Should We Put America On Cruz Control?

A few days ago, Senator Ted Cruz made a stand (literally, a stand--over twenty-one hours) against the elites in Washington. Though his lengthy speech was ostensibly about Obamacare, Cruz spent a lot of time warning his fellow senators (the few who were actually present) that the American people were tired of elected officials who did not listen to the voice of the people.

Though Cruz certainly had his political future in mind when he orchestrated his "non-filibuster", his words seemed honest and heartfelt. Could it be that a leader is emerging who has the best interests of the people in mind? We have long pined for such a person; God knows, our choices in the last several elections have been dismal, at best. With the possible exceptions of Rand Paul and Mike Lee, Ted Cruz seems to be the only person in Washington right now who might actually be able to pull the sword from the proverbial stone.

To be sure, Americans have grown cynical and skeptical of all politicians. Those of us who keep traditional values and favor the Constitution have all but given up on reclaiming our country from the progressive elite. We bicker amongst ourselves, as no one seems to know which path we should take.

And suddenly, there is hope. Conservatives are fragmented, and we need a leader to come forward, someone who could unite and energize the base. Could it be that we have found such a person in Ted Cruz? Is the Senator from Texas up to the task?

It's early, but he seems to be. More importantly, he seems to be willing to accept the mantle. He's intelligent, uncompromising, and unwilling to let himself be dragged into the usual political mudslinging. He tells the truth and lets the facts speak for themselves.

In other words, he's a liberal's worst nightmare.

Will Cruz emerge as a forerunner for the face of the new conservative movement? Or will the combined efforts of the liberals and the Old Republican Guard keep him silenced? One thing's for sure: if you like Cruz, you need to be vocal about it.

Without the support of patriots nationwide, Cruz's voice will be muffled by those who fear his message. And then we'll be stuck with McCain and McConnell.

Syria: The Beginning of the New World Order?

Most sane people believe that attacking Syria makes no sense. As Wyatt Earp said in the movie Tombstone, "I ain't gonna fight you. There's no money in it."

But Is that true? Is there money in it after all? Could Syria be just what the bankers and global elitists have been waiting for?

Possibly.

Consider this: if it's true that there is a faction bent on a One-World-Government, what would have to happen in order to subjugate all of the world's nations to bow to the will of their new masters?

Global war, the likes of which have heretofore never been seen. And, to be more specific, a global war with no clear victors.

After WWII, the Allies, especially the United States and Russia (USSR), grew into prosperous superpowers. But what if there had been no real winners? What if the Allies and Axis had fought to a bloody standstill, each side hammering at each other until no one had the energy or resources to continue? Who would have come along and restored order?

Back then, there was probably no one. But, rest assured, there are people today with the power and money to do just that. If everyone is beaten down, hurting, starving...they will gladly flock to these new "saviors" to put an end to their misery.

The battered nations will have little choice but to relinquish their sovereignty to this new group. The rich bankers finance the reconstruction, thus taking the deed to each country, along with its citizens.

It's a scary thought. But could it possibly be true?

More than ever, stay vigilant.

Will Obama Defy Congress?

The polls are in. An overwhelming majority of American citizens oppose any kind of military action against Syria. The reasons are varied and valid. We don't want to help Al-Qaeda. We don't feel military action is justified since Syria has not shown aggression toward us. And we're not even sure who used the poison gas--the Syrian government or the Rebels.

The will of the people, however, could be a moot point when it comes to President Obama and his administration. Already, there a mumblings within the Obama camp that the President may go ahead with his planned military action regardless of whether or not he gets congressional approval.

Should Obama get approval from Congress? Most definitely. Does he have to?

According to The War Powers Resolution of 1973, he probably does. However, past presidents, including Clinton, have violated the act with little or no consequences. Why, then, should Obama fear doing the same?

Probably because when Clinton bombed Kosovo, he wasn't facing the stiff disapproval that Obama now faces. Clinton's philosophy was that it was easier to beg forgiveness than to ask permission. Obama is asking permission first, then plans to do what he wants anyway. Congress will be furious at being ignored, and the American people will call for impeachment.

