Any nation that hopes to remain free — in fact, any nation that hopes to remain, period — must honor the debt it owes to its soldiers.  They are the men and women who go to fight in the place of those who cannot or will not.  In a free and self-governing society, this is all the more important as every citizen — whether they agree with the action or not — is responsible for sending that soldier to fight.  And if a soldier should die in the process, the nation owes them and their family because they died in place of every other citizen who did not defend their own liberty.  So, when a coward such as Bill McLellan writes a piece like this, I — and those who know history — understand that we are in a nation that is soon to collapse into anarchy or tyranny:

Liberal Columnist Calls for Ending Military Funeral Honors for Vets: “Most Veterans Did Nothing Heroic”

Were this still a nation of sanity and honor; a nation that knew right from wrong; this man — and not the bakery or pizza shop owners — would be the one who could no longer find work.  This man, this coward, would be the one reduced to begging for the charity of other, better men and women than he.  But then, this is no longer such a nation.  I say this and know it is true because, as I prepare to go to bed, Bill McLellan still has a job and those bakery and pizza shop owners are still being persecuted for exercising their Natural and CONSTITUTIONAL right of conscience…

I believe the War of Northern Aggression (‘Civil War’ to the North) is an excellent example of the points I have been trying to make in my last two posts here on the Road to Concord, and my most recent post on The OYL.  The Constitution is an agreement between the States.  It creates the federal government.  As the creation, the federal government is not and can never be over the States.  The States remain the master of their creation.  This is clearly expressed in the Constitution and by our founders.  It is why they both stress that the States remain sovereign.  They retain the right of self-direction.  Furthermore, the federal government is just that: the governing body of a federation.  A federation is not a nation; it is a collection of willing participants who freely participate in that coalition.  In this sense, the Constitution is an ‘if-then’ contract: if the States wish to partake of the terms of that contract, then they must concede to the requirements.  However, if the States no longer wish to be bound by the Constitution, they retain the right to secede.  In fact, the men who wrote and ratified the Constitution expressly said that this was the case.  So what happened to this right to secede?

When the South seceded — and it does not matter that they did so to retain the practice of slavery — but when they seceded, they were exercising their right to leave the Union.  In other words, their action was legal under the Constitution.  Now, slavery was and remains contrary to Natural law, but two wrongs do not and cannot make a right.  Therefore, when the North attacked the South to force it back into the Union, the North violated both the Constitution and Natural Law  (technically making three wrongs — slavery and the North’s violations of civil and Natural law).  By using force against the South, the North was forcing its will upon the South.  If anyone argues that this is legal, then they would find themselves in the unenviable position of having to defend the actions of any aggressor — even Hitler, Mussolini and Hirohito.  There would be no logically consistent grounds upon which one could justify the North’s aggression while denouncing that of the Axis powers in WW II (or any similar example from history).  The North acted lawlessly by abandoning the rule of law in favor of the rule of ‘might-makes’right.’

This is what is happening today: the Federal (now national) government is using force and coercion to beat down the States.  But the States are also allowing it.  The States still retain the same Natural Right to secede from the nation as the Colonies did in the American Revolution.  It can certainly be shown that the national government in Washington has committed the same or similar violations as the Crown and Parliament committed against the Colonies.  So the States would be equally justified in declaring their independence from the national government.  But here is the real catch: the People of the States have grown so accustomed to their comfortable lives under the socialist policies of the national government that they would rather live in their gilded cages than fight for their liberty.

This brings us to the real issue of our time: Americans talk the talk, but — when push comes to shove — they don’t really want to walk the walk required to have real  liberty.  They just want more room in their gilded cages.  Sadly, to few even realize that this is lawlessness, too.  We have no right to cede our Natural Rights because they do not belong to us.  They belong to our Creator.  But we are willing to trade His gifts for the bribes of men offering an illusion of more free stuff.  You see, liberty requires personal responsibility — to God.  And we are a nation that has turned its back on God.  So, if we are ever to return to our founding principles and ideals, we must first turn the nation back to God.

