Threat to the First Amendment

Amendment 1 in the Bill of Rights

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the exercise thereof; or abridge the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

The freedom of speech part of this amendment is what we may be concerned about pretty soon. There is a senate bill that would give President Obama "emergency control"of the Internet allowing him to shut down private networks. This power would apply mostly to non-government computer networks of course. This is just another way for the government to gain more power and control of the American people. With this power Obama could get ride of all web sites that disagree with his socialist policy. Americans could only get information from web sites that support Obama's policies and proclaim his every lie. If this bill were to pass the United States would be taking an even greater step towards a socialist government system.

I read this news from a site that would most likely be shut down if this bill were to pass. Here it is http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/28/senate-president-emergency-control-internet/

Most Powerful Weapon

"Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today's world do not have." -Ronald Reagan

I believe this is very true. At the beginning of this country their had to be men and women who had moral courage and even though they weren't yet free their hearts desired freedom. That weapon with the help of God made it possible to defeat the greatest military force of it's time and establish a free country.

One thing America has had since 1775 is the weapon of free men and women. Many countries have tried to conquer that weapon and failed. However if this country is left without moral courage of free men and women it could fall to other powers.

Senate Terms

With the passing of Ted Kennedy, a senator who has held his office since my dad was born in 1962, I start to wonder about a few things. Is being a senator a full-time job were you are elected and appointed for life or is it a service to the United States, that when finished with a relatively small term, goes back to their previous occupation? John Adams answers this when he says:

"Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people; and not for profit, honor, or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men; therefore, the people alone have an incontestable, unalienable, and indefeasible right to institute government; and to reform, alter, or totally change the same, when their protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness require it."

Senators like Ted Kennedy, Orin Hatch, and Robert Bird, who has been a senator for over fifty years, have made serving as senator a profession. How can individuals who have been in a government position for so long be able to understand the working class citizen and represent them? Do the senators end up serving the American people or themselves? I believe it can become almost like the House of Lords in Great Britain were every Lord has his position in Parliament for life. When individuals hold high government jobs for so long they begin to have more power than is healthy for the United States. Take for instance President Franklin D. Roosevelt who, breaking the tradition started by George Washington, held office for almost four whole terms. Did he start to get more power than is healthy for liberty? Yes he did. Since then the 22nd Amendment was passed prohibiting more than two terms for a president. Will congress ever pass an Amendment limiting their terms? No, because to them it would be like getting hired with the condition that you are layed-off after a few years of work. The Founders of America did not intend government positions to be life-time jobs, but rather a service rendered to this country.

Education

“To penetrate and dissipate these clouds of darkness, the general mind must be strengthened by education” -Thomas Jefferson

"You belong to a church that teaches the importance of education. You have a mandate from the Lord to educate your minds and your hearts and your hands. . . . There can be no doubt, none whatever, that education pays. Do not short-circuit your lives. If you do so, you will pay for it over and over and over again."—Gordon B. Hinckley, “A Prophet’s Counsel and Prayer for Youth,” Ensign, Jan. 2001, 4, 7

I guess if the writer of the Declaration of Independence and a Prophet of God said education was important then I might be able to wake up and go to school tomorrow.

John Adams: Defender of the Constitution

If only every American felt the way John Adams did about the Constitution and what it stands for when he said:

"The object is great which we have in view, and we must expect a great expense of blood to obtain it. But we should always remember that a free constitution of civil government cannot be purchased at too dear a rate, as there is nothing on this side of Jerusalem of equal importance to mankind."

John Adams was one of many Founding Fathers who believed wholeheartedly in the Natural Rights guaranteed by God such as Life, Liberty, the Pursuit of Happiness as well as freedom of religion, speech, press, and many more things. He knew that the coming forth of this country with a Constitution that provided individuals with liberties and freedoms was essential. I am glad there were such men as John Adams to stand for truth even with their necks on the line.

(Quote taken from John Adams by David McCullough)

"Progressive" Education

In Glenn Beck's Common Sense he speaks of the plan "Progressives" (Political group that places the good of the whole over that of the individual. ex. Hillary Clinton) have for educating the next generation. He says:

"...We are losing the next generation to an education system that has fallen prey to political patronage and the Progressive agenda. History, reading, writing, and math are secondary to the incessant indoctrination of our kids to climate change, the evils of capitalism, and the benefits of big government. This works as anesthesia, numbing our children and rendering them defenseless to the lessons and ideals that we work so hard to inoculate them from in our own homes."

I'm glad that in my high school not a lot of this goes on yet. Many people my age however easily go with the crowd and would be swept away with what the government wants them to know.

Woodrow Wilson said:

"Our problem is not merely to help the students to adjust themselves to world life... [but] to make them as unlike their fathers as we can."

