Remembering Liberty

Happy Independence Day

2011-07-04T13:39:00.000-07:00

There is not in the British empire a man who more cordially loves a union with Great Britain than I do. But, by the God that made me, I will cease to exist before I yield to a connection on such terms as the British Parliament propose; and in this, I think I speak the sentiments of America. — Thomas Jefferson, 1775

Freedom.

We celebrate Independence Day on July 4 each year, but freedom was a long process that began long before the Declaration of Independence. Freedom is not a settled matter today either.

Despite the rantings of a vocal few, we are not at the brink of another revolution in America. Times are tough economically, but there is still plenty in the land of opportunity. In a country with our relative youth, we have forgotten so much of our own history. The founding fathers, for example, stood together in defiance of the homeland of their forefathers in a struggle for freedom but they agreed on little else.

There is nothing wrong with that.

The difference between them and us is right in front of you as you read this. When Jefferson and Adams were at bitter odds, they debated their points and let the best man win. They were debating the basis for a system of government. Today, when our leaders disagree they turn to the internet and the media to have pundits debate their points for them. Talking heads and hate bloggers spew talking points to spin public opinion. Maybe it is just a sign of the times, but I think the founding fathers were real people. They didn't govern by polls, they did what they believed was right even if the penalty was death.

Maybe it is time for a revolution again.

No, I don't mean we need to revolt, but I think we can build a better country. First things first, let's take a look at our past. The founding fathers are held up as mythical heroes – mighty men with muskets and pens. At the end of the day, they were real people too. They had families, homes, businesses, good days and bad. The fact that they stood up in the face of adversity doesn't make them superhuman, it makes them American. I am glad they did.

My ancestors came here from England prior to the revolution. Our family began in Scotland and, at some point, a man named John Schrimsher came to the brave new world and married a daughter of an Earl who was an ancestor of the current royal family. I have no idea why they came to Virginia or what their feelings were as this country was born. Were they excited to play a part or did they cling to their loyalty to the British empire? It would be nice to know.

For years, I did not know much about my ancestry. Most would see my last name and assume it is German without knowing how it came to be. I didn't know until I began to dig. What I do know is that I have a great affinity for the land of my ancestors (England and Scotland) and I have a great love for this nation. We have many struggles ahead, that is part of life, but my hope for this country is that we never lose track of the positive thinking that has made us great. We are not defined by our leaders, thankfully, but by the resolve of real people.

Happy Independence Day.

An Unsolicited Photo of My Weiner

2011-06-09T07:51:00.000-07:00

Maybe I should run for Congress...

Obama: Palestinian State Must Be Based on 1967 Borders - FoxNews.com

2011-05-19T11:27:00.000-07:00

Obama: Palestinian State Must Be Based on 1967 Borders - FoxNews.com

Not a good idea.

The Humble Libertarian: Joe Stack Was A Left Leaning Marxist

2010-02-20T09:01:00.000-08:00

The Humble Libertarian: Joe Stack Was A Left Leaning Marxist

It took almost no time for the delusional left to start blaming conservatives for this attack. Aside from being an anti-business, anti-conservative, marxist - could the truth be just a little simpler? Maybe he was just nuts!

Is Obama Really Like the Joker?

2009-08-07T05:59:00.001-07:00

Funny stuff. Enjoy.

Is Obama Really Like the Joker?

Shared via AddThis

Damn Lies and Statistics (as the saying goes)

2008-12-11T17:46:00.000-08:00

My liberal friend John forwarded a funny article earlier from USA Today. Granted, it was not intentionally funny but the premise of it was so flawed that I had to laugh - until I read the comments and realized that some of our more self-righteous citizens actually bought the idea.

In short, the article claimed that North Dakota* is the most corrupt state in the United States. I don't know anyone in North Dakota, but I have been to Sioux Falls in South Dakota once and it was a lovely town. Anyway, I digress.

The basis of their calculation is that there were 53 politicians convicted of corruption in the state since 1998. True, that does sound bad until you compare it with Illinois (which is in the news because of Governor Blagovsekhwehgarrrggh's arrest) or California or other larger states. However, the USA Today analysis was flawed because it compared convicted politicians to total population, which is somewhat akin to comparing oranges to ocelots.

Most people are not politicians. In fact, very few people are politicians.

