Those who don't learn from history

I'm sure that many of you have heard the old proverb about not learning from history. The problem though is that many have no real idea of history, especially the history of this nation. I really marvel at the level of ignorance when it comes to our history especially on the part of most of our elected officials and those appointed and hired to take on positions within various government agencies.

I'm sure that they remember something about our war against England to gain our freedom from tyranny. However, they show a marked lack of what led up to that war. By the way, it was not a rebellion. It was a war of self-defense no matter what revisionists may say. To have a rebellion you must have a legitimate government as our Forefathers noted -- that government governs by the consent of the governed. When government abuses that privilege, such as was the case in the 1700s and sadly is the case today, then it ceases to be a legitimate government and becomes a tyranny.

Among the many specific liberties the Founders sought to protect was our right as individuals to keep and bear arms. Let me quote from someone concerning the issue of private ownership of arms and militias (a sadly maligned word and concept that is none the less responsible for our many liberties).

"Today, we need a nation of Minute Men, citizens who are not only prepared to take up arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom to be the basic purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice for that freedom." President Jophn F. Kennedy, in defense of citizen militias (1961).

Another one to further the point:

"No slave shall keep any arms whatever..." A Bill Concerning Slaves, Virginia Assembloy (1779)

People have said in argument against me that citizens with rifles, shotguns and handguns couldn't possibly win against the American military as they have aircraft, helicopters, all kinds of modern technological advantages. Let me point out that no guerilla force has ever lost a war -- they may not win outright, but they won't lose. The reason is simple -- the more pressure that is placed upon the people of the nation, the more rights and freedoms that are taken away, the most onerous the demands of government and their military commanders the greater the hatred and anger that the people feel. They will express that generally by helping those who fight the tyrant and his minions.

Furthermore, as any member of the US Army's Special Forces (often called the Green Beret), a well-trained and well-led guerilla force will ruin a tyrant's year!

Maybe, just maybe, the present members of Congress, the next President, and all of the appointed and hired members of the many government agencies need to stop and remember that the spark that finally forced our ancestors into the streets and into the woods to take on the Brits was the "gun confiscation" act that the Redcoats attempted to enforce. Didn't work too well for them.

Certainly something to think about.

Iceman