George Washington On Freedom Or Slavery

With each passing day revealing new secret government programs designed to protect us in our war on terrorism, at the cost of our freedom, I think these words from George Washington are as relevant today as they were in 1776. And I would add.. that if we are to prevail in this war, if we are to make the world safe from those who wish to destroy our way of life, we must do so as free men, or not at all.

“The time is now near at hand which must probably determine whether Americans are to be freemen or slaves; whether they are to have any property they can call their own; whether their houses and farms are to be pillaged and destroyed, and themselves consigned to a state of wretchedness from which no human efforts will deliver them. The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army. Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us only the choice of brave resistance, or the most abject submission. We have, therefore, to resolve to conquer or die.” ~ George Washington August 1776

John Keegan on slavery and liberation

“Slavery in the modern world implies the absolute deprivation of the individual’s liberty, while possession of weapons and mastery of their use are means to the individual’s liberation. We do not perceive how a man may be armed and at the same time bereft of his freedom.” – John Keegan

Timeless wisdom from the British author and, arguably the worlds best know, military historian.