I simply do not see any evidence that the majority of Americans are even willing to listen to the Gospel, let alone receive and embrace it — not anymore.  So I do not see any indication that enough Americans still value liberty enough to do what is required to achieve it: repent and obey God’s Natural laws.

A reader posted a comment in my previous post that deserves a thoughtful reply.  In his comment, he pointed out that I am actually making the case that the North was and remains in the wrong for its aggression against the South in the War of Northern Aggression (i.e. Civil War).  He is correct: the North initiated force, therefore, according to the principles of Natural Law, the North was in the wrong.  And since the War of Norther Aggression nullified the Constitution (at least in spirit), the North remains in the wrong today.  However, if the South were to suddenly take up arms against the North, it would then be in the wrong, as well.  This is because the South would be violating the principle of self-defense and that is lawlessness.  However, if the South were to first secede — an action that is permitted by both the Constitution and Natural Law — and the North again initiated force against the South, then the South would be justified in defending itself — because it would be acting in accord with the Natural Right of self-defense.

Now, I understand that there are many who take issue with my position about the initiation of force.  More than one reader tried to tell me I was wrong in the comments of my last post.  But I would ask them to study the founders a lot more closely.  Our founders never acted lawlessly.  They clung to the law every step of the way because they knew they had to if they were to hold the moral high ground.  And although the Crown claimed the Colonists were in rebellion to the law — as with the federal government today — it was the Crown and Parliament who were acting lawlessly.  the Colonies were created by Charter with the King, which meant Parliament had no authority over and no place seeking authority over the Colonies.  The Charters were contracts between the Colonies and the King, and as such, they granted both sides certain rights.  The King repeatedly violated the terms of these Charters, placing him in the wrong.  But even when the British dissolved the Colonial governments, the Colonies continued to do everything they could to seek redress of the wrongs done to them by using the law!  And when they were finally pushed to declare independence, how did they do it?  By first forming State governments which then authorized delegates to act on their behalf in the drafting of eventually became the Declaration of Independence.

Now, let’s look at another aspect of how our founders dealt with an oppressive government.  The Boston Tea Party was lawless in that it destroyed property, but it did not attack the British with force of arms.  The Boston Massacre was the result of another act of civil disobedience, only, this time, the British killed several Colonists.  There were many such incidences where the British killed or executed individuals, but the founders did not use these events as an excuse to act in a lawless manner and retaliate.  They understood the difference between vigilante actions and true justice.  It is why, when all other recourse had been exhausted, the appealed their case to the Highest Court in the universe:

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Notice what the founders did and how they did it.  Even though they no longer had access to British courts, they were still seeking a legal redress, so they appealed to the Highest Court known to man — the Creator.  And even then, they first formed legitimate governments so they could legally act in the name of the people.

Now look at how this played out leading up to the Revolution.  When the British murdered Colonists in Boston or executed them in other cities, the Colonists did not respond with war.  This is because, even though they are wrong and lawless, acts against an individual do not legally justify war between nations.  However, when the British fired on the militia, a duly authorized representative of that State, then the Colonists did respond with force — because now they were legally authorized to defend themselves as a community or State.  they were an organized body acting under the direction of a legitimate representative authority.

So, taking this to America today: if individuals take it upon themselves to attack the government, then they act lawlessly.  We still have legitimate governing bodies to fall back on before we devolve into Anarchy.  I concede that the States are no longer bound to obey the Federal government.  It has violated its part of the Social Contract known as the Constitution.  But the Constitution is between the Federal and State governments, not the American People in general.  So long as the States retain authority over their land and people, then the people are bound to obey the States.  If the people were to attack the Federal government without the authorization of their State, they would be acting lawlessly — period!  And lawlessness is never justified.

This is why we must do everything we can to keep individuals from taking things into their own hands.  If this happens, then the Federal government can claim authority to put down the rebellion in that State or States — and it will.  When this happens, man will lose his last grip on liberty forever.  Instead, do everything you can to put pressure on your State government, and encourage everyone you know to do the same.  Explain this to them: make sure they understand why they must seek redress in this way.  Make sure you tell everyone you know that we must cling to the law because — eventually — we may have to appeal to the Supreme Judge of this world.  If that time comes, and we are not in line with His Natural Law, then — as Perfect Justice — we will not be happy with His verdict.  You see, God is on no one’s side but His own.  It is up to us to get on His side, and that means we must remain lawful.

