BIG government.

The Republican Establishment would be the nobles. This is NOT because they are noble by any means. It is because they fight over the scraps from Longshank's table, pretend to be for the people and cater to themselves and the wealthy.

Ron Paul would be William Wallace. Hear me out on this. Wallace is Scottish like the nobles but he sees hypocrisy in their big government leanings. They will not fight for personal freedoms and so he must.

Wallace wants simply to be left alone, but cannot when an oppressive government overtakes his personal liberties. The "right" of the government to sleep with a new bride was the final straw. Wallace did not want to lead, but chose to anyway when the nobles wouldn't step up to the plate. He even told Robert the Bruce that he would follow him if he would simply lead them to freedom.

Paul is no different. He will fight for freedom until another will lead the charge. So far Mitt Romney and President Obama have not made liberty a priority.

The interesting characters in Braveheart however could represent you. Princess Isabella (a big government person her whole life) came over to Wallace's side because of her admiration for his integrity and consistency. Robert the Bruce eventually left the "establishment" and led the charge of freedom when he understood the passion that drove Wallace.

Who are you? Could you be a Princess Isabella or a Robert the Bruce?

Here are some memorable quotes:

William Wallace: There's a difference between us. You think the people of this country exist to provide you with position. I think your position exists to provide those people with freedom. And I go to make sure that they have it. 
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Ron Paul: The original American patriots were those individuals brave enough to resist with force the oppressive power of King George...Patriotism is more closely linked to dissent than it is to conformity and a blind desire for safety and security.
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Princess Isabelle: The king desires peace.
William Wallace: Longshanks desires peace?
Princess Isabelle: He declares it to me, I swear it. He proposes that you withdraw your attack. In return he grants you title, estates, and this chest of gold which I am to pay to you personally.
William Wallace: A lordship and titles. Gold. That I should become Judas?
Princess Isabelle: Peace is made in such ways.
William Wallace: Slaves are made in such ways. The last time Longshanks spoke of peace I was a boy. And many Scottish nobles, who would not be slaves, were lured by him under a flag of truce to a barn, where he had them hanged. I was very young, but I remember Longshanks' notion of peace. 
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Ron Paul:  Freedom is not defined by safety. Freedom is defined by the ability of citizens to live without government interference. Government cannot create a world without risks, nor would we really wish to live in such a fictional place. Only a totalitarian society would even claim absolute safety as a worthy ideal, because it would require total state control over its citizens’ lives. Liberty has meaning only if we still believe in it when terrible things happen and a false government security blanket beckons.
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Robert the Bruce: Lands, titles, men, power, nothing.
Robert's Father: Nothing?
Robert the Bruce: I have nothing. Men fight for me because if they do not, I throw them off my land and I starve their wives and their children. Those men who bled the ground red at Falkirk, they fought for William Wallace, and he fights for something that I never had. And I took it from him, when I betrayed him. I saw it in his face on the battlefield and it's tearing me apart.
Robert's Father: All men betray. All lose heart.
Robert the Bruce: I don't wanna lose heart. I wanna believe as he does. 
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RonPaul: The most basic principle to being a free American is the notion that we as individuals are responsible for our own lives and decisions. We do not have the right to rob our neighbors to make up for our mistakes, neither does our neighbor have any right to tell us how to live, so long as we aren’t infringing on their rights. Freedom to make bad decisions is inherent in the freedom to make good ones. If we are only free to make good decisions, we are not really free.