By Don Jans
Many people will recognize this title as the line in the Christian song that goes, “Not my brother nor my sister, but me O Lord, standing in the need of prayer”. It is so easy, and yes even admirable for us to pray for our brothers and our sisters and then even more admirable when we self-righteously explain that all are my brothers and my sisters, so I am praying for all people. Yet, when we are standing before God on judgement date, God will be asking about me, not my brothers and my sisters or all the people.
The United States is an individualist Nation. In an individualist nation it is most important that I do the very best that I can, that I do what I must do to remain free, that I take responsibility to provide for myself and my family, that I take responsibility for my values and the values of my children, that I take responsibility for my actions and understand that I cannot blame my actions and the harm that they cause on others, that I take responsibility to rise above hardships that are placed in my way, that I take responsibility to share what blessings I have been given with others, and I do this not because government demands it but because this is what my God has told me he desires and blesses.
In a collectivist nation I take exactly the opposite view. It is my belief that the community owes me what I need and what I want for myself. The government is responsible to take from others and give to me because somehow or someway I am a victim of the oppression of others placed upon me. This oppression is because I am a member of some oppressed community and not an individual.
These are two totally different world views. Ironically, the view that I am responsible for myself, my family, and for how I share my blessings with others is considered to be a selfish and self-centered view, while the view that I am owed my needs and my wants is considered to be a sharing and other-centered view.
The United States of America was founded on the concept of saying yes it is me Lord who is in the need of prayer, or on an individualist viewpoint which made us a unique country. The left, or the Democrat party which is really the Communist Party of the United States, is in the process of transforming a once great and unique nation founded on individualist principles into a failed nation of poverty and misery by imposing collectivist principles upon us.
What can we who desire individual liberty, individual freedom, individual opportunity, or individualism due to combat this insidious and what is becoming a ubiquitous movement of collectivism or victimhood movement. The first thing we must do is to recognize that this movement is real and happening. When we acquiesce to the requirements of the politically correctness movement and the demanded word games played by these enemies of individual liberty and freedom, we are not only enabling the movement, but we are a part of the advancement of the movement.
Secondly, we must become a strong advocate for and participant in the “Setting Brushfires of Freedom” movement. I have written about this in the past and outline it the above-mentioned book.
Thirdly, we must become strong advocates for and participants in “civil disobedience”. Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal of a citizen to obey certain laws, demands, orders or commands of a government. Please note, in the definition, it says active participation and not just verbal or written opposition to the illegal and anti-individualist demands of bureaucrats, and elected officials.
We were told that civil disobedience is not only necessary but is a patriotic duty if we support individual liberty and freedom. In today’s world, the collectivist or those advocating for communism would call civil disobedience a traitorous activity.
Thomas Jefferson said, “If a law is unjust a man is not only right to disobey it, but he is also obligated to do so”.
Thomas Paine told us, “It is the duty of the patriot to protect his country from the government”.
Samuel Adams told us, “What a man has honestly acquired is absolutely his own, which he may freely give, but cannot be taken from him without his consent”.
It is time we who are Freedom Loving Americans become dedicated to praying for ourselves asking God to direct us in ways he wishes for us individually to pursue his will and follow it explicitly as he directs for we cannot then fail, that we set a brushfire of freedom every day, and that we become dedicated practitioners of civil disobedience against any and all unjust decrees from aspiring tyrants in government. This is our duty and our obligation.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Citizens Journal.
Don Jans is a national acclaimed author and speaker. He is also a lifelong student of history, with a special emphasis on Russian history. His study of Russian history led to 1917 which led to the study of the teachings of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Don has written five books on the topic of Collectivism (Marxism, Communism, Socialism, Fascism, and Progressivism).
Don has been a guest on numerous nationally and regionally broadcast radio programs. He is a weekly guest on a nationally broadcast radio program where he discusses collectivism and how it is impacting the United States, relating current happenings to the collectivist agenda.
Don has spoken to numerous groups across the nation on the topic of who and what is the United States and who and what is collectivism. The collectivist movement has called for a transformation of the United States. What is critical for all to understand is what is the transformation; what are we now and into what will we be transformed.
Don’s speaking approach is the same as his writing approach, and that is to be direct and straight forward with no regard for the current mandated approach of political correctness.
Samuel Adams said, “It does not take a majority to prevail… but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.” If we are to remain free, we must be about setting brushfires of freedom. Visit his website: http://www.mygrandchildrensamerica.com/
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