Many of you may have read those words before, but have you ever read the greater context of the quote from which they come?

What country before ever existed a century and a half without a rebellion? And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.

–Thomas Jefferson

It’s true: free men must ever be ready to take up arms in defense of their liberty — especially against their own government. However, this does not mean we can start the shooting.  Our founders did not start the shooting in the American Revolution.  The truth is, many Patriots died before the first Red Coat was killed, and when it happened, it was clearly an act of self-defense.  This is because our founders understood Natural Law.  So, in waking and preparing ourselves for what must soon come to America once again, we must also remind ourselves that the cause of righteousness can never initiate the use force, it can only resort to it as a means of self-defense — and even then, only as  a last resort.

When you start the war, the world will see you as the aggressor — because you are.  This is why those who call the Civil War the War of Norther Aggression are correct: the North started the hostilities — not the South.  Natural Law dictates that all who seek the use of force to win their cause will fall to those who hold the same world view.  It is what these words actually mean:

“If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword.”

This is because those who use force are saying that ‘might makes right.’  If you believe might makes right, you will always find someone who is either stronger than you or more clever in his application of force.  They will defeat you.  So this means that those who believe might makes right reject the notion of a lasting idea of what is right and what is wrong.  For them, right and wrong change according to whoever has the ability to force their will on others.  Civilized people call this by many names, but the two most prominent are slavery and tyranny.

But for those who build their case on the cause of righteousness, no matter what happens to them, they can always appeal their case to the Source of all righteousness.  And the Source of all righteousness, the same Source that tells us we must not live by the sword, is also the Source who told His apostles to sell their cloak and buy a sword at the Last Supper.  But note: when He was told that the apostles had two swords, Christ said they were enough.  This tells us that we can sometimes justify defending ourselves, but we can never justify attacking others first.  The righteous use of force must always be in self-defense.

So, to all of you I hear calling for Patriots to take up arms against our government, please, hear me.  You must not call for the side of righteousness to take the first shot.  If you do, you will destroy our cause before it begins.  If you are a Patriot, and you truly believe in the cause, then you must follow Christ’s example; the example of His early disciples; the example of Gandhi and MLK.  You must speak out and tell the tyrant he is wrong, even if he jails or kills you.  Yes, you can justify defending yourselves, but only after you have completely exhausted all peaceful recourse, and even then, only after the tyrant starts shooting first.  This is what the founders did at Concord: they simply stood in the way of the tyrant and waited, offering themselves as sacrifices in a greater battle.  That’s because they understood they were not playing their role for men, but for the Supreme Judge of this universe.  If we wish to restore the promise and blessings of this land, then we must follow the founders example now.

So, do not call for and do not allow anyone calling themselves a Patriot to fire the first shot.  So long as we have any peaceful means of resistance available to us, and we are not openly being slaughtered in the streets, do not let anyone use force against the tyrants.  Do everything you can to stop them. Remember, and teach others, that we are not trying to serve ourselves, or act for the sake of men.  We are trying to serve the Creator of this universe, so we must act to gain His approval.  Play your role in this great play with this in mind.  For it is only if and when we behave in this manner, which will require a humble and contrite heart, that we stand any chance of succeeding in restoring liberty to this great land.

One of the biggest problems with trying to help people see the effects of Natural Law ‘in the real world’ is that people have a difficult time seeing past a particular event to the principle driving it.  In the case of economics, they see a nation like Greece fall into economic collapse, but they do not understand the principle driving this collapse because they see other nations coming to help, like Germany.  Thus, they assume that this will always be the case.  Or worse, when people such as myself try to explain that Socialism always fails, they think I am wrong because no Socialist nation has ever ceased to exist.  For these people, Greece is not the inevitable outcome of every attempt at Socialism throughout history.  It is just an example of what happens when Socialism is done wrong.  But, again, they are wrong. They just can’t see they are wrong because — honestly — they cannot see past the dream of being able to live freely at someone else’s expense.  It is that simple.  Now, here’s what is actually happening, and why this must all end in a global economic collapse.