Which is all well and good. But suppose these "limited strikes" result in a rapidly expanding conflict, will we have the time or attention to punish the President? If Iran attacks Israel, which in turn attacks Iran and Syria, and then Russia gets involved, it's going to get really messy really fast.

Make no mistake. There is a hidden agenda here, and it is not to punish Assad for a gas attack. The elitists in government are chomping at the bit to turn the Middle East into a barroom brawl. Just what their real interests are, however, remain hidden.

The sad part is, it may take the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people before we find out.

"The Citizen" Now Available at Amazon

I watch the news. I yell at the TV a lot. I bitch on Twitter. My congressmen know me by name. In other words, I'm pretty politically active, and I don't like the way things are going.

Somehow, in between all of this, I also write. In fact, my new novel The Citizen is now available at Amazon. I put a lot of sweat into it, and I think it's a pretty good book. If you like conspiracy theory stuff, I think it'll be right up your alley. I'll post the link at the end if you're interested.

I had to do a lot of research while writing the novel. I researched Common Core. I saw how this seemingly benign program can be used to track a child from the time they enter school, gathering a copious amount of information on them. The end result, of course, would be that the government could assign a person a specific job based on their grades and aptitude.

I researched the 9/11 attacks intensively. If you haven't, you ought to. The discrepancies are mind-blowing. A good documentary to watch is In Plane Sight. It's currently available on Netflix.

I researched the deaths of Breitbart, Michael Hastings, and Phillip Marshall. I looked at everything I could find about the Christopher Dorner case. I'm not the most hardcore conspiracy theorist around, but this stuff will make you think.

Most of my research revolved around the New World Order, since it is a central theme in the book. Folks, this stuff is happening now, right under our noses. And it's not a new thing. An argument could be made that the events happening today were set in motion at the end of WWII.

They say knowledge is power, and I believe they're right. Too many Americans bury their heads in the sand, content to turn a blind eye to the truth as long as the checks keep coming in the mail and the TV networks keep churning out mindless reality shows.

But true Patriots refuse to be blinded. These people deserve our support, for theirs is not an easy path. The powers-that-be call them wackos and nutjobs. But that is because those powers fear a true Patriot. They fear that the truth will be spread. The fear for their lofty positions.

Anyway, dig for yourself. You may be surprised what you find.

The Citizen by Matthew McCollum

The Syrian Conundrum

With the news that American warships are moving closer to Syria, politicians have begun their respective war dances. Somewhere, John McCain is giggling like a little kid who just farted in class. The grotesque images being shown by the mainstream media depict the lifeless bodies--including children--killed in a supposed gas attack. These images are designed to elicit an emotional response, and so far, they seem to be working.

But as patriots, we need to step back and ask some hard questions. The general consensus seems to be that some type of poisonous gas was, indeed, employed. What is not particularly clear is who employed it. The government and talking heads would lead us to believe that Assad's government did so. That, unfortunately, is good enough for 95% of the American public.

But what about Assad's motivation? According to the most recent reports, he's winning. What would he stand to gain from releasing poisonous gas on his own people, or even using it on the rebels when innocent bystanders would obviously be affected? Assad is most certainly aware that the Western nations would use such a despicable ploy to further their aggression against his regime. It doesn't quite make sense.

It's a complicated puzzle, but here are a few of the pieces.

First, the rebels in Syria are comprised largely of militant Islamic groups such as Jabhat al-Nusra, which has close ties to Al-Qaeda. The Muslim Brotherhood are also involved, a fact made more sinister by the recent revelation that President Obama's half-brother, Malik Obama, has ties to that very organization.

Second, there's Benghazi. Was the United States actually running guns from Libya to Syria as many believe? Is this the reason that American citizens and soldiers were abandoned and left to die? If our government is that serious about a rebel victory in Syria, it wouldn't be a stretch to think they'd misplace the blame for a gas attack in order to further assist the rebels, and all with the blessings of the American people.

And third, who is it that the United States government really wants? Is it Syria? Or could it possibly be Iran, which could easily get sucked into the fray once the hostilities get rolling.

