John Philpot Curran
By Alan Sexton
Fasten your seatbelts, folks, I’m on a tare.
The Price of Liberty is Eternal Vigilance. While the title I have chosen represents only one among many and differently attributed variations of this wise observation, accurate phrasing and attribution are of less importance when compared to the urgency and importance each one of us must place upon understanding–and embodying–the unchanging among variations message.
Some Background:
This wisdom is most often originally sourced to a portion of a July 10, 1790 speech made by Irish orator and politician John Philpot Curran (July 24, 1750 – October 14, 1817), known as the “Speech upon the Right of Election for Lord Mayor of Dublin”:
“Nor is it strange that, in those times, a board consisting of so small a number as twenty-four members, with the advantages of a more united interest, and a longer continuance in office, should have prevailed, even contrary to so evident principles of natural justice and constitutional right, against the unsteady resistance of competitors so much less vigilant, so much more numerous, and, therefore, so much less united. It is the common fate of the indolent to see their rights become a prey to the active. The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt.”
What This Says (or should say) To Us:
Liberty is not a spectator sport. We each must become and remain engaged and active. Each one of us must accept responsibility as permitted by our individual circumstances to do something, anything, and, we must act with great urgency. Barack Obama and relatively few other radical leftist politicians and activists are incrementally, methodically, and systematically annihilating liberty.
Liberty is not a spectator sport. It is wholly inexcusable for any political moderates and conservatives to sit on the sidelines, disjointed and scattered in the battle to restore liberty– long ago and formerly known as the battle to defend liberty. Wake up!
Liberty is not a spectator sport. Whether in our communities, states, or with organizations such as FreedomWorks and others, opportunities for political activism abound. Email, or pick up the phone and contact your local or state G.O.P., Libertarian Party, or, better still, contact both. Get engaged and remain engaged, and do so with a sense of urgency inspired as if realizing that your very own natural and unalienable rights are at stake, because they are.
Liberty is not a spectator sport.
Wow, is all I can say.
Reblogged this on Espacio de MANON.
You are so right. Everybody likes to sit around and complain about our Government trampling on our rights and our Constitution. We all need to be on that phone constantly contacting our local Reps and demanding that they uphold their oaths to office. If it weren’t for Patriots like Ron Paul and Joe Appario and a few others fighting to maintain our Constitutional law, I could see why there might be little hope left. But the fact is, we do have a few leaders willing to fight for us, the people and we should be fighting with them to maintain a free and prosperous Nation for our future Generations. Great Post!
Thanks, Orples!
Absolutely, there is so much to be done, and so many ways to do the things we must do. This is, without a doubt, the most vital election since the founding of the Republic. We rightly wonder of those sitting on the sidelines–if now is not the time to engage, then when? When it’s too late (and naturally, impossible at that point)? No, it is time to challenge ourselves!
Keep rocking this old school, my friend!
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Angelo
Excellent post, Alan – and you’ve said it all. Now it’s time for the rest of us Rip van Winkles to get out and do our part while there is time.
Thank you, Juwanna!
One thing I feel I can say with some authority (as one of your many fans and friends)–you’re absolutely not sleeping, my friend! Continuously bringing credibly sourced news, information, and perspective that people need to know and which the news media simply will not report is absolutely vital.
I believe it was Orwell who offered (these or similar words) that well describe what you are doing: “During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act”.
Thank you, Alan for your very kind words. I’ve always considered myself a mainstream kind of person. If I’ve now become a “revolutionary” it is not because this was part of my master plan – but because there is simply no reasonable alternative.
You are so right, things we take for granted every day come with responsibility, not just sitting on our hinnies.
Thanks, Betty!
I must beg to differ, as you are certainly not sitting around! Quite the contrary.
You are a distingushed veteran of the American military (God bless you, and thank you for your service!) and, in addition you also bring to daylight otherwise unreported and credibly sourced information to we, your fans and friends.
I know we’re not fans of “pointless walking”, lol, but you are no hinny sitter!
Awe…you are making be blush! Your words are too kind, and that is a compliment to you!
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