A time to remember "Give me Liberty or give me Death!"

[Ian_rd]

On March 23, 1775 Patrick Henry made a plea to the assembly at the Virginia House of Burgesses to not be cowed into accepting British rule and oppression as a means to avoid destruction and death.

With his final cry that day, "give me liberty or me death," Henry's speech became one in a long line of debate in which every democracy must engage - the proper balance of freedom and safety in a free society.

This debate is as important today as it has ever been with the threat of international terrorism, which is sure to be with us for many generations.

We Americans would probably be much safer from murder at the hands of international terrorists if we allowed our government to listen and track every phone call we make, assuming they could process such information. We would also probably be safer from murder at the hands of international terrorists if we allowed our government to arrest whomever they wanted, whenever they wanted, without warrant or cause. We would also probably be safer from murder at the hands of international terrorists if the actions and methods of our government were secret and away from public scrutiny.

But if we allowed all of this, what price would we have paid to be safe? In 1775, Patrick Henry and others of like mind made the tough decision that they would rather risk losing their possessions and being killed by British soldiers than be denied their freedom. Today, many of us have made a similar decision: We would rather be killed by terrorists than lose our freedom.

The situation is different today than before our independence. Today, our oppressors are not the same as our attackers as it was with the British Crown. Today, our attackers are the terrorists and our oppressors are the Bush Administration.

There are many who are all too willing to throw away our freedom for the promise of more safety. They are on our airwaves and in our Congress and tell us that we are in a war, and such concerns of freedom are unwarranted and irresponsible. They tell us that whoever voices opposition to the dismantling of our freedoms are helping the terrorists. They tell us that it is the President's responsibility to protect us from murder while forgetting that his oath of office is actually to protect the constitution, even from himself if need be.

"I, name, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and I will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

-- Presidential Oath of Office

There's a specific reason why the Presidential Oath of Office does not state that the President will protect Americans from being killed, because the Founding Fathers made a different decision. They decided that our government should protect our freedom first.

So, like Henry standing in front of the Virginia House of Burgesses, we the American People stand before our fellows to make the plea that freedom is more important than our safety, and even our lives.

The Founding Fathers are long dead. It's up to us now. I hope we win. Because we are on the side of freedom and democracy and the fate of the most powerful nation is in our hands.

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!

Entire text of Henry's speech: http://www.law.ou.edu/ushistory/henry.shtml