As citizens, we have been sucked into the propaganda time and time again. Remember the WMDs in Iraq? The ones we never found? Oh, that's right. Saddam transported then to Syria before we invaded. All the more reason the Assad regime has to fall.

Our government is flat-out out of control. They act as our lords and benefactors. The days of our elected officials even pretending to be working for us are over, folks. They have, as the saying goes, gotten too big for their britches.

Most Americans don't want our soldiers in Syria. The only way the government can get our support is to cry genocide. I don't mean to sound cruel, but that excuse is getting a little old. I'm sure it happens. It may have happened in Syria, and if it did, I hope those who perpetrated it burn in hell. But with the problems our country now faces within her own borders, we can no longer afford to be the world's police force. Not that we ever should have.

Turn off the cable news networks. Read. Listen. Make your own judgements. The more informed you become, the harder it is for them to blind you with mindless propaganda.

This world belongs to all people, not simply those who would presume to be our masters.

United We Stand

Ok. I admit it. I lost it a little bit earlier today. A website had a picture showing a panel asking a man why he needed 30-round magazines. The man responded by saying, among other things, that the right to keep and bear arms came from God, not government. He went on to ask the panel who they thought they were, and reminded them that they worked for him.

The photo was pretty effective at getting one riled up over the whole gun control issue. But my blood started to boil when I began reading the comments. The thread had degraded into an argument over the existence of God. 95% of the people commenting were against gun control, but that point had been lost after someone made the comment that by mentioning God, the argument for gun rights became less credible.

Really?

The more I read, the more steamed I got. There were people on there arguing that their rights came from the Constitution, not God (wrong). Someone said gun ownership was the same as driving, and should be regulated in the same way (wrong). The more I read, the more I realized how many misconceptions people have concerning the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Let's start with the simple one. Owning a gun is not like owning a car. Driving is a privilege, not a guaranteed right. Nowhere in the Bill of Rights is the right to drive a vehicle  mentioned. One might argue that motorized vehicles didn't exist. Fair enough, but horses and carriages did. Funny, I don't see anything about them, either.

But let's move on to the biggie, the one that seems to cause the most confusion. Folks, the Constitution grants you nothing. Pure and simple. The Bill of Rights grants you nothing. What that document does is forbids the federal government to infringe on your natural rights. Some people call them God-given rights, and there's not a thing in the world wrong with that. The Bill of Rights refers to them as inalienable rights.

These are rights you earned by doing one simple thing: you were born. The Founding Fathers did not grant them. A piece of parchment did not grant them. When you came into being, you were automatically endowed with them. Now, if someone believes in God, then God gets the credit. If not, then evolution gets it, I guess. The point is, no matter where the credit goes, you have them, just the same.

As an aside, the right to believe in God, or whichever deity you choose, is also an inalienable right, because no one can tell you which religion you must practice. Check out Amendment number One.

What I'm trying to say is, whether we're Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, atheist....whatever, we must put our theological differences long enough to put up a united front against those who would usurp our rights and seek to rule over us with tyranny. When we bicker and squabble amongst ourselves, we show weakness. The enemy sits back and laughs with delight.

Let's not give them the satisfaction.

Securing Liberty

Recent revelations have confirmed what many of us have suspected for years -- that the federal government is spying on our phone calls and internet activity. While the initial response to this news was, predictably, outrage, outspoken proponents of national security are now defending the government's practice. Some are even calling the whistleblower, Edward Snowden, a traitor and are demanding that he be arrested and jailed.

President Obama has addressed the nation, explaining that security cannot be guaranteed without the elimination of some privacy.

Benjamin Franklin said, "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." We would do well to heed those wise words.

Over the past several weeks, our government has established itself as being either grossly corrupt or massively incompetent. Neither scenario is particularly appealing to the average American citizen, though I suppose the latter would be preferable to the former. The president apparently knows nothing until he reads it in the paper. Holder knows nothing at all. Hillary is MIA. The heads of the IRS are clueless as to what their employees are doing.

Right.

