Lost Heart

In ancient times, invading armies would win wars by surrounding a walled city and trapping the people in their own homes, cutting them off from supplies, water, reinforcements, and safety. The invading army, however, could hold out as long as the needed, easily resupplying and reinforcing their own forces. Eventually, the besieged town would have to make a decision. Though starving and outnumbered, they could make a futile attempt to fight off the invaders or they could lose heart and simply surrender their town, praying for mercy. A well-fortified town could be protected on the inside by a force 1/10 the size of the invading army, but on the other side of the wall, a well-supplied army could simply wait for the town to starve or to bring their smaller forces, in desperation, to an open battle where the larger army would have the advantage. In most cases, a besieged town's only hope was to have gotten out messengers before the town was surrounded. If the messengers could just reach their allies, there could be a victory for the town. This, of course, meant that the towns’ people would have had to see the advancing army well in advance. They would need to have been watching the horizon for distant threats and, once a threat was seen, they would have to take quick and decisive action to save their town.

Today, American Freedom has been besieged. The enemy has completely surrounded it. Because of the Constitution, it is well fortified but it is ill-supplied and desperately under forced. Freedom is strong and it will not back down but the problem is that its allies have lost heart. Freedom sent its messengers but we are too busy to come to its rescue. It would take too much for us to stop our lives a few hours a week to protect Freedom. Perhaps we believe that Freedom is old and antiquated or that if we simply ignore Freedom's call for help, once it is destroyed the enemy will not come after us.

I personally think that Freedom has simply been too easy for our generation. We have not yet had to sacrifice for it, we do not understand life without it, and thus, we cannot comprehend its true importance. We have also become a selfish people. We pass by broken down cars, because we are late for our own meetings. We look the other way when our neighbors need a helping hand, because we have to mow our own lawn. We now ignore the value of life, closing our eyes to everyone but ourselves. Why would we protect Freedom? Why should we? What has it done for us recently?

Where are the good men and women of this country? They are too busy. They don’t want to get involved. They think someone else will take the fight. They think that the threat does not really exist. The battle to protect Freedom will be lost, not because we are lazy or inadequate or unprepared. The battle will be lost simply because no one showed up, because it is easier to believe that the threat does not really exist. It is easier to say that “politics” are just for politicians. It is easier to say that we don’t pick sides. Are we just complacent? I really don’t think so. We simply do not know what is at risk.

The next few posts will help you understand what is at risk. Read them slowly, let the reality sink in, and once you fully understand what we all could lose, I believe that you, as an American will step up to the challenge.