Individual Liberty — Individual Responsibility

For those we lost, We will not forget 09/11/2001

“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, --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.”
— The Continental Congress, July 4, 1776

“The task of statesmanship has always been the re-definition of these rights in terms of a changing and growing social order.”
— Franklin D. Roosevelt (Commonwealth Club Address, 1932)

“Roosevelt was wrong! The principles laid down in the Declaration of Independence are the principles of individual liberty. Our unalienable rights, given to us by God are given to us as individuals. Our rights do not come from society or the government, and they cannot be redefined by politicians. The nature of these rights carries with it the implication of individual responsibility, without which we surrender them.”
— Perri Nelson, November 6, 2008

Virtue

Published Wed, Nov 14 2007 8:52 AM

This morning's Founders' Quote Daily from the Patriot Post got me to thinking…

"Be in general virtuous, and you will be happy."
-- Benjamin Franklin (letter to John Alleyne, 9 August 1768)

Be in general virtuous… Now that's an interesting thought.

Main Entry:
vir·tu·ous
Pronunciation:
\ˈvər-chə-wəs, ˈvərch-wəs\
Function:
adjective
Date:
14th century

potent, efficacious

having or exhibiting virtue
morally excellent : righteous <a virtuous decision>

chaste

synonyms see moral
— vir·tu·ous·ly adverb
— vir·tu·ous·ness noun

Somehow, I don't think that Mr. Franklin had the first definition in mind. Considering the times it's more likely that he had definition 2a, 2b, or even 3 in mind when he wrote that. When you consider the definition of virtue it's even more clear.

I wonder if this is why so many people on the left are so perennially unhappy? They're always protesting against this, or that. They're bitter and angry about so many things in the world, especially the fact that we have a Republican president.

They don't see many of the things that we rely upon to be of value. They don't care for or trust our Police, always on the lookout for "civil rights" violations. They don't care for or trust our Military, always on the lookout for "baby killers" or scandals ala Abu Graib.

They disdain "jingoistic" expressions of patriotism. They look down upon people of faith as "hicks" or potential jihadists despite centuries of evidence to the contrary. They consider Man to be the supreme moral judge, even while looking upon man as no better than, and in fact worse than, nature's beasts.

Is it any wonder then that they seem so unhappy?

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Wednesday Hero - Cpl. Jordan M. Moehnle

Published Wed, Nov 14 2007 1:02 AM

Cpl. Jordan M. Moehnle
21 years old from Los Angeles, California
Company L, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6
("Darkhorse" Battalion)

Cpl. Jordan M. Moehnle takes time out of leading his squad in a patrol through Fallujah's Nazaal district to spend some time interacting with local children. Moehnle, who is on his second tour in Iraq, said the changes he has witnessed since he was last here in 2006 have been dramatic. "The city was like the Wild West, we'd put our heads and and drive down (the middle of Fallujah) and hope not to get shot," he said. "Since we've been here (this year), we can stop and shoot the breeze."

You can read more here.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero. We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

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