We, as a people, are standing at a crossroads.  The NSA is currently building a large complex in Utah to store our private information. Government officials and many of the talking heads assure us there is nothing nefarious. The NSA, they say, cannot listen to specific conversations unless they have probable cause, and Obama says that no information is being kept on Americans' internet activity.

Yeah, we can trust the government to play fair. Can anyone say Internal Revenue Service?

Tyranny is hiding just around the corner. Will we walk into the jaws of the wolf like good little sheep? Or will we finally wake up and rise up, as one, against the forces that would subjugate us and destroy our Republic.

Don't listen to Karl Rove and his ilk. They are desperate. Their lofty positions and, more importantly, their agenda are at stake. They will stop at nothing to convince the American people that they have their best interests at heart. They do not.

As always, stay vigilant.

The Clock Is Ticking

It's a palpable feeling being felt by many Americans today: the feeling that something is going to happen, something is going to give. Our liberties, our morals, and our convictions are being assaulted on so many fronts that it's mind-boggling. As hard as it is to fight a two-front war, we are forced to continually defend our way of life on ALL sides. It's exhausting, both mentally and emotionally.

Our children are being suspended or expelled from our schools for the most laughable of offenses. The government is pushing Common Core down the throats of states for those children who remain in school. Individuality and critical, free thinking are discouraged. The new regime wants a rank and file of obedient sheep (with leftist leanings, of course) graduating from all public institutions.

The globalist elite, despite their setback on gun control and new data proving gun violence is declining, are vowing to continue their assault on the Second Amendment. Guns and ammo are still scarce, thanks in part to government agencies stockpiling bullets. This includes the Social Security Administration and NOAA.

The government used the recent terror attack in Boston to implement martial law and conduct illegal searches of private residences. This is a clear attack on the Fourth Amendment. Aside from some alternative media outlets and conservatives on social media, nary an alarm has been sounded.

The administration is lying through their teeth about Benghazi, and almost no one in the Mainstream Media seems to care. Can you imagine the fuss that would be made if it were a Republican in office? And Hillary Clinton has the gall to ask, "What difference does it make?" Ask the families of the four who were murdered, Ms. Clinton. And ask any number of the growing number of Americans who are waking up to find not all is as it should be in the Land of the Free.

GMOs in our food. Back door deals with Syria. Drones and telephone recording. The list goes on and on.

Average Americans, those with traditional values and morals and who believe that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land, are finding themselves backed into a corner, isolated from what the Mainstream Media tells them is the majority of the people. This leads to feelings of frustration and anger.

Is it possible that there may soon be a linchpin event which will trigger mass unrest, even violence. It could certainly happen. Remember, a recent poll suggested that nearly one-third of Americans feel an armed insurgence may be necessary to reclaim the country. And with protests such as the armed march on Washington planned for July 4th, the chances of a fuse being lit are growing greater.

With the 2014 elections over a year away, many are feeling helpless and impatient. A year is a long time to have unwanted and unneeded legislation crammed down our throats. Perhaps the recent Benghazi hearings will erode some of the President's support and credibility. If nothing else, Clinton's political future should die a quick, shuddering death.

For the time being, we Americans will do as we have always done: strive for the best and prepare for the worst. Becoming politically active helps; it at least makes you feel as if you are doing something constructive.

In the meantime, perhaps we can persuade the Mars One team to take Obama, Biden, Clinton, Reid, Pelosi, and Feinstein on the first one-way trip to Mars.

An Assault On Many Fronts

Just as we were digging in to repel the assault on our Second Amendment rights from the Obama administration, the city of Boston suffered a horrendous and cowardly attack. Three people were killed, including an eight year-old boy. As historically happens when something like this occurs, American citizens were outraged and called for swift justice.

It's easy, when your emotions are going into overdrive, to act or call for action without taking the time to understand the consequences those actions may have later. Even the staunchest supporter of individual freedom is not immune to making hasty judgements when emotions are running high. People who would never dream of letting the authorities conduct a warrantless search of their home and property will gladly do so in a situation such as the one in Boston recently. Their reasoning is that this was a "special" situation.

