The Website home of Karl Bullock

March 19, 2010

We face the most desperate crisis in our lifetime, second only to World War II (for those who are still alive and remember it). It's not the first time our country has faced a crisis and risen to the occasion. How will it play out this time? I'm reminded of the essays of a man who, in his day, was the equivalent of conservative today's talk radio hosts (and was portrayed in his day by the British just as those same hosts are by the progressives today).

On December 23, 1776, the firebrand Thomas Paine wrote an essay entitled "The Crisis". Perhaps he'll forgive me if I plagiarize his words a bit, and reapply them to our current situation:

THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly. Heaven knows how to put a price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated. God Almighty will not give up on a people to liberalism and socialist destruction who are faithful to His precepts, and who, with righteous determination, will stand for freedom. Kingdoms have arisen before, then trembled. The whole English army, the strongest in the world, was twice routed - once after ravaging the kingdom of France, was driven back by a few broken forces headed by a woman, Joan of Arc - then, in the history of which we are the direct recipients, was defeated by a rabble of farmers untrained in military conflict. Once twelve "ignorant" men changed the world, even while the entire world was out to destroy them and eradicate their message, and by their actions, preserved for us the faith that saves our souls. We now face the most monumental threat to liberty since that first "shot heard 'round the world" on that spring evening in 1775, but this time, it is our own countrymen who are out to destroy the very land that gave them freedom. So, once again, it is up to us the people, in whom our Founders placed the future of our country in the first place. Would that heaven might inspire some lowly shopkeeper or unknown patriot to rise up and lead the battle against our current tyranny. 'Show your faith by your works,' that God may bless you.

Even with my own government arrayed against me, I thank God that I shall fear not.

(For the real original essay by Thomas Paine, go to: http://www.ushistory.org/PAINE/crisis/c-01.htm. It is well worth reading again.)