Like muscles unused, machinery un-maintained, or friendships left stale, the liberties and principles won by our forefathers atrophy from neglect. For the last fifty years, Americans collectively experienced the lightest of sacrifice and duty. Generations who lived through dust-bowl depression era years coming away with the richest appreciation for prosperity and financial stability. Current generations only read in history books about the importance of planting a victory garden, the sacrifice of rationing, or the clear and present danger faced by aggressive fascism. Though not without struggles, the post-war era brought considerable prosperity to Americans while simultaneously reducing the natural growth occurring when adversity gives way to accomplishment.
Steel is tempered through repetitions of hot and cold; binding the molecules in to a stronger structure with the same mass. People are no different. Societies tempered with the experiences of loss forge strengthen both in an appreciation for liberties as well as the duties of defending it. George Washington warned:
“against the insidious wiles of foreign influence, for I conjure to believe me,
fellow citizens the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake,
since history and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most
baneful foes of a republican government.”
The enemies of America’s liberty learned well from the foes of yesteryear; for Americans unify well when facing an easily identifiable frontal assault. From Britain to Germany Americans offered unified services, loyalty, and life in order to protect and defend our country, and the principles of it foundation. Those enemies identified themselves with language, uniform, and culture; all of the characteristics comprising a nation. The aggressors attacking the United States today arrive not from land or by sea; they walk among our elected leaders and through the halls housing the scared documents of our country’s founding. Today, our inalienable rights erode at a subtle pace; inching ever closer to a tipping point as we forsake perceived safety for freedom. A universal truth of mankind is that it is easier to add freedoms than to remove them. The revolutionary war was seen as a preservation of the freedoms rather than the acquisition of them. Likewise, today’s America
sudden losses of freedoms would most certainly result in resistance. Alas, all generations baseline current freedoms in context of our acclimation to the present. Like a frog in a slowly heated kettle, knowledge of how far we drifted from the nation of our founding fathers is lost in the acceptance of the familiar, and convenient.
This enemy, however, cannot forcibly invade. This enemy arrives through invitation. Under the auspices of safety or security, ignorant Americans simply invite more rules and regulations into their lives. Gradually, yet consistently, more laws bind the actions within our lives. Some are visible; like the extra form or two appearing during real estate purchases which capture and hand over personal, private information to the federal government in order to fight "terrorist funding". Other encroachments only surface when Americans begin to break away from their regular, docile routine. What actions define an American as a "Terrorist", or a "right wing extremist"? How does one get placed on a "no fly" list? When placed on that list, how does one get removed? These examples underscore the implementations of laws and regulations thrust upon us during times of collective shock. In this case, the tragedy of 9/11.
With the economic crisis, we faced a different class of shock, and a different type of doctrine. One of fleeting prosperity and stability. Quick and decisive action emerged from the lame duck administration as well as the incoming. Suddenly we stopped asking "should we" when it came to appropriations and started asking "can we". In short order more debt was thrust upon our children in one year than was spent through the New Deal and WWII.
In both of these cases the federal government stepped away from the bound placed upon it by Articles 1 and 2 of the constitution. Why are these laws still on the books? Simply put, they stand unchallenged. Why? Most of us dont know what supreme laws exist affirming our rights and the restrictions protecting us from tyrannical rule. If we dont know and/or dont care, then who stands up en-masse to petition the government for redress of grievances?
