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The Unknown TEETH of the Constitution

Our Liberty Teeth – Part Two

“A toothless lion may have a slow and painful death, unless mercifully eaten beforehand”

– A Republic, If WE Can Keep It!, 17 September 2012

 

CONSITUTION DAY 2021!

 

Is America a toothless lion?  Are we about to be eaten alive?

Well, it would certainly seem that way. But why?  America has been a beacon of Liberty throughout the world. On the whole, it has produced a prosperous life for generations of its inhabitants, a people who have also welcomed those who were willing to enjoy in the freedom afforded by the principles of Liberty and live by its laws.  Those principles are enshrined in two simple and inspired documents, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution for the united States of America.

For much of 250 years, even in the midst of turmoil, America has managed to feed itself and the world, to produce more than it consumes and to be protected internally from the storms of international intrigue.  In the course of two generations, however, we’ve seen the Republic transition from the most prosperous of times to the most perilous of times since Lexington and Concord.

The grievances expressed in the Declaration were not new…

“In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”

The colonists had done everything in their power to appeal to the sensitivities of their fellow countrymen.  Finally, finding no other alternative, for those countrymen were now warring upon them, Patrick Henry declared…

“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, 1775

The following year, independence was declared and the new nation shed the monikers of “colonies” and “colonists” for the title of Free Men of “Free and Independent” States.

Nevertheless, that new nation was still vulnerable as the Articles of Confederation did not have the power to maintain it for the long term.  Within a decade of Revolutionary War victory, young America was facing a stagnant economy, with public debt at record levels and inflation out of control. Foreign powers were watching like vultures, hoping to carve up the lands of the struggling nation.  What then, was the miracle, that helped America survive that period? It was the Constitution!  Within four years of adopting the Constitution, George Washington wrote to David Humphreys, and said…

“Tranquility reigns among the people, with that disposition towards the general government, which is likely to preserve it…. Our public credit stands on that high ground which three years ago it would have been considered a species of madness to have foreseen.”
– George Washington, letter to David Humphreys, 20 July 1791

Where in this scenario do we find ourselves today?  It may be that we don’t realize that there is, and has been for some time, a War on Liberty.  In a brilliantly sinister way, our Republic and its people have been conditioned for destruction, just as the frog in the pot of warming water endures its last moments of life, with the waxing and waning of one emergency after another, we have been both alarmed and then relaxed and alarmed and then relaxed, until an alarm is no longer seen for what it really is.  Then comes the boiling.  But as Patrick Henry emphatically queries, “The war is actually begun! … Why stand we here idle?”

Well. why do we?  It’s really not because we wouldn’t be willing, or that we are unable.  Who among us would allow our homes or families to be openly intruded upon or attacked?  We know we have the right of self-defense and many of us certainly have the capacity and willingness, even if with fear and trembling, to use it.

There is good news in this scenario, and there is bad news.  The good news is that the Constitution has teeth.  The People have power in our Republic, but in the absence of understanding, the knowledge of this power has been hidden.  The good news is that there are still more of us who love Liberty than those who want to subjugate the people.  And the really good news is that there is a palpable fear among those who are exercising unrighteous dominion by the force of government, a real fear that you… and I, will get it.  That we will unite and refuse to accept that a free people can or must be divided AND, that we might reject our national sins and comprehend this counsel from Benjamin Franklin…

“In the beginning of the Contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the Divine protection – Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered.  All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending providence in our favor.

‘To that kind providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on means of establishing our future national felicity.  And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend?  Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?

‘I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: that God governs in the affairs of man.  And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?  We have been assured sir, in the Sacred Writings that ‘except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it (Ps. 127:1).”
–  Benjamin Franklin, remarks to Constitutional Convention – 1787

How can we suppose that a ragtag, rarely paid, untrained army of tradesman and laborers and ministers and farmers defeated the most powerful military force on the planet at the time of the war for Independence?  The providence of God attended the birth of this nation and only with His providence will it survive.  Maybe, just maybe… can we shed our personal and national pride and sins, and plead for deliverance.  And while we’re at it, maybe we can show that we mean it.  Get to know those around us; love your neighbor, visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, liberate the captive, feed the hungry, etc.?