Folks, I hate to tell you this, but there are no "special" situations. Sure, we all wanted those responsible for these heinous acts caught and put into custody, but surely this could have been accomplished without violating anyone's Constitutional rights. And putting a whole city the size of Boston in "lockdown" while conducting door-to-door searches of a 20 block area smacks of Fourth Amendment violations. Whether or not Posse Comitatus was violated or not is in question for right now, because Posse Comitatus does not apply to the National Guard under state authority from acting in a law enforcement capacity within its home state or in an adjacent state if invited by that state's governor.  If other military agencies were involved, than the Act may have been violated.

Also, there is some question concerning the authorities' decision not to read the surviving suspect his Miranda rights, if indeed the suspect was an American citizen or in the country legally. If the suspect is indeed guilty, then I would be the first to call for a swift trial followed by firm punishment. But we cannot--repeat CANNOT--skip steps or ignore individual rights at our convenience. Doing this makes us no better than the tyrannical wannabes against whom we constantly--and rightfully--rally.

Regardless of whether or not events unfolded as we have been told, or whether this could simply be a false flag event orchestrated by factions of our own government, the powers that be seized the opportunity to test how far they could go in such circumstances. Though no one outside of Boston knows for sure exactly how the operations were handled, if even one person was forced to consent to a search under duress, then we have a problem. Possibly a much larger problem than Reid, Feinstein, and all the other buffoons who vowed to restrict our Second Amendment rights.

I ask that you all remain vigilant. Our rights are coming under attack from many fronts now. Please do not take this as an affront to our fine law enforcement personnel or the men and women of our military. Most of them carry out their duties with honor and dignity. It is the people at the top that we should be watching.

Forever watching.

Who Are The Real Radicals Here?

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy recently sent a letter to Fox urging them not to air Saturday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race — because the NRA is sponsoring it. According to this idiot Murphy: “This celebration of guns is inappropriate in the immediate wake of the Newtown massacre, but most importantly, broadcasting this race, which will highlight the NRA and its radical agenda during this time, sends a harmful signal to the families affected by gun violence, as well as the millions of Americans who support sensible gun control measures and enjoy your sports programming.”

So, the NRA and its five million members are radicals for wanting to protect our God given right to own guns. We're radicals because we respect the Constitution of the United States and have no desire to see it dismantled. We're a bunch of murderous delinquents because we have this silly notion that the Founding Fathers gave us the tools to protect our freedoms from a tyrannical government which would enslave us.

Not only that, we celebrate our guns. Malcontents such as Senator Murphy would have the public believing that we hold drunken orgies while praying to the graven image of an assault rifle, all the while dreaming of the next time our evil mechanisms of destruction will be used in the mass slaying of innocents.

Well folks, I propose that we are not the radicals. Here is the definition of a radical: A person who advocates thorough or complete political or social reform. We are not advocating reform; we want to keep our laws, traditions, and values exactly as the have always been throughout the history of our great nation. Murphy, Feinstein, Reid, Obama, and the rest are the ones seeking political and social change. Therefore, it is they who are the radicals. They are the ones endangering our Constitution, our country, and our very way of life.

We are many, but there's also many of them. And there are a lot of people in between, people that are too busy with their own lives to keep a close eye on current events. Many of them have no real opinion on gun ownership. They are not aware of the erosion of our personal liberties, and they will continue to be blissfully unaware until it's too late.

Unfortunately, the only information most of these people get is from the mainstream media, and those outlets focus only on what the radicals in power want them to. Is it surprising, therefore, that these people eye Patriots with suspicion and fear? After all, they've been told that we are dangerous, radical extremists. We are, at this very moment, planning the next Oklahoma City bombing. They are told that the only way the government can keep them safe is by restricting our access to firearms and by constant surveillance.

Probably the most frustrating part of being a Patriot is watching friends and family members swallow this garbage hook, line, and sinker. It has been said that he who controls the media controls the mind of the public, and that statement is true. Luckily for us, with the advent of the internet, the mainstream trash mills are no longer the only game in town. They're still the biggest game, granted, but we have avenues by which to get our message out.