Even in the early 1900's Progressives were trying to get their influence across in education to grow up generations that believed in their ideals. I am glad that if a teacher tried to influence me in such a manner that I would know better since I like the study of history and have good parents who know the truth.

In Germany, Hitler used a similar idea to control the population. He said:

"He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future."

He had Hitler Youth Programs where youth would be informed of Hitlers agenda and told to spy on their parents. This made Hitlers ideals enter the hearts of the rising generation and he used it to spread the ideal of the Nationalism, where the well-being of the nation was more important than the Unalienable Rights of the individual.

History often repeats itself and if we don't want that to happen we should stop the spreading of the Progressive agenda which is in truth socialism.

Lincoln Knows Best

Abraham Lincoln says this about the Constitution of this great country:

"As the patriots of '76 did to the support of the Constitution and laws, let every American pledge his life, his property, and his sacred honour; let every man remember that to violate the law is to trample on the blood of his father and to tear the character of his own and his children's liberty."

I know that many people have died to keep this country a free country where liberty and individual rights are sustained. My Grandpa fought in World War Two facing danger and seeing and doing very unpleasant things to maintain this countries liberties and freedoms which we as Americans have enjoyed.

Today their are many people who, through lies and deceit, trick others into straying from the principals this country was founded upon.

All Americans should do their very best to maintain the Constitution of the United States of America, while remembering that their fathers fought and died to maintain its principals.

(Quote from The Wit and Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln)

Counterfiet Accusation

I went to a local store and bought a journal today and after I handed the lady ringing up my purchase a $20. She looked at it and said it looked fake. I told her I didn't make it and I could go home and get a different one; she asked another worker to come and look at it. He said it looked perfectly legal just a little old and wrinkled. The lady at the store insisted I take it to the bank and have them look at it. I did that and the bank teller gave me a weird look when I asked her if it was real. She ran it through a machine and said that it was obviously a real bill, but she traded me with a new one anyway. I went back to the store told the lady it was real and payed for the journal. The only thing wrong with the $20 I had handed her before was that it was old and was not one with the special colors and watermark. That store was owned by my priesthood leader and I don't think he would have thought for a moment that I was trying to pay with a fake bill. It just goes to show that people don't like old wrinkled $20's.

Wisdom from Winston

Here is a quote from Winston Churchill on Socialism. It is from the book The Wit and Wisdom of Winston Churchill:

"All men are Created Equal" says the American Declaration of
Independence. "All men shall be kept equal" say the Socialists.

I believe that one of the Natural Rights of Man is that of Free Agency. God gives all men equal judgement, but socialists believe that everyone should have the same things as their neighbor. God's plan is to allow people to choose how well they do in life, but no matter how much a person does they are seen as equals in the sight of God.

Churchill also says:

"Whenever socialism has been tried, it has failed"

The American people who think this country is headed in the right direction apparently didn't pay attention in history. Socialism has been tried many places and failed. Nazi Germany was one place socialism was tried. The German people were ratted-out by neighbors for speaking out against Hitler and his government; many ended up being killed. Millions of Jews were killed by a socialist government. There has never been an instance in history when socialism has succeeded, so I find it astonishing that many people want to allow socialism to start taking over the government of America.

Good Advice

In Ezra Taft Benson's talk "The Internal Threat to the American way of life" he says:

"We should pay no attention to the recomendations of men who call the
constitution an 18th Century Argarian document-who apologize for capitalism
and free enterprise."

This was written in 1961 and is still true today.

Deseret News Comment

I was reading an article about Obama visiting Yellowstone in the Deseret news and found this comment very disturbing.

"Interesting how so many of my fellow Utah folks have been so blinded by their loyalty to party politics. Here's the first honest President we've had in a long, long time and they can't see it.Pity. As a former national park ranger, I'm delighted to see a President finally taking an interest in some of our national treasures. The Cheney administration did their best to destroy them and the National Park Service.But then again, what can I expect from people whose environmental ethic is "Multiply, multiply and pillage the earth?"I'm LDS, but at times I'm almost ashamed to admit it. I recently returned from a long trip out of state and was very happy to realize that most of the country, thank goodness, is not at all like Utah. That trip renewed my hope for America. I was becoming a bit hopeless here at home. "

I am surprised at how many people like this can be deceived by President Obama. Calling him the most honest president in along time is quite ironic. Also the fact that this individual is ashamed to be LDS tells you that they really don't have a testimony. Saying that her trip renewed her hope for America is really quite frightening to think because of the corruption that is throughout this countries government. Last of all, why does this person still live in Utah if they would rather live somewhere else?

The Beggining

Well I just thought since I am interested in History and I talk about this type of stuff a lot that I would just write a blog about my views on governments and interesting historic things.