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
– Psalm 51:17

What is the bad news?  We already have experience with this, history hath taught us from the loss of liberty in other lands, and even here, that tyrants look for a provocation, in one place or another and from time to time, an opportunity to alarm the people and offer them solutions for safety.  Don’t buy it.  Don’t fall for it.  Learn of and exercise the power we already have, that has been hidden from us for generations.

What is the bad news?  It’s that we have a very narrow window of opportunity to act before the command-and-control virus infecting our Republic and other governments around the world overcome the host.

In a previous post, Our Liberty Teeth – Part One, the importance of the States as the ultimate arbiters of the Constitution was emphasized.  In our Independence Day message, O Thus Be It Ever, When Free Men Shall Stand, we asked what’s to be done with oath bound public servants who violate that oath, or the solemn agreement they make to commit to the Constitution.  In a conversation that I had with a Marine veteran yesterday, I asked, “Do military service members take an oath to obey the President, or the Constitution?”  “The Constitution!” was her emphatic response.  And then she continued with her own added emphasis, “…against all enemies foreign and domestic!”

 

Well, here it is!  This document from our friends at Reclaiming the Republic has background and detail on the solution that is worth the time it will take to read:

The Unknown Teeth of the Constitution

For our next post in this series, Our Liberty Teeth – Part Three, the action plan will be shared.  Will you help?  Let us know!

Take a moment, now, to watch and share this brief introduction to the power that we have in our States.  The states are stakeholders in a contract, the compact that created the Constitution. They are the final arbiters of that compact and when the rights of their respective Citizens are being violated by the general government, it is the duty of the states to interpose. The legal basis for its enforcement was clearly defined during the Ratification Debates, but they have been largely unknown. Here is a link to a video for an overview of what this means:

 

Paul Venable is the author of this article and is currently chairman of The Constitution Party of Missouri.  He was a candidate for Missouri Secretary of State during the 2020 General Election.  He can be reached by email here:
paulvenable [at] constitutionpartymo [dot] org

 

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The New World Order Closing in on the United States

The events occurring in the past few weeks in Afghanistan have caught not only Americans off guard but the free world in general. News coverage of Afghanistan has overshadowed any other news. Americans’ faith in their government has been shaken along with the confidence of many of our allies across the globe.

In considering actions taken by the current administration since the January 20th inauguration, nothing should come as a surprise to those who have followed current events carefully.

The leaders of the elite Deep State must be very pleased with what has been unfolding. Their ultimate goal of creating a new world order (now being referred to as the “Great Reset”) is progressing at an accelerated pace. To achieve its ultimate goal, the United States must lose its status as the leader of the free world. A critical step in accomplishing their goals is the impoverishment of the American middle class, thereby making Americans dependent upon the government. A closer look at the events of the past months reveals a disturbing pattern.

The Covid-19 pandemic was a significant step forward by the Deep State to begin not only controlling the lives of Americans but also intruding on their freedom of choice. First, the mandating of masks, then the forced closure of businesses resulting in the permanent closing of many companies, and restricting large gatherings, public and private, leading to the use of vaccine passports in many states. Show me your papers!

Then, Americans faced an even greater assault on our liberties as an emergency use experimental vaccine was made available. Months later, Americans now find they must vaccinate or lose their jobs. Previously proclaiming the federal government would not mandate vaccinations, Biden just issued an order that private businesses with over 100 employees must be fully vaccinated or face fines. In effect, this has given the government power over the health of individual Americans and control of private businesses.

Another order issued from the Biden administration was the opening of our southern border, allowing thousands upon thousands of illegal immigrants to enter the country. Not only did his actions overwhelm those responsible for securing our borders, but it also brought tens of thousands into the nation who carried the Covid-19 virus, thereby causing a second massive outbreak of the virus throughout the country.

The recent debauched withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan is the latest signal that the establishment elite are advancing their “New World Order” agenda. The disastrous decision to withdraw our troops leaving supportive Afghans and our own Americans behind in the hands of the Taliban is unforgivable and un-American. Not only did we abandon billions of dollars of military equipment in the hands of the Taliban, but our government gave the names of Americans and Afghans who were seeking to leave the country to the Taliban. This despicable betrayal by our government justifiably angers Americans.

An unconfirmed report from some in the military at the Kabul airport stated that a drone had targeted the suicide bomber who killed the 13 Americans and over 100 Afghans, but the attack was called off by higher-ups in the military. One can not help but wonder if the actions taken by our president and his top military leaders were simply nothing short of intentional to make the American military look inept.