Right now, we're fighting a two-front war. On one side, we must pressure our representatives to stand against the tyrannical power grabs of our central government. On the other side, we must rally to sway public opinion in our favor. Each task, by itself, is daunting. But the alternative is to risk losing everything our Nation stands for.

Talk to friends, co-workers, and family. Make them aware of alternative news agencies. Plant the seeds of doubt -- that maybe what they're hearing on the mainstream media isn't exactly the truth. Get them to read publications which offer opposing views to the rhetoric spouted by the radical politicians and their mouthpieces. Post often on social media sites, and give links to pages which back up your allegations. If each one of us, every day, could open the eyes of another person, we could stop these progressive hate mongers dead in their tracks.

We must show our fellow citizens who the radicals really are.

Gun Control: Immediate Action!

The Second Amendment to our Constitution is under attack. As North Korea threatens the United States with nuclear attack, our President is busy lobbying for gun control measures. This, if nothing else, should show you how serious he and the rest of the elite progressive liberals are about dismantling our Constitution and abolishing our personal freedom.

The time for action is upon us. Please, if you have never before been politically active, now is the time to do so. We have to make our voices heard. We must put pressure on our elected officials to stand against this unprecedented, tyrannical power grab. We must demand, as citizens of the United States of America, that our will be enforced.

Too often, we Americans are complacent and apathetic when it comes to being involved in our political process. Sure, we may vote, but often we see that action as the end of our democratic responsibility. But voting is only the first step. If we do not hold to the fire the feet of our elected representatives, how can we be certain that they will represent our interests?

Already, states are passing unconstitutional laws restricting gun purchases and ownership, and federal legislation will soon be on the floor of the Senate. If you're reading this, then you know, as do I, that we represent the majority of American people. The problem is that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and our opponents are being much more vocal than we are. We can no longer afford to be the Silent Majority. We must be as ardent and vocal as those who would wish to steal our precious liberties like a thief in the night.

Tweeting and posting on Facebook is all fine and dandy, but, more than likely, Senators and Representatives don't follow you on Twitter, nor are they your friends on Facebook. You must use other avenues to contact them and make your wishes known.

Here is one such avenue. Go to the Gun Owners of America page, here: http://bit.ly/XsNtqK . Scroll down and you will find a form letter you can send to your Senator, asking them to join with Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, and Mike Lee as they attempt to filibuster the proposed gun legislation. It's easy as pie. Simply select your state and it will automatically send the email to your Senators. Or you can contact your Senators directly.

Also, if you own guns, please join the NRA and GOA if you haven't already. I'll admit I've been as complacent as anyone else. I've owned guns for years, but have only recently taken the time to join these organizations. I know, shame on me. But I DID join, and I implore any of you who have yet to do so to act now.

Some people think that if only the universal background check passes, then it will be a victory for us. Wrong. A universal background check will lead to a national registry, which will in turn lead to confiscation, as sure as I'm typing this right now. The background check is more sinister than the proposed ban on assault rifles or high-capacity magazines, but it is being presented to appear perfectly harmless.

It is not.

What it boils down to is this: I am BEGGING you, fellow Patriots, to give just a few minutes of your time to make sure that your elected representatives hear your voice. Pledge to be more active in the political process. If we don't start now, this very minute, we risk losing the freedoms that our forefathers fought and died for. This is the GREATEST NATION on the face of the Earth. Let's do all we can to assure that it remains that way.

Offense Or Defense?

Patriot and Freedom groups seem to fall into two distinct categories: Activists and Preppers. Activists are very vocal and seek to change the political climate of the country by speaking out against government tyranny and backing candidates whose views on important issues mirror their own. Preppers, on the other hand, view the battle as a lost cause and feel that totalitarianism is inevitable, thus they put their energy into planning for survival when the s#*t hits the fan. They tend to be less vocal, preferring not to draw unwanted attention to themselves.

This is not to say that Activists can't be Preppers, or that Preppers can't be Activists. I'm certain that many are. But is it better to put more effort into trying to change the course of the nation while there still may be time? Or should one concentrate on stockpiling items and honing one's survival skills so that one will be ahead of the game if and when the shoe finally drops?

