Liberty ~ The Pillar of America's Greatness

*speech given at a local Tea Party rally on
Constitution Day, September 17th*

Hello Everyone!

I’d like to start by thanking our Tea Party leaders for giving me the opportunity to speak today in honor of America, the greatest nation on earth.

Liberty is what makes America so great. It is what our forefathers fought to achieve and pass on to future generations. Today those hard-earned freedoms are in grave danger. The future of America's greatness depends on us uniting together and returning to the founding principles on which all our liberties stand. Our government would have us to believe that some liberties are unimportant when it comes to national security and modern convenience. Yet it is these so called "small liberties” which set us apart from all other nations!

In order to protect American liberty, it helps to first understand the foundation for it. This foundation lies in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, both of which are largely influenced by the main source of liberty, the Bible.

To start with the Bible, Galatians 5:1 tells us to "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. " We are promised in 2 Corinthians that "...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." Seeing therefore that true liberty comes from Christ, how can it survive without Him? America was made great because we had freedom to worship the God of the Bible. We had freedom to serve Him, preach His word, and to speak of Him in public WITH OUT FEAR. Because we honored God, He blessed us abundantly.

Now, however, we've allowed the government to take Christ out of our society. We are not allowed to speak of Him in public schools, politics, etc. Biblical standards of morality and virtue are rapidly disappearing, being replaced by crime, immorality and corruption. God hates evil. Until we as a nation return again to Christ, He cannot freely bless us.

Another foundation for our liberty is The Declaration of Independence. It states that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are unalienable rights, given to us by God. It tells us that when the government body continually abuses and usurps it's authority (the Constitution), it is our right and DUTY to overthrow that government, providing new leaders who will be more faithful to our future liberties. We must exercise that duty when necessary, or else the tyranny we and our future generations face will destroy America.

In order to secure American liberty, our founding fathers formed one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, political documents in history, our Constitution . What makes it unique is the idea that personal liberty is given directly from God, NOT the government. Perhaps this is best explained by Jefferson when he said "When the government fears the people there is liberty; when the people fear the government there is tyranny." According to the Preamble, the Constitution was made to ensure that government would: "establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity."

So why does our Constitution not seem to be working now? The answer is simple: Our current government no longer respects the Constitution. It is ignored, trampled on, and called inadequate by those who desire dictatorial, criminal powers. Seldom do our elected officials consider whether a bill they are trying to pass is Constitutional or not. Jefferson prophesied this downfall when he warned "The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first." In order to regain liberty we must study the Constitution ourselves, and re-chain our elected officials by holding them accountable to it.

Two great weapons we have in defending liberty are truth and knowledge. In the gospel of John, Jesus promises us "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." The Bible also warns in Hosea that nations are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Knowledge is power and truth can set one at liberty. Doesn't it make sense then that the more knowledgeable we are and the more we walk in truth, the stronger we are in our fight for liberty? In a world of lies, truth can be hard to discern, but the more diligent we are, the better we will be able to recognize truth and use it to our advantage.

To conclude, in Psalms the Lord presents a challenge for us by asking “Who will rise up for me against the evil doers and Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?”

If only we would unite together and answer with Patrick Henry, when he so bravely proclaimed the following combined quotes: “"It is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth... Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the things which so clearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst and to provide for it.""... So 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!”

May God bless our efforts in uniting for liberty!

Ron Paul for Liberty, 2012!

~Madelyn