Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death
March 23, 1775
By Patrick Henry
No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the house. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. The question before the house is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at the truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.
Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the numbers of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly 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.
I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House. Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received?
Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with those warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us: they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. And what have we to oppose to them?
Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne! In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation.
There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be freeif we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contendingif we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtainedwe must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of hosts is all that is left us! They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength but irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitableand let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.
It is in vain, sir, to extentuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peacebut there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! 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!
Catholic Answers.
By Ali Sina
www.faithfreedom.org
Conquering Islam…On the March Again
War on Terror/Lt. Col. Michael Burkert, US Army (ret.)
Since September 11, 2001, the American people have been subjected to many speeches and statements from our congress, which proclaimed that we are not at war with Islam. The President himself made repeated statements in the early days of the war. The bizarre reality of this issue is that Islam is at war with us. So how do you defeat an enemy that you don’t dare identify, or define?
How do we combat an enemy where vilification by our society and our military is forbidden? Due to the fact that “Political Correctness” has run amok in our nation and within our armed forces, we have become a nation where our army conducts “touchyfeely” training sessions. Our army leadership emphasizes “consideration of others,” or COO training as it’s known among the soldiers. Sensitivity training for the acceptance of homosexuals or whatever the “multicultural” group of the day is has made it impossible to define our enemies. Our senior Army leadership today is more concerned with observing the “human rights” of our enemies, than doing everything necessary to win against Islam! This is sadly, a result of the politicization of the military during the Clinton Administration, and a very partisan, antimilitary big media.
There is a more sinister and diabolical reason that the Saudi “Wahhabis” are forking over MILLIONS of dollars to relocate Muslims to the United States. In Islam, there is no such thing as freedom. Islam regulates every aspect of a Muslims life. Islam completely negates individualism. Islam is mutually exclusive of free will. Islam cannot join the modern world. Islam and democracy will never peacefully coexist.
World War III actually began on September 11, 2001. Already, IslamoFacsists have attacked peaceful nations in North America, Europe, AustralAsia, the Philippines, and the Middle East. Soon, no nation in the world will be safe from Islamic attacks. France, due to her program of appeasement, and safe haven policy for terrorists got a pass for awhile. No longer. The French in their arrogant smugness thought they were immune to the Islamics. They thought they had made an accommodation with the Islamics. How stupid are the French!
Giving Islamics a pass may work for a short time, yet look how France is faring now. Look at the Intifada that French arrogance and stupidity has allowed to manifest itself. The Islamics gave the French a pass for only so long.
Islam is dedicated to the complete destruction of the Infidel World. In this regard, the western world is its’ own worst enemy. The Mullahs, Imams and Ayatollahs have an easy sell. It’s not difficult to persuade a desperately poor, uneducated and disaffected young Muslim that the infidel world is sick. While Islam has always fed on human failure and continues to do so today, it’s not difficult to convince any believing Muslim that that the nonIslamic World is despicable and rotten.
Millions of corpses in tens of hundreds of thousands of graves throughout Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe are silent testimony to the deadly nature of Islam. Islam has no room for unbelievers. An unbeliever is to be converted if possible, even by the threat of death. If it’s convenient, and an infidel can be used for any purpose, then he’s to be enslaved, tortured and humiliated.
Before the war with Islam is finished, millions of people may well die early deaths. The continued struggle in Afghanistan and Iraq has degenerated into a campaign of murder, confusion and destruction. Civil war can still break out in Iraq.
The Islamics are bent on imposing their brutal and inhuman cult on the entire world. As long as they have a means of carrying out their plans, they won’t quit. The vast amounts of oilmoney guaranteed them by a desperate for energy western world is a readymade recipient for continued violence. Yet our congress refuses to allow tapping of KNOWN energy sources in the US, because of environmental wackoism!
More continued online:
http://www.truthandgrace.com/muslimhate.htm
http:/ video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2505949012059438137#docid=871902797772997781http:/ www.israeltoday.co.il/default.aspx?tabid=178&nid=17135