Stories coming out of Afghanistan seem to lend credence to that thinking. One striking example comes to mind. Green Beret Scott Mann and a small group of spec ops team escorted over 630 Afghan Special Forces troops and their families to the Kabul airport in the middle of the night so they could board an airplane to escape from the Taliban. US military members deployed at the Kabul airport used the code name “Pineapple Express” and worked unofficially in tandem with the secret vets’ group to smuggle our Afghan allies to the airport.

The soldiers at the airport were under orders to not provide assistance to those outside of the airport perimeter but did so anyway. Those men were courageous and risked their own lives to protect and save our Afghan allies. They were appalled that our government leaders withdrew from the nation in the manner in which they did.

The actions taken above make one wonder if Taiwan is the next victim to fall under Marxist rule, as we have witnessed happen in Hong Kong. Taiwan’s confidence in our government has been shaken from the events in Afghanistan.

All of the above actions are in sync with the ultimate goal of the elite establishment to create a new one-world government or “New World Order” as is commonly used in the media. Biden appears to be a valuable tool in accomplishing their goal. They must be extremely pleased with the strides they have made in the past eight months.

Refer to our August newsletter to refresh yourselves on the eight steps that Saul Alinsky claims are necessary to bring about a socialist or Marxist state.

The US news media and social media, i.e. Facebook and Twitter, have played a significant role in allowing all of this to happen. Anything they disagree with is called misinformation vs. what they promote is factual even though it may be fictitious. Had they been honest about Biden’s incapacity to govern and his actual stand on the issues, it is most unlikely that he would have been elected. Current polls show that 20% of those who voted for him now regret having done so.

The world press has been so vocal in their criticism of Biden that the US media has had little choice but to be somewhat critical of him and his administration to retain some degree of credibility with their readers. However, as soon as possible, we will see the tone of their reporting change back to supporting the New World Order agenda.

As stated in our August newsletter, to counter this movement our members must become involved in public affairs, i.e. becoming involved in local community affairs, running for school board positions, and running for local town and city council offices. Serving your community with integrity is an effective way to gain credibility and assure your voice is heard. Millions of parents are concerned and are looking for leadership. School board members are being recalled. This has become a hot issue in a growing number of states and provides an excellent opportunity for our voices to be heard. Let’s take advantage of this open door!

Your Continued Financial Support is Appreciated

First-time donations continue to be received at the party headquarters. Your financial support is critical to future growth and deeply appreciated. Interest in the party is at an all-time high and your donations will enable us to expand our marketing efforts and move forward with ballot access for the 2022 election cycle.

Please consider committing to a monthly donation through the Howard Phillips Legacy Society. More details on the Society and its benefits can be found here.

Once again, our sincere thanks to those first-time donors and our monthly supporters. Your generosity allows us to stay in the fight. We can all agree; we must press forward with a message of truth and hope.

 

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A Sobering Message from the Constitution Party

One of our party leaders received the following article from a Russian acquaintance who succeeded in leaving Ukraine with his family and immigrated to the United States. He has since become an American Citizen and has become increasingly alarmed at what he sees transpiring in our nation. His comment to our party member was:

“You Americans have no idea what is happening to your country.”

Below is what was forwarded to our party member. What he shared is thought-provoking and alarming! The author of the article is Garret Geer, but the source of the article was not shared with our party member. Geer shared with his readers eight rules promoted by Saul Alinsky in his book entitled Rules for Radicals. Below is a portion of the article:

How to create a social state by Saul Alinsky:

There are eight levels of control that must be obtained before you are able to create a social state. The first is the most important.

  1. Healthcare – Control healthcare and you control the people.
  2. Poverty – Increase the Poverty level as high as possible: poor people are easier to control and will not fight back if you are providing everything for them to live.
  3. Debt – Increase the debt to an unsustainable level. That way you are able to increase taxes, and this will produce more poverty.
  4. Gun Control – Remove the ability to defend themselves from the government. That way you are able to create a police state.
  5. Welfare – Take control of every aspect of their lives (Food, Housing, and Income).
  6. Education – Take control of what people read and listen to – take control of what children learn in school.
  7. Religion – Remove the belief in the God from the government and schools.
  8. Class Warfare – Divide the people into the wealthy and the poor. This will cause more discontent, and it will be easier to take (tax) the wealthy with the support of the poor.