Each path holds a degree of urgency. For Activists, the urgency lies in stemming the decline of our great nation into the depths of Socialism (or worse) and moving back to our traditional values as set forth in the Constitution. For Preppers, the pressure lies in being prepared to weather an extended period of social and political upheaval, civil unrest, and perhaps even martial law.

Though neither avenue of action is wrong, I would posit that it makes no sense to give up totally on attempting to defeat the Globalists through our Democratic process. We still have the ability to make our voices heard, and we should avail ourselves of that right at every given opportunity. We are making progress: the elite have been forced to move from laughing us off as conspiracy nuts and religious zealots, to blatantly labeling us terrorists. More and more people are waking to the danger to our individual liberties, causing the elite to change tactics and step up their propaganda.

At the same time, common sense demands that we prepare for the worst, should it happen. Since we are well aware of the motives of the elitists within our government, we should also be aware of the lengths to which they might go to forward their twisted ideology and cement their power. The very idea of such an extreme situation occurring in modern America might be far-fetched for some, but are you willing to bet your life and the lives of your loved ones that it couldn't happen?

In the end, there are important questions that each individual must ask themselves. You must search your soul and determine how far you are willing to go for the future of your children and your country. Time is running out; in another decade, we could very well be either on the path back to sanity and traditional values or we could find ourselves slaves to a nanny state with little or no personal freedoms. For those who value the vision of our Founding Fathers, the choice is clear: resist the advancement of One World Government at each and every turn.

In closing, I see only one course of action which makes utterly no sense: to stand idly by and do nothing.

The Trenches Are Being Dug

This weekend, I went to a large knife outlet about an hour's drive from home. This large store sells pretty much every brand and style of knife available, as well as clothing and other specialty items. I hadn't been there in several years, and the first thing I noticed was the addition of a new department labeled simply, "Tactical".

The Tactical department was swarming with customers. Curious, I went over to see what types of items were being offered. There were belts, holsters, clothing, boots, flashlights, and even more specialty items. And there were knives, plenty of deadly-looking knives which made the one Rambo carried look like a pen knife. Items from this department were moving out the door at an exceptionally healthy rate.

And here's the surprising thing: the customers buying these items were as diverse as any I'd ever seen. There were young men and older men. There were women of all ages. Nearly every race was represented. I saw a middle aged woman buying a tactical vest. An older gentleman was inspecting a drop-leg holster. He asked me if I thought it would accommodate a large-frame .45. A young couple was browsing glass showcases filled with military style daggers and hunting knives.

Later in the day, I stopped by a large sporting goods store which I frequent several times a year. I went to the hunting and shooting department and was shocked by what I saw: the shelves which usually housed the ammo were nearly bare. I was able to find one box of .40 caliber ammo, and that's only because someone had put it back in the wrong spot. They had NO 9mm ammo in the store. And this is a large national chain.

We stopped by Wally World on the way back home, and, out of curiosity, I checked their ammo. The shelves were bare. The associate behind they counter informed me that they sold what they could get before they could unload it off the pallet.

Across the board, everyday American citizens are arming themselves and hoarding supplies, especially ammunition. They watch the news. They hear the government's rhetoric on gun control. They read about the Department of Homeland Security amassing guns, ammo, body armor, and armored vehicles. They watch the television reports about people in Cyprus protesting the government's plan to dip into their bank accounts. And they wonder if that might happen here.

Tensions are definitely building on both sides of the aisle. The trenches are being dug. Everyone seems on edge, as if waiting for the shoe to drop.

The thing that stuck with me from my little shopping experience was the older lady who was buying the tactical vest. She wasn't smiling. Her face was set in an expression of grim determination. I can't help but wonder what she was thinking when she plopped down her money for that sleek black vest full of pockets for holding about any weapon imaginable.

I can't help but wonder what we're in for.

The Division of America

A house divided against itself cannot stand.

When Abraham Lincoln gave that speech in 1858, a civil war was brewing. The states, as well as the people, were sharply divided on the issue of slavery and state's rights. In 2013, could another such war be looming? A war that the government is encouraging for the sake of its own gain of power?