A more accurate analysis would have been to get the percentage of convicted politicians from the number of POLITICIANS as a whole. You see, since almost all people are not politicians, the percentage of convicted politicians cannot accurately be averaged from the total population — a whole from which it is not a subset.

If we take the number of elected politicians in North Dakota and get a percentage from the total number of elected politicians (a whole from which convicted politicians would be a subset) then we get a different figure. According to census figures**, there are 15,482 elected officials in North Dakota, of which 53 were convicted. By comparison, California had 547 convictions out of just 18,925 elected officials.

I'm no math wizard, but California is much higher as a percentage than North Dakota when you compare politicians to politicians. I don't know if it was just sloppy research, bad math, partisan politics, or bad reporting but the premise of the story is laughably flawed.

The skewed results of their story only serve to confuse the more weak minded. That's not a republican or democrat view on my part. When it comes to politicians, I say throw them all out.

* I do not work in public relations for the state of North Dakota, but I am willing to listen to any offers.
** US Census information on the number of elected officials is from page 3 of 1992 Census of Governments at the link above. It is a pdf.

Not Ready for Obamunism?

2008-12-07T15:38:00.000-08:00

Tell everyone with these new items from The Empty Shirt!

Front Porch Mood Swings: Methuzelah vs Beelzebub (aka Campaign 2008)

2008-10-11T07:34:00.000-07:00

Front Porch Mood Swings: Methuzelah vs Beelzebub (aka Campaign 2008)

2008-09-28T20:22:00.001-07:00

4th of July

2008-07-03T07:16:00.000-07:00

Freedom.

Sometimes, we take freedom for granted. As we celebrate our independence tomorrow, let's keep our freedom in perspective. 232 years ago, a group of men put their lives on the line to stand up for their rights and today, thanks to their ideas, we have the USA.

Since then, we have fought world wars, civil wars, and struggled for civil rights in the name of freedom. God bless America!

Sometimes, we tend to have huge pity parties in this country. However, a quick look around the globe shows oppression in the middle east, dictatorships, and even slavery in Sudan and other parts of the world. The world map is littered with failed socialist experiments as well. This country is not perfect, but it is free.

Thanks to our troops for serving our country. It makes blogging possible.

Stupidity Watch: Parents of the Year

2008-04-11T07:42:00.000-07:00

Stupidity Watch: Parents of the Year

Is Obama the Messiah?

2008-02-20T09:55:00.000-08:00

Satire was my favorite literature class in college. If I had more time to write, I would want to compile a satire as good as the Is Obama the Messiah? blog has done.

If you look in the comments section, I did suggest a couple of good, I think, hymns to Obama. It should all come in handy to help us pass time while we stand in line to get his name tattooed on our foreheads.

The Liberal Dream Ticket

2008-01-07T17:50:00.000-08:00

Just think of the marketing that could be associated with a Hillary Obama ticket in 08. Don Imus would be proud as everyone sported HO 08 shirts from my new store. Alas, they cannot all "just get along".

The Best Political Ad I've Seen in Ages

2007-12-17T20:07:00.001-08:00

NEW SHIRT FROM REMEMBERING LIBERTY

2007-12-14T12:12:00.001-08:00

Show your belief in freedom and personal responsibility with these 100% ORGANIC cotton t-shirts. The phrase "Born Libertarian" is stylishly emblazoned over the mosaic image pattern of the statue of liberty.

The shirts are available at our store here for the price of $19.99.

Front Porch Mood Swings: An Early Resolution

2007-12-10T10:29:00.000-08:00

Front Porch Mood Swings: An Early Resolution

Front Porch Mood Swings: July 4th

2007-07-04T19:13:00.000-07:00

Front Porch Mood Swings: July 4th

Front Porch Mood Swings: Father's Day Gifts

2007-06-11T13:30:00.000-07:00

Front Porch Mood Swings: Father's Day Gifts

the global hoax!

2007-02-06T07:04:00.000-08:00

here you go, a smart man that knows what he is talking about when it comes to global warming...

read more | digg story

Jazz Hands!

2006-09-10T20:09:00.000-07:00

Quote of the Day

2006-08-13T17:06:00.000-07:00

"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (II Corinthians 9:7).

Social Conservatism

2006-08-06T18:32:00.000-07:00

An in-depth analysis of Social Conservatism from a Libertarian point of view.

read more | digg story

Quote of the Day

2006-08-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.