Does any of this sound like what is happening to the United States?

Alinsky merely simplified Vladimir Lenin’s original scheme for world conquest by communism under Russian rule. Stalin described his converts as “Useful Idiots.”

The useful idiots have destroyed every nation in which they have seized power and control. It is presently happening at an alarming rate in the United States.

“It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere.”

For those who are members of the Constitution Party, the above warning is nothing new. But what is alarming is the breathtaking speed at which we see the above events unfolding in our nation. The message is clear: those of us who are aware of the unfolding plan must act with urgency to alert our fellow Americans. We cannot remain silent when our way of life and the rule of law is threatened by those who have no love for our country.

A Case in Point: Critical Race Theory

Being pushed by the media and our government is the concept of Critical Race Theory. It is being promoted to our youngest students and on college campuses, in large corporations, and now even in the military. The goal of the program is to pit one race against another with white people being the oppressors.

The truth that we are all Americans and all need to be treated equally before the law is being totally ignored. Students are being encouraged to report any thoughts or comments made by their parents contrary to CRT to their school leaders. The young Russian man who shared his concerns to our party member explained that he and his fellow conservative-minded students never express their political thoughts in class. They know that not only will they be ridiculed by their professors and fellow students for such opinions, but their grades and ability to graduate and continue with post-graduate studies may also be negatively affected. That is a real tragedy!

To counter this movement our members must become involved in public affairs: i.e. becoming involved in local community affairs, running for school board positions, and running for local town and city council offices. Serving your community with integrity is an effective way to gain credibility and assure your voice is heard. Millions of parents are concerned and are looking for leadership. School board members are being recalled. This has become a hot issue in a growing number of states and provides an excellent opportunity for our voices to be heard. Let’s take advantage of this open door!

Your Continued Financial Support is Appreciated

As a result of our last newsletter, a number of first-time donations were received at the party headquarters. Your financial support is critical to future growth and deeply appreciated. Interest in the party is at an all-time high and your donations will enable us to expand our marketing efforts and move forward with ballot access for the 2022 election cycle.

Please consider committing to a monthly donation through the Howard Phillips Legacy Society. More details on the Society and its benefits can be found here.

Once again, our sincere thanks to those first-time donors and our monthly supporters. Without your generosity, we could not stay in the fight. We can all agree, we must press forward with a message of truth and hope.

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The Castle Report: Big Tech + Big Media + Big Government = A Society Destroyed By Experts

The Castle Report – Stalin Often Got 100% of the Vote

Darrell Castle talks about Democrat efforts to complete the necessary political structure to gain a permanent hold on power.

Listen HERE!

 

STALIN OFTEN GOT 100% OF THE VOTE

Hello this is Darrell Castle with today’s Castle Report. Today is Friday the 5th day of February in the year 2021 and in this Report, I will be talking about Democrat efforts to complete the necessary political structure to gain a permanent hold on power. I remind you that what the Democrats are working toward has been done before. In 1937 95% of the Russian people voted and Joe Stalin received 100% of that vote. It was all reported as headlines in the New York Times. Stalin was elected but he had absolute power for as long as he lived.

The Castle family is doing well this week despite all the upsetting political news, we carry on. Earlier this week we celebrated the family daughter’s birthday by Zoom. We could not be together as a family, but we celebrate as best we can, and we are grateful for the video capabilities of Zoom.

Joe Stalin had absolute power and complete control of the voting process and the vote count. Opposition to his candidacy tended not to survive very long. The Democrats in America are not there yet but they are building toward permanent power all the while describing their efforts as unity. They continually ratchet up the tension when they have opportunities to calm it down. Joe Biden and Joe Stalin share some frightening similarities. Joe Biden on behalf of the Democrat Party seeks total power by way of majority control of the Senate, House, Supreme Court, and the Presidency. Stalin did it by purging and executing those he feared as disloyal or enemies.

I have not heard that Joe Biden is executing his enemies or those he considers disloyal, but he is purging them. Joe Stalin was so afraid of ranking military officers that he had hundreds of his most competent officers executed. When the Germans invaded his purges cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers because they did not have competent officers. Joe Biden had the FBI vett and reject disloyals from the 25000 national guard troops sent to occupy Washington D.C. When Biden’s new secretary of defense took over the Pentagon, he ordered a 60 day stand down of all U.S. military personnel worldwide. The purpose of the stand down was to purge the military of white supremacy and extremism.

