In grade school, American children are taught the immortal words of Patrick Henry, “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, 
give me liberty or give me death!” What the children don’t learn about that speech is that what has come down to us wasn’t recorded until 40 years after Patrick Henry gave the speech and that it has been recreated by a writer from the memories of those who heard him speak that day. I can understand why teachers don’t want to confuse the issue, since what they are teaching is not his words, but the sentiment of his speech. “Give me liberty or give me death” is the quintessential American motto. Whether someone actually spoke those words is irrelevant.
Americans have laid down their lives in support of liberty ever since those days more than 200 years ago. They marched barefoot through the snow and left their blood on that snow in an effort to achieve full liberty. In the centuries that followed, they fought and died all over the world in defense of those liberties and to secure the liberties of others. Men like my uncle died in Europe fighting totalitarianism. I acted as a pallbearer for friends who died in Southeast Asia fighting for what they thought was the same cause. Even today, young American men and women are dying in foreign lands fighting for those same liberties. If any one thing defines us as a nation, it is the shared belief in the truth of this sentiment.
When I was a young boy, which is admittedly a long time ago, I was taught that Americans were brave defenders of liberty. We learned about the men who won the Revolutionary War. We learned about Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett at the Alamo. We learned about heroes from The Great War like Sergeant York and General John J. Pershing. We sat in rapt wonder as members of our parents generation told stories about storming the beach at Anzio and the beaches of Normandy and South Sea islands.
We learned about men like Nathan Hale, who gave his life in the original fight for freedom from Britain. Nathaniel Hale died with pride and dignity during the Revolutionary War. He delivered a speech from the gallows shortly before his hanging. The words of that speech were passed to an American officer by a British officer who was present at the hanging. The most memorable part of the speech was what appears to be a paraphrase from Joseph Addison’s play, Cato. Hale is reported to have said, “I only regret, that I have but one life to lose for my country.”
Excerpt from Cato
How beautiful is death, when earn’d by virtue!
Who would not be that youth? What pity is it
That we can die but once to serve our country.
Those men were heroes to revere. Boys dreamed of emulating their exploits and becoming a hero in their own right. Yes, it was a form of indoctrination. One that worked. We grew up willing, no, eager, to fight and die for our country and the fruits of liberty bequeathed to us by earlier generations. That is why it is so painful for me to see this nation suddenly look like it is populated by a bunch of cowards.
Ever since September 11, 2001, the people of this nation have been bombarded with words of fear. Some of the people uttering those words are themselves very afraid. Others are attempting to sow fear so that they can take advantage of the climate of fear that comes as a result of their fear mongering. Recent examples of this fear mongering can be found in the words of two Republican candidates for governorships.
Jane E. Norton, candidate for governor of Colorado, recently said, “And what I believe is happening… is the fact that the rights of terrorists are more important in this administration that the lives of American citizens. And we are seeing it in the criminal field. We are seeing it in the health care bill. We are seeing it in almost every, every area that we are looking at.”
Pete Hoekstra, candidate for governor of Michigan, has been beating the drums of fear on a nearly daily basis. He thrust himself into the discussion of bringing prisoners from the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to a prison near Standish, Michigan. He managed to stop that move with his fear mongering. I imagine the citizens of Standish are thankful for his intervention, given their 25% unemployment levels. It will be interesting to see how many votes he gets from that area in this year’s primary.
Representative Pete ‘The Jokester’ Hoekstra wasn’t about to rest on his fear mongering laurels. The failed bombing attempt of a jetliner on Christmas Day gave him a chance to jump in front of the closest camera to utter more of this screed. He followed up his press conference with a fund-raising letter that oozed pure fear.
Dear Friend:In the midst of enjoying Christmas with my family, we were quickly reminded that there is still a war against the American way of life; on Christmas morning, it came right here to Detroit.
We know the story. A cowardly terrorist was allowed to board a flight bound for our state, and armed with explosives, attempted to murder countless passengers and potential victims on the ground.
Unnamed heroes aboard the plane likely averted disaster.
Shockingly, yesterday morning, Barack Obama’s Homeland Security Secretary went on TV and said “the system worked”!
They just don’t get it. The system didn’t “work” here. Far from it! It is insulting that The Obama administration would make such a claim, but then again, these are the same weak-kneed liberals who have recently tried to bring Guantanamo Bay terrorists right here to Michigan!
My promise to you, as your governor, my first duty and most solemn responsibility is to keep Michigan safe!
[full text at the end of this diary]
Can you say, “Greedy, fear mongering opportunist”?