H.L. Mencken

Tax Reform

2006-07-29T09:39:00.000-07:00

As I Libertarian, I have long supported the Flat Tax as presented by publisher and former Presidential Candidate, Steve Forbes. I am a huge fan of his ideology and his magazine. Steve is a true free market capitalist.

However, I have shifted my views on taxation and I want to encourage everyone to support the Fair Tax as proposed by Congressman John Linder. Please look for more information at the Americans for Fair Taxation web site and consider signing a petition. For more information from other sources, Google the term Fair Tax and decide for yourself.

The Middle East

2006-07-24T05:32:00.000-07:00

It should come as no surprise that politicians are self-serving, but it sometimes catches me by surprise how little effort they put into hiding the fact.

On Sunday, failed Presidential candidate John Kerry was speaking on the current situation in the middle east and announced "If I was president, this wouldn't have happened." Sadly, there are probably a few people out there who believe him. Apparently, he believes his Presidency would have been less inept than his campaign. Doubtful.

Let's not forget that John Kerry is still serving in the United States Senate - a body politic which once existed to represent the American people and serve our interests and not the egos and political posturings of its 100 members.

Perhaps the most ironic point of the statement is that Senator Kerry made the comment in a Detroit pub called Honest John's. It makes you wonder how he got in.

Front Porch Mood Swings: Immigration

2006-07-21T15:34:00.000-07:00

Front Porch Mood Swings: Immigration

This is an article I wrote about immigration (specifically illegal immigration) from a Christian worldview. I am currently writing one based on facts and figures (bleh!) and I will publish it as soon as I am comfortable with it.

However, I will say that I am a fan of legal immigration, and I dislike the idea of people sneaking into our country. How I believe we should treat these people is shaped by my religious views. How we can make the situation better for everyone is a bit more complex.

Enjoy. Please comment here or there (or both) and be sure to click on ads!

The Government Teat

2006-07-21T07:48:00.000-07:00

OK, since this is my first real topical blog I need to disclose a few things. I have always been interested in politics and participated in various political events in college because I wanted to run for the state house of representatives in Alabama. I have since decided that my family deserves better than to be dragged through the mud. Somewhere in the early 1990's, I became interested in the Libertarian Party.

I did not become interested in Libertarian philosophy for legal hemp or any of the other issues Libertarians often focus on in their efforts to not get elected. I believe in personal freedom, personal responsibility, and small government.

I am also a Christian and a small business owner, so I am interested in the freedoms of the first amendment and a less repressive government. I maintain another blog that has evolved into a religious blog (if it is ok to suggest that blogs can evolve).

Now, on to the blogging. As I mentioned, the rights in our constitution are important to me. I read a report out of Chicago a few weeks ago that more people could name all five Simpsons than could name all five rights promised in the first amendment. 1 percent could name the first amendment rights: religion (freedom of, not from), speech, press, assembly, and redress. 20 percent could name all five Simpsons.

21 percent said the right to own pets was in the first amendment. PETS!
17 percent thought the first amendment included the right to drive a car (so, they believed the founding fathers used Bush's evil time machine to put cars in there when they were more than a century away from being invented.)
Sadly, 38 percent thought the right to plead the 5th (amendment) was contained in the first amendment. Apparently, the 5th Amendment's NAME was too much for some people to figure out.

We take our freedoms for granted in this country.

We don't need our government to take care of us. The government is not our parent, we are not its children. Hell, it is not even the drunk uncle who comes over on holidays. STOP asking them to take more of your freedoms away.

When Hillary wants to turn 1/4 of the economy over to the government with health care, tell her where to put her socialism! Pick an orifice.

When someone tells you the only way to have a retirement plan is for the government to borrow your money, spend it, lie to you that it is invested, and put you on an inadequate, taxed, fixed income when you are old (even though they borrowed it from you without interest) tell them to kiss your ass and start your own IRA.

Why do people want the government controlling more things? The government can't even deliver mail without outsourcing.

Consistently, people complain that they do not trust the government, but many of the same people - who, statistically, didn't even likely vote - are the first in line to get the milk of socialism at the government teat.

Well, that's just a thought or two on freedom. I welcome your replies and comments. As long as no one gets into a battle of insults and name calling, say whatever you want.