The purge came at the same time a general office at the top of U.S. strategic command publicly stated that nuclear war with China and Russia was a real possibility. It sure sounds like the ghost of Joe Stalin wanders through the streets of D.C. Maybe the Democrats are drunk with power, maybe they serve an outside agenda, or maybe Donald Trump forced them to shed their disguise and reveal who they really are. The things I have mentioned so far have all happened in a period of about two weeks so how much worse can it get.

Marjorie Taylor Greene newly elected Republican Representative from the 14th district of Georgia who was elected with 75% of the votes of her district was stripped of all her committee assignments by the Democrat majority house. They did not strip Ilhan Omar or AOC who recently said her life was in danger from the January 6th incident at the capital when she was not even in the capital. The only reason Marjorie has been treated this way is that Democrats do not like her politics, and she will not shut up and be a nice little girl. Once again, the Democrats are building permanent power and they will not tolerate dissent. The next step which is being prepared now for Marjorie is expulsion from congress.

The Democrat COVID Aid bill just passed the Senate by a vote of 50-49 with one Republican dissenting. The bill will fund 1.9 trillion debt dollars for stimulus and for aiding those affected by the virus. By a vote in the senate of 50-49 with one Republican dissenting, each person who is allowed by Democrats to receive free money is supposed to get $1400 by the last count I have. What that means is a couple hundred billion for people to get free money and 1,7 trillion as simple boondoggle money to supporters, banks, airlines, and other vote buying bribes. It is really a totally corrupt, vile and disgusting display of outright graft.

The Democrats have a bill pending to make Washington D.C. a state thus giving them two more senators. It already has 38 senate cosponsors so it appears that the Democrats will soon have two more to add to their majority. I’m sure that Puerto Rico will quickly follow.

The newspapers talk about unity and bringing the nation together, but they don’t really mean it. If you read the body of their articles you will see that unity is not what they want to achieve but compliance. When they say the words “our democracy” what they really mean is everyone in complete lockstep with the left wing of the Democrat Party.

The president signed at last count 42 new executive orders which I believe is a two-week record. I don’t want to go into them again but some of them are fairly destructive of liberty, some are extremely destructive of liberty and all by their very nature are unconstitutional. With President Biden, congress and the senate are becoming just his cheering section.

At least 73 million people voted for Donald Trump that we know of, and those people are the ones who must be made to realize total defeat and humiliation. They want the Trump supporters crushed into the dirt to impress upon them who runs this new world. Donald Trump, once the presumed most powerful person in the world now can’t even send a tweet. If it is any consolation, I have concluded that unelected billionaire oligarchs actually run the world with Democrats acting as their agents. Why do I think such a thing? I do so because I have listened to videos of people such as Bill and Melinda Gates, and Ted Turner saying those same things.

The Democrat Party, however, appears to be completely terrified of the thought that Trump could ever rise again. I suppose that extends to his followers as well so they must be made to accept his defeat and humiliation. They are trying to impeach him retroactively. They want to deny him secret service protection, they want to prohibit any memorial to his presidency including the writing of any books by him or his staff. The City of New York wants to take away his right to run the Central Park ice rink. The City of Palm Beach, Florida wants to deny him the right to live in a home he owns there. Banks and other financial institutions have ended their relationship with him. How long before all this intimidation and harassment extends to anyone who voted for him.

Once again, I point out that when Lenin and later Stalin gained absolute power in Russia, they took steps to erase all memory of Czarist Russia. Thanks to the work of Leo Tolstoy and others they were not totally successful. To illustrate Democrat fear more clearly, just look at how they have turned the nation’s capital into a militarized city. I remember when any American could go to Washington and walk right into the capital to look at it. That building was the capital of all the people not just the Democrats. Now a fence topped by razor wire keeps out the deplorables.

The place Donald Trump called the swamp is seething with anger and a desire for revenge. That must explain all the efforts to punish and humiliate Trump voters. The administration doesn’t seem to mind at all the public perception that what it is doing is unconstitutional and therefore illegitimate. Instead of an effort to restore legitimacy and with-it unity it is full speed ahead on the drive for permanent power. I suppose the feeling is that we don’t care if you hate us as long as you can’t do anything about it.