However, Greece is an example of the inevitable outcome of Socialism, and it is a precursor to what is about to befall the entire world.  Up until now, when a Socialist economy failed, it was either allowed to collapse and rebuild itself (i.e. the Wiemar Republic), or — more commonly — another nation stepped in and lent it enough money to re-set.  Under Natural Law, the pain of a total economic collapse is meant to teach the people of a nation not to repeat their mistakes.  But, once they get through that painful period, things are re-set and the nation can once again resume a prosperous economic life, presumably according to the principles of Natural Law.  But when Natural Law is not allowed to run its course, as is happening in Greece, the problem is not ‘solved,’ it is compounded.

By stepping in and offering Greece a bailout, Germany is not solving the problem.  Greece has still failed.  Greece must still pay for its expenditures, but the Greek economy does not produce enough to pay for them on its own.  It must borrow the difference.  By giving more money to Greece, all Germany is doing is extending the period of time before Greece collapses again.  As the rest of the weaker nations in the EU start to reach the point at which Greece is now, they, too, will need to be ‘bailed out.’  Italy and Spain will soon be at this point.  Eventually, Germany will not have enough money to lend, so these nations will start to look elsewhere for help.

The U.S. is doing something a little different.  In the EU, individual nations cannot print money.  But the U.S. can because we control our dollar.  We have already reached the point where no one will lend to us anymore.  So, for some time now, the Federal Reserve — which is not the U.S. government — has simply been printing money.  In some cases, they are not even printing it; they are just adding it to the larger bank’s accounts.  This is what we mean by ‘digitizing money.’  It is essentially making something from nothing.  However, Natural Law says this ‘digitized’ money is not real — and it isn’t.  So, eventually, probably when the EU collapses — the U.S. dollar will also collapse and we will experience hyper inflation.  This is because hyper inflation is caused by printing money.  There has never been a single time in history when a nation has done what we are doing and it did not result in hyper inflation.  But the people behind this believe they have a way out of the mess they have created.

If you are paying attention, China is already suffering from an economic collapse.  Their government just nationalized the losses in their stock market.  In other words, they printed the money to cover the loss. When all of this comes together — the EU collapses, the US and China fall into hyper inflation and the rest of the global economy collapses — then we will have a choice.  We will either allow Natural law to run its course and suffer through the worst economic collapse in history until we can get things running on the basics of a free market, or we will sell the entire world into slavery to the bankers.

Yes, the International Banking community makes money on all of this, so they do not care about economic collapse.  Unless the collapse is global, they get paid either way.  In fact, the International Bankers, or IMF, probably forced Germany to bail our Greece — because the bankers will get paid!  If they don’t, then the global economic collapse happens now and global leaders around the world lose their power and comfortable positions.  But the global collapse will still come.  It must.  And when it does, the bankers will be able to coerce the global leaders to do what they tell them to do.  Either they give in and sell us all into slavery, or they lose the lives of comfort and privilege to which they have grown accustomed.  So they will sell out to the bankers.

When that happens, they will tell the nations that there is a crisis and that everyone must agree to the solution.  The solution will be exactly what we see in Greece — only on a global scale.  If you have money in the banks, the stock market or a retirement fund, they will simply take it.  Then they will introduce a new, global currency.  Finally, they will probably make it illegal to own gold or silver, or to trade/barter in any other currency except their new currency.  In the process, the international banks will ‘absorb’ all debt.  But understand this: the person who owns your debt owns you!  And this is how the world will fall under the control of bankers who work through their puppets in our governments.

If you doubt me, then I strongly suggest you start doing some serious research into this.  I did not make any of this up; I’m not that devious.  They have explained the whole process.  I just stumbled across it and then found the courage to accept and believe that they are serious.  Once you do that, your eyes will be opened and you will start to see the signs that this plan is already being implemented.  In fact, it is almost complete.  Just understand something: if they succeed, there will be no ‘V for vendetta’ or ‘Neo’ salvation of this world.  Man will live in slavery forever (unless, of course, you understand that Christ is coming back to end this entire mess.  In that case, you already know the season and how short time really is).