I am sick and tired of being told to, “Be afraid. Be very, very afraid.” I am sick and tired of hearing words of fear spouted every day by voices on the Right. I’m talking about you, Jane, and you, Pete, and Rush, and Glenn, and Ann, and… Why go on? You know the names as well as I do.
In the same year Patrick Henry gave his legendary speech, Benjamin Franklin wrote, “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
We now see whom Franklin was referring to when he wrote “They”.
I’ve had enough! If you people want to be cowards, do it quietly. You are scaring the kids. In my world, cowardice is shameful behavior, not something to be flaunted before the whole world. Please, please hide your cowardly selves in your basements where you will be safe from the big, bad boogeyman.
Thank God, there have always been some brave Americans to keep us free, unlike the cowardly lions in today’s GOP.
PS: Patrick Henry, Nathan Hale, and my Uncle Jack want to tell you to STFU!
Full text of Pete Hoekstra’s fund-raising letter.
Dear Friend:
We don’t have much time, so I will get right to the point.
In the midst of enjoying Christmas with my family, we were quickly reminded that there is still a war against the American way of life; on Christmas morning, it came right here to Detroit.
We know the story. A cowardly terrorist was allowed to board a flight bound for our state, and armed with explosives, attempted to murder countless passengers and potential victims on the ground.
Unnamed heroes aboard the plane likely averted disaster.
Shockingly, yesterday morning, Barack Obama’s Homeland Security Secretary went on TV and said “the system worked”!
They just don’t get it. The system didn’t “work” here. Far from it! It is insulting that The Obama administration would make such a claim, but then again, these are the same weak-kneed liberals who have recently tried to bring Guantanamo Bay terrorists right here to Michigan!
My promise to you, as your governor, my first duty and most solemn responsibility is to keep Michigan safe!
For almost a decade I have been a leader on National Security and at the forefront of the war on terror. I understand the real and continuing threat radical jihadists pose to our great state of Michigan and our great Nation.I have pledged that I will do “everything possible” to prevent these terrorists from coming to Michigan.
But I need your help.If you agree that we need a Governor who will stand up the Obama/Pelosi efforts to weaken our security please make a most generous contribution of $25, $50, $100 or even $250 to my campaign.
When I first ran for Congress after 15 years in the private sector, I believed that while we may have serious policy differences with those on the left, protecting America was neither a Democrat nor Republican issue.
In fact, in the days following September 11, 2001, I spent hours in meetings with my Democrat colleagues, making sure that we were doing everything we could to prevent another terrorist attack.There should be no partisan rancor when it comes to keeping our citizens safe.
Unfortunately, as the Democrat party drifts further and further to the left, their leaders are making decisions that should frighten us all.
Since President Obama took office, he and his left-wing cronies have taken steps to undermine the work of our brave men and women who work tirelessly to keep us safe.
First came his brazen and naive pledge to close Guantanamo Bay without any idea where to put the Jihadists who will never stop trying to do us harm.
Next, his Justice Department announced plans to reinvestigate intelligence officers involved in interrogating known terrorists in a program that undoubtedly saved American lives. According to seven former CIA directors, this investigation will have a “devastating impact on CIA morale, America’s counter terrorism efforts and our foreign intelligence partnerships.”
As if this wasn’t enough, now comes word that they are prosecuting Navy SEALs on the word of wanted terrorist and his lawyer; while at the same time the President is sending Gitmo prisoners home to Yemen. I can only imagine what will happen when they link up with their fellow Al Qaida jihadists to make more plans to attack our great country.
Not on my watch!
Barack Obama’s policies may impress the “Blame America First” crowd at home and his thousands of fans overseas, but they sure don’t do anything to protect our families in Michigan or the rest of America.
And while the Obama/Pelosi agenda may be popular in the mainstream media, we should not be governed by the editorial pages of the New York Times.I will be a governor who fights, every day, to keep Michigan safe.
Won’t you join me?
As you know, I have spoken out as loudly as I can against the dangerous policies of the Obama administration.
And while we face many challenges here in Michigan, I know that as Governor, my most solemn obligation will be to work every day to make sure that Michigan families are safe. And I will stop at nothing to make sure that I fulfill this obligation, no matter what the administration in Washington tries to do.Together, let’s stand up for America, and stand up for Michigan. Please, help me fight by making a most generous contribution of $25, $50, $100 or even $250, so that we can fight together to protect our families, our state, and our freedom!
Yours Truly,
Pete Hoekstra
P.S. I am running for Governor to bring conservative leadership to Lansing. I will fight every day to lower taxes, create jobs and stand up for our shared values. Please make a secure, online donation to my campaign of $25, $50, $100 or even $250. Thank you.
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