The war for America's soul
I wrote the below observations on April 21, 2021, in response to an understandably dour editorial by a respected friend at Running Iron Report here in Sisters, Oregon.
With the increasing reversal of all things "Woke", to include the Democratic (Socialist) loss in Virginia, the pending and hopeful loss for same in New Jersey, and the counter-revolution of those comedians like Dave Chappelle who reject being "cancelled"...
We appear to be on the road toward keeping our Republic.
My thoughts as an American -
“A republic, if you can keep?it.”
Our nation has always been a?daily grand experiment rooted in its Constitution.?
This July 4th, the United States of America will be 245?years old. We are an exceedingly young nation when compared to so many others around the globe and yet we have accomplished more of merit, value, and consideration than near any other country of such a?youthful age.
We have fought against domestic enemies, supported by a?jealous empire, from the start of our rebellion and the patriots paid a?dear price for doing?so.
“According to one recent estimate, of the approximately 200,000 Americans who bore arms against the Crown between 1775 and 1783, at least 18,200 were taken; and this figure represents only men wearing the uniform of the Continental forces or serving in one of the state militias. It does not include the thousands of seamen captured from the privateers that preyed on British shipping up and down the coast. Nor does it reflect the untold numbers of civilians rounded up for joining revolutionary committees or speaking out against the Crown. Taken all together, between 24,800 and 32,000 patriots probably fell into British hands during the Revolutionary War. Like Hanford, the great majority of them were held in and around New York City, under conditions so atrocious that as many as 18,000 (almost 60 percent) perished—or two and a?half times the 6,800 thought to have fallen in battle. More Americans gave their lives for independence in New York than anywhere else in the?country.”
In our youth as a?nation, we have already fought wars within our borders against external foes as well against each other. Pundits have decried our impending fall time and time again only to be proven in error. In each case Americans have rallied under the system of government established by our Founding Fathers and we have emerged a?bit stronger, a?bit wiser, and a?bit older.?
I have no doubt we, as a?nation, are in the process of doing so?again.
“My brave fellows, you have done all I?asked you to do, and more than can be reasonably expected; but your country is at stake, your wives, your houses and all that you hold dear. You have worn yourselves out with fatigues and hardships, but we know not how to spare you. If you will consent to stay one month longer, you will render that service to the cause of liberty, and to your country, which you probably can never do under any other circumstances.”
领英推荐
WASHINGTON, ENCOURAGING HIS MEN TO RE-ENLIST IN THE ARMY | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31,?1776
Each of us selects his or her own way of “staying one month longer”. In doing so we accept the fatigue, the hardships, and the discipline required to go the extra mile and fight the good fight to its?conclusion.
The motto of the Special Operations Association (SOA) is this. “To those who have fought for it, freedom has a?flavor that the protected will never know.” Today, there are more Americans amongst us who have fought for freedom around the world than at any other time in our brief history as a?world power. And more who after their service to the nation in uniform are now fighting for our freedom today. They — we — come from all walks of life and professions. Our continued service is sometimes brash and loud. And at other times so quiet as to go?unnoticed.
The Republic, our Republic, is always a?hair’s breadth away from being lost. This is what makes the United States of America so unique, so revolutionary, so impossible to predict the future?of.
“If there is a?lesson in all of this it is that our Constitution is neither a?self-actuating nor a?self-correcting document. It requires the constant attention and devotion of all citizens. There is a?story, often told, that upon exiting the Constitutional Convention Benjamin Franklin was approached by a?group of citizens asking what sort of government the delegates had created. His answer was: “A republic, if you can keep it.” The brevity of that response should not cause us to under-value its essential meaning: democratic republics are not merely founded upon the consent of the people, they are also absolutely dependent upon the active and informed involvement of the people for their continued good?health.”
To paraphrase Marine turned actor Steve McQueen — “I would rather wake up anywhere in America than in any other country on?earth.”
We, as a?nation, will endure. It is not in us to do?otherwise.
About the author
Greg Walker is an honorably retired "Green Beret" and law enforcement officer.
He is a veteran of the wars in El Salvador and Iraq.
Today, Greg lives and writes from his home in Sisters, Oregon, along with his service pup, Tommy.