Independence Through The Pens Of Patriots

On this most hallowed of US holidays, it is important to remember those who risked everything to provide for us this free and prosperous nation which we now live in. Here are a few quotes from some of those men regarding the gift which they provided.

God Save our American States!

• "I should, indeed, with peculiar delight, have met and exchanged there congratulations personally with the small band, the remnant of that host of worthies, who joined with us on that day, in the bold and doubtful election we were to make for our country, between submission or the sword; and to have enjoyed with them the consolatory fact, that our fellow citizens, after half a century of experience and prosperity, continue to approve the choice we made. May it be to the world, what I believe it will be, (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all,) the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings and security of self-government. That form which we have substituted, restores the free right to the unbounded exercise of reason and freedom of opinion. All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. The general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view the palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God. These are grounds of hope for others. For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them."
  -Thomas Jefferson, June 24, 1826


• "Among the natural rights of the Colonists are these: First, a right to life; Secondly, to liberty; Thirdly, to property; together with the right to support and defend them in the best manner they can. These are evident branches of, rather than deductions from, the duty of self-preservation, commonly called the first law of nature."
  -Samuel Adams, November 20, 1772


• "The Second Day of July 1776 will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. . . . It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more."
  -John Adams to Abigail Adams, July 3, 1776


• "The liberties of our Country, the freedom of our civil constitution are worth defending at all hazards: And it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have receiv'd them as a fair Inheritance from our worthy Ancestors: They purchas'd them for us with toil and danger and expence of treasure and blood; and transmitted them to us with care and diligence. It will bring an everlasting mark of infamy on the present generation, enlightened as it is, if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle; or be cheated out of them by the artifices of false and designing men. Of the latter we are in most danger at present: Let us therefore be aware of it. Let us contemplate our forefathers and posterity; and resolve to maintain the rights bequeath'd to us from the former, for the sake of the latter. - Instead of sitting down satisfied with the efforts we have already made, which is the wish of our enemies, the necessity of the times, more than ever, calls for our utmost circumspection, deliberation, fortitude, and perseverance. Let us remember that "if we suffer tamely a lawless attack upon our liberty, we encourage it, and involve others in our doom." It is a very serious consideration, which should deeply impress our minds, that millions yet unborn may be the miserable sharers of the event."
  -Samuel Adams, October 14, 1771

Do yourself a favor and read What Jefferson Wrought over at RCP.

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Brilliance on the Political Left

As some of you know, I am constantly searching for the most brilliant people on the left. There are those who would argue that it is a vain effort, but I disagree because I truly believe that there are intelligent people on both the right and the left.

Take this gentleman for example. The grandson of German immigrants, he took an interest in journalism while attending high school, covering sports for The News-Gazette. He began writing letters of comment to science fiction fanzines, and became involved in sci-fi fandom writing his own articles. His senior year, he won a high school association state speech championship. He went on to receive an undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

His writing career has brought him notoriety the world around, and is widely believed to be one of (if not the) best in his field. He's also written screenplays, published several books and made appearances in movies. He's a guest lecturer at the University of Chicago, and writes a column for a major Chicago newspaper. It's easy to say that this man is quite successful and must be amongst the best and the brightest. Who am I speaking of? Why, this man, of course:

Roger Ebert's latest diarrhea diatribe

Yes, Roger Ebert, one of the most distinguished minds on the left today. What makes Roger such an elite leftist mind? Well in addition to the brilliance he displayed on his twitter page above, he's also advocated the 'horse whipping' of Rush Limbaugh for Limbaugh's criticism of Obama's handling of the Haitian earthquake and specifically the effort to funnel donations through the White House website. Roger Ebert continues to spew diarrhea from what's left of his smug little pie hole.

Now, specifically to the tweet he blessed the world with yesterday. Ebert was responding to the story out of Morgan Hill, CA where students wearing American Flag clothing on the 5th of May were kicked out of school. Why were they asked to remove the clothing, or face suspension? Why, because the 5th of May is a holiday for Mexicans, and wearing American Flag themed clothing on such a day would be insensitive to Mexican-Americans. AYFKM?!

Let's dive into this issue, just a skosh. First, I am going to be generous and assume that since the students are enrolled at a high school in Morgan Hill that they are, in fact legal citizens, and not criminal aliens. Therefore, the American flag is their flag, too. No citizen should be offended at the sight of their flag, no citizen. Cinco de Mayo is a holiday and celebration of the Mexican Army's victory over the French. While it has become a day of revelry in the United States, it is not a holiday and enjoys no state or federal distinction as such, nor should it. There are some who might say that the boys at Live Oak High School wore the clothing on May 5th in an effort to provoke students of Hispanic decent. Even if that were the boys intent, the wearing of patriotic clothing should never be a provocation and the fact that it might be or that it is, is an illustration of the government's failure to encourage and enforce assimilation into US society. This has become a politically charged issue, primarily because of the federal government's and California state government's unwillingness to address illegal immigration. We have also avoided enforcing assimilation into US culture and have encouraged the radical embracing of Mexican culture all across the southwest. Make no mistake, this is a huge problem. Don't believe me? Here's what Theodore Roosevelt had to say about immigrants, emphasis mine:

"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but is something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people." ~1919
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“We can have no "50-50" allegiance in this country. Either a man is an American and nothing else, or he is not an American at all.”

These are quotes from an American President from nearly a century ago, and yet we've forgotten these words in favor of inclusiveness and cultural sensitivity. Teddy was clear, anyone who asserts themselves to be anything other than 100% American is not an American at all.

This kinda flies in what's left of the face of Roger Ebert and his assertion that anyone who chooses to wear American Flag T-Shirts on May 5th are the same as traitors, doesn't it? Ebert, and those who believe as he does are a threat to the nation, and for that, he should be horse whipped. Roger Ebert has little respect for our nation of laws, and quite possibly even less respect for the men who fought to make her what she is today. He places no value on the pillars of our society (language, culture and history), and for that should be dragged by his slack jaw to the border, and tossed over.

Roger Ebert, one of the 'brilliant minds' on today's left.

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Andy's take.

Innominatus has some interesting thoughts on Cinco de Mayo.

The only thing I can't figure out is why Ebert was suggesting that lefty kids wearing USSR flag clothing (who are heroes in his eyes) must be subjected to hanging out with the patriotic zealots wearing American flag gear.

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