The final item I have time to talk about in the drive for total Democrat control made permanent is the appointment of a commission to study court reforms which can only mean court packing. They want the court, the presidency, the senate, the house, the bureaucracy, by any means necessary. That way there would be no opposition to their agenda.

There is one problem though and that is that their power is concentrated in the blue coastal cities. They have built their majority by assembling groups of minorities in the coastal cities and a few interior ones often by illegal means as is traditional with Democrats. They did it by illegal immigration from the third world, and by putting all those people in their cities on the government dole because they have no jobs for them to earn actual wages. When you can destroy the economy so that everyone loyal is on the dole of stolen money that is a pretty good racket.

Finally, folks, it would take real energy, intelligence, motivation and most of all, guts to even begin to solve these problems. Those are all attributes sorely lacking in Washington D.C. today. Joe Biden can be proud though because he has helped bring about the end of the American experiment in self government and individual rights. He has appointed many Czars such as climate Czar, they can make solar panels, John Kerry. Why not just make himself actual Czar then he could really be Joe Stalin.

At least that’s the way I see it,

Until next time folks,

This is Darrell Castle,

Thanks for listening.

_______________

Darrell Castle – 2016 Constitution Party Nominee for President of the United States

https://www.castlereport.us/

ON VETERANS DAY 2020

David R. Gillie
Chairman of the Constitution Party of Cache County Utah

On this day, we Americans honor those who have worn the cloth of our country. On this day, I honor also the faith, courage, and citizenship of my wife, who has taught her Navy Veteran husband a thing or two about all three (on which more below).

On Veteran’s Day, I pray that Americans do not honor indiscriminately, but that, as is only proper, we bestow our highest honor and gratitude more narrowly on those who, having quite deliberately counted the cost of their life’s blood, have weighed it against both the doubt and the hope that this blood will somehow serve to purchase Liberty under Law in earth’s last best hope, and have paid it.

In honor of these men, our family flies today my wife’s Citizenship Flag, the large, heavy cotton, casket flag that I presented to her on the day when she swore the oath of citizenship, and so joined me in that ever-doubtful, ever-hopeful, American endeavor to secure one free country on earth.

Five days before my wife swore that oath, I had flown this flag over St. John’s Church in Richmond, as historical players within re-enacted on its anniversary the Second Virginia Convention of 1775, with Patrick Henry’s ringing challenge to the standard of Liberty or Death.

The flag would fly above the State Capitol dome as my wife swore the oath beneath.

My wife’s was no thoughtless swearing. It was here that she taught me the meaning of faith, courage, and citizenship. Well she understood that this country, to which she was deliberately joining her honor, had long ceased to be free. But she understood, too, that it might yet be free again, and that such was the will of Heaven. She understood clearly that those glorious truths, to which Americans had unflinchingly made themselves accountable in 1776, together with the Constitution that they had adopted in 1787 and 1788, still condemned just as unequivocally as ever the many sad particulars of America’s present unfreedom. And so she “[took] this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion,” determined, “so help me God,” to act with faith and courage the part of citizen in earth’s last, best hope.

Deeply touched by the presentation of the flag and the meaning of where it had flown, my wife determined to seek out future occasions to gather glory to her Citizenship Flag, until it should be draped over her casket someday. On our anniversary, we flew it over Frederick Douglass’ house in Anacostia, MD. We flew it over USS CONSTITUTION on her annual Constitution Day Sail, the day after I had retired on the ship’s decks from 30 years’ Navy service. As we left Virginia for the Rockies, we first drove to Independence Hall to drape it over the rail of the room in which both Declaration and Constitution were signed. We stopped in Springfield, IL, to fly it over Abraham Lincoln’s House. Each of these acts was an act of faith and courage:  faith in, and commitment to, that ever-doubtful, ever-hopeful, American endeavor to secure one free country on earth. May God reward such faith and courage. May He grant that our country may endure, to yet flower in Liberty under Law.

As I but incidentally honor my wife’s faith and courage this day, we both, with millions of fellow Americans, honor primarily the greater faith and courage of thousands of better men than I who wore the cloth of our country before me. In that greater faith and courage, they counted the cost of their life’s last blood, weighed it out against that ever-doubtful, ever-hopeful, prospect of a free country, and paid it. May God reward such faith and courage.

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