True Americanism may be defined as follows: the adamant pursuit of freedom, and resistance to tyranny in all of its incarnations. An American is one who not only has a vested interest in the sovereignty and excellence of our nation, but who also aspires to pursue liberty, both for themselves and their neighbors. The spirit of 1776, the zeitgeist that defined the American revolution, should be universal; men and women of any state or nation may come to embody and exemplify it. For us in America, however, we must dutifully remember: a true American is a traitor to tyranny, the eternal enemy of despots, and a vanguard for liberty elsewhere.
The American identity, one rooted in freedom from oppression and opposition to evil rulers, is best illustrated in the words of the Virginian revolutionary Patrick Henry in his famous “Liberty or Death” speech given to the Second Virginia Convention on March 23rd, 1775:
“”It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is Life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!“”
-Patrick Henry, Speech to the Second Virginia Convention, March 23rd, 1775
An American is one who rejects the notion that government is to man as a collar is to a dog, and acknowledges that we, the individuals comprising our Republic, are the fundamental unit of it. We are the man, our Constitution is the leash, and our government is supposed to be the dog. We define our government, and it does not define us; we may set the boundaries of its powers, but it has no authority whatsoever to limit our God-given rights! We refuse to bow to kings, and consent to our Constitutional government only inasmuch as it is able to better secure our natural rights. A true American would rather perish than take the food offering of a tyrant, or grovel at their footstool.
A Lesson From Aesop
An ancient fable by the Greek storyteller Aesop, titled “The Wolf and the House Dog,” delves into the same sentiments expressed in Patrick Henry’s speech; the full story may be found here, but the gist of it is as follows:
There once lived a hungry wolf in a forest nearby a village, and he lived a difficult life on account of village dogs taking most of the available food. One day, the wolf stumbles across a large, well-fed house dog, and desires to eat him. However, the wolf soon notices that the hound is large, and might cause him significant harm should he pursue the feast. He instead strikes up a conversation with the house dog, and compliments him on his appearance. The dog replies that the wolf could be like him, if only he would abandon the freedom of the woods and act like he does: begging people for food, albeit at the cost of having to wear a collar and chain. Needless to say, the wolf rejects the offer, and flees back into the woods where he can roam freely.
The moral of Aesop’s story should be evident: it’s better to be free and struggle within that freedom, than to live comfortably, but at all times be bound by ball and chain to the whims of another. This is the same sentiment expressed by Patrick Henry, as well as everyone who has ever taken up arms or quills in freedom’s defense; A true American would rather be free, or die, than sacrifice their freedom upon the altar of idle comforts. It’s incumbent upon us to remind ourselves of this moral lesson, embodying the spirit of 1776, because at this moment both America, and many other nations, are losing their nationhood due to rogue politicians selling our peoples out to globalist ideologies.
The Collar Around Our Neck
Our governments tax us more of our wealth each year, and many pass laws that infringe upon our fundamental rights to speak, assemble, and bear arms in our defense (to name but a few). Rather than take ownership of our freedom, we’ve outsourced it into the hands of third parties that would prefer to see us chained in perpetuity than raised to the status of free and independent people. Citizens across the world have arguably become cash cows for their rulers, yielding a return for as long as they’re kept fed and happy, and ignore the proverbial man behind the bureaucratic curtain.
As for America, it can’t be ignored that the great wealth of our nation, and the comforts which have followed in the wake of an increasingly consumer-based economy, have contributed to our own bittersweet state. Our country grew fat off the blood and sweat of prior generations, and now the butcher is at our gate. We must make a choice to either remain as we are, and do nothing while our Constitution is butchered, or repossess the rights we’ve forfeited so indolently, and restore a government by and for the American people. We’re the first and final bastion of freedom on Earth; if we surrender our liberty here, what hope remains for the rest of the world to follow out there?
The collar is around our neck, but the hand which bears the chain to tie us down permanently has yet to hook on. There’s still ample time for us to break free and sprint back to the forest wherein the tree of liberty bears its fruit, but are we too frightened to desire freedom anymore? Are we too scared of the difficulties and dangers the forest represents, to notice the encroaching terrors of despotism in the village? Let us return to the forest, America, and reject the hand that feeds at the cost of our freedom. Give us liberty, or give us death!