Most "normal" people would scoff at the idea. Sure, we may have our differences, but few would believe that it will actually lead to violence and bloodshed. We're all Americans, after all. But while this is true, we have recently become a nation of specialized citizens. Anglo-Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans. Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, liberals, conservatives. And the list goes on.

While no one is suggesting that people should not embrace their individual heritages, we should not do so at the expense of alienating ourselves from our neighbors. We're all in this together. One need only watch TV, read a newspaper, or attend a local government function, however, to see that we are drifting further apart. We no longer simply disagree. We disagree vehemently. Disagreements are no longer tempered by civility and respect for the opposing view. Heated words and insults are now de rigueur. Many liberals and conservatives view each other not with simple disdain, but with absolute hatred.

Who benefits from such a hostile environment? Not you or me, for sure. But select individuals looking to their ideals on the masses would gladly use civil unrest as a justification for disarming the public and furthering their own agenda.

The stuff of conspiracy theories, you say? Perhaps. But with the federal government stockpiling guns and ammo while half the country appears ready to rip the other half's throats out, the idea may not be as far-fetched as it seems. Even if the fuse is lit elsewhere--an economic disaster or national tragedy--are we already so splintered that we would find it nearly impossible to pull together as a nation?

We united, if only briefly, in September, 2001. For a short time, we were only Americans. But the divide has grown wider since then.

It is time to put our differences aside, as much as possible, and realize who the real enemy is. We must return to our Constitution, the basic building block of our society, and begin rebuilding the fabric of our nation, which those in power have tried so tirelessly to rend.

Why We Need To Be Watching

With the news, which has been confirmed by mainstream media, that the Department of Homeland Security has purchased billions of rounds of ammunition, fully-automatic weapons, and armored vehicles, things are beginning to look a little scary in the good ol' US of A. Add to that the reports of 30,000 drones filling our skies by 2020, and you've got something right out of George Orwell's 1984.
Though generally dismissed as the paranoid ravings of the conspiracy theory crowd, these facts are, nonetheless, disturbing. As Ralph Benko writes in an article for Forbes, "... 1.6 billion rounds would be enough to sustain a hot war for 20+ years.  In America."

As far as I can tell, there are only two scenarios in which a government law enforcement agency--not the military--would need this much ammunition: 1) They are expecting an invasion and attempted occupation from a foreign enemy, or 2) they are anticipating massive civil unrest right here at home. Since our country hasn't been invaded in a heckuva long time (unless you count 9/11, which is a totally different story), I'm tempted to go with scenario number two.

This would seem to mesh with the sudden push to dismantle the Second Amendment and deprive American citizens of their right to keep and bear arms. Though the current fiasco is centered on so-called 'assault weapons' and magazines which hold over ten rounds, our government rarely stops once it gets its foot in the door.

Unfortunately, we have already been acquiescent while our rights under the Fourth Amendment have been silently eroded due to the Patriot Act and other legislation. We were told that, in order to ensure our safety, we would have to give up certain expectations of privacy. If the government does plan a gun grab, they are already well on their way, since our right against unlawful search and seizure is now questionable at best.

Many citizens seem to have already given up, preferring now to spend their resources on prepping for the inevitable. While there is nothing wrong with being prepared and everyone should have a plan of action in case things go south, I think that there is still time to make changes through our political system. Sure, the system is corrupt, and the old guard will not simply hand over their power willingly, but We The People still have a very powerful weapon at our disposal: the United States Constitution. 

The founders of our great nation gave us this tool to use in just such an emergency as we now face. Their foresight has given us a means to fight back, and fight back we must. For if we stand idly by while the powers that be strip us of our individual rights, we are doomed, and not just by the hand of a corrupt and misguided government, but by our own, as well.

If you have never before been involved in politics, do so now. We must get rid of the old guard and elect into office those who share our principles, and we must hold those individuals to their oath to follow and guard the Constitution at all costs. Only then might we steer our course back to the path our founding fathers envisioned when they created this great nation.