This Fountain of Liberty that I write of has been filled with the fluid of freedom many, many times only to be depleted again and again. This fluid is the blood of our nation that has been called upon over and over in our nations past history. This blood is not of one people but of many people. It is the blood of every nation of this world that we live in. This liberty is not for one people, it is for all people. It is from people that have given everything for but one thing that being freedom.

This beacon of freedom that we call America is a glowing light in a world that over the centuries has seen the light of freedom almost crushed out of existence but not by choice and only at the hands of men gone mad with the quest to push their will upon others.

America was a dream that many have fought for and died for. When America dreams, those dreams are contagious. For it is at those times that the power of freedom and liberty are felt all over the world. Still again, there are those who would wish for Americas dream to change to Americas nightmare, to be nothing more than a nightmare. A nightmare of lost hope and lost freedom. It is only by the hand of God that we have been allowed to flourish and make the world, as a whole, a safer place to live.

That still does not mean that there are not opponents to this thought of freedom for the worlds people, as a whole. Freedom is not just for Americans and those who wish to be called American it is truly a universal need and desire.

The dreams and birth of our nation, along with our independence, came forth out of the nightmare of domination by a government that wished to claim and hold power over a people that could not and would not be dictated to any longer. In our first breath as a nation of freedom-seeking people, we knew that day of true freedom was only to come with the blood ,sweat and tears of a people who were willing to give all and they did.

The cost of that liberty and freedom came at a cost that, at times, the people had to second-guess themselves. At those times the thoughts of What have we done to ourselves? had to have come into the minds of the people, and I know it did. Its only human nature, then and now. With all the soul searching of the people, they knew of only one direction that they could go and that was forward.

The Fountain of Liberty would spill its precious fluid upon our ground, in our cities of old and on the farms of the countryside. It would flow from all, the young and the old. No one would be spared from the pain of freedoms quest. Still, even when all hope was lost, there would be those who would step up to replenish the Blood of Liberty.

Take the time to just think of what type of man that it took to walk away from his farm and family to go and defend the idea of your freedom. Not only your freedom, but that of others who could not defend themselves. I write not about the professional soldier, but of the militiaman. A man with little-to-no true training, but still a man with an idea that was burning as hot as the sun in his heart and the men who stood with and died with him in some cases. But again, they knew with all of their hearts it was the right and only thing that could be done to secure freedom for a new nation of people. Only after years of bloodshed did this freedom come to the people. This blood letting of peaks and valleys would go on from 1763 until 1783. It was in 1775 when it would be called the Revolutionary War. Our colonies and the ground that they sat upon would be soaked in the blood of those who chose freedom over British rule.

This militiaman a man not born of this country, in some cases had beliefs that he was willing to die for, and thousands did so. That is one of the points that I started with. Men from all walks of life and different countries have died for that simple idea of freedom that is universal to all people. Independence was won from those who fought with unbelievable brutality on a civilian population. In less than three decades we would see the Fountain of Liberty called on again, with the request for fresh blood to pay for freedom. Even with the thoughts of 20 years of past war with Great Britain still fresh in the minds of our new nation, the blood would be paid forward.

The cost had been at too high of a price that was paid for freedom for our new nation to roll over and take it. That being Great Britains quest for re-conquest of its former colonies. This sacrifice of life would go on from 1812 until 1815. Yet the blood was given and given freely. Can you not see what it is to be an American? It is not just a name that some of this country think is a disgrace. That name means freedom and liberty from those who would push their will of oppression on our nation.

To be called an American is one of the highest honors that could ever be placed upon an individual. That is not to say that there is no honor in other nationalities, for that would be a false statement. It all comes back to knowing that America is made up of all the world. That is one of the reasons that so many people do want to come to America: so they, too, can be called an American and live in peace and freedom. That, as I see it, is all the reason that you need to come here. To live as a peaceful, freedom-loving American.

I also know that there are those of our own, born Americans, who have no idea of the price that was paid by their ancestors of this great nation for their freedom. This goes for all of our nationalities. Our past must never be forgotten, the good and bad. The past is part of us as a whole. Every nation has had its share of shame, this is a given. If we all know this, then why can we not strive to not let it happen again? Its not that hard to help someone. In some cases, it might cost more in the long run not to help one another. Understanding is at the forefront of being a human being. When understanding is lost, then we are lost as a civilization. We, as civilized people, cannot let the few that wish ill will upon us to flourish.

It still goes back to our past and the high cost of being called America to let anyone or any country let us forget. I can not say it enough: teach our young the past. Teach them to be a proud people. Teach them about the proud people who gave them the dream of freedom. Let not the Blood of Liberty have been lost for nothing but lies told about our past. Let the truth be told, painful or not, for it is what we are based on .

The saying Alls fair in love and war is, at best, confusing and, at worst, untrue. Clearly theres plenty unfair about both states, and just because someone feels a lot of passion about their act of creation or destruction, that does not make it right. For good or bad, the Fountain of Liberty must never be drained of freedoms blood.

Robert Lee is a concerned citizen and U.S. Marine veteran who owns and operates Rockingham Guns and Ammo. His column appears here each Saturday.

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The fountain of liberty - Richmond County Daily Journal