Thoughts on Courage

America has become all but emasculated. Thanks in part to government schools, Dr. Spock, and daytime TV.

I was watching a neighborhood t-ball game last year. This is a game where kids swing a bat at a ball perched on top of a post. First of all, I have a problem with the whole concept. For 200 years, our kids swung sticks or bats at balls UNTIL they could hit them. But in today's mamby-pamby society, this has become politically incorrect because some children aren't ABLE to hit the ball. But, this isn't what really set me off. What REALLY set me off was that no team wins. They just want all the kids to have a good time and learn to be good sports. Our socialist soccer moms are teaching kids that winning isn't nearly as important as just playing ball to learn to get along. This is just one of dozens of examples of changes designed to emasculate our society.

"Now why on earth would anyone want to emasculate our society?", you might ask.
Simple; they want us to be docile when they take away our rights. They don't want us to be used to fighting, let alone winning. They don't want us to develop our natural survival instincts.

Our society is growing up without courage. Most people have no "heart", no "fight", no "guts".
I was lucky to have grown up with parents who survived the depression. They taught me the meaning of courage. In my lifetime, my father went bankrupt twice, and still managed to put seven kids through college while being self-employed.
As I grew up, I was never afraid of failure, only of failing to try. I did what I wanted and started many of my own businesses. During the summer break of my second year of college, I took a bicycle trip from Cape Hatteras, NC to San Francisco, CA.  The trip took 5 weeks. Most days, I rode between 150 and 200 miles a day. When I started the trip, I had $175 in cash. I had no "set" route, and I had never done an "overnight" bike trip in my life. Everyone said I was crazy, that I would be killed, that I should plan to do the trip with an experienced touring company. Frankly, I didn't understand all the fuss. I knew that I could do anything I put my mind to, so I just went for it. On the trip, I discovered a lot about myself and a lot about the country. It was on this trip that I made up my mind that someday, I would live in Wyoming. For years, and even today, when people learned of my trip, the first question they ask is, "weren't you scared?". I never understood that question. For me, it was as natural as anything else I had done in my life, what on earth was there to be scared of? Now, 25 years after my trip, I realize why people asked me that question. They lack courage. Courage to follow their dreams, courage to take risks, courage to go into "unknown territory". I submit that most Americans have lost their courage; it has been bred out of them. They have been punished for thinking and questioning the status quo.

But, it is time that folks summon every bit of courage they can muster and begin to exercise these weak muscles. The time is coming when we will either stand up for what we believe, or it will be lost forever. For decades, we have stood by and watched as our rights were violated. We allowed the government to give us social security numbers, marriage licenses, building permits, income tax, and ban firearms in cities. We have allowed it to happen without so much as a peep. Now, we have our young men and women forced to wear light blue caps and follow orders from non-American leaders and fight (err... I mean keep peace) for the UN. We willingly let the government control every facet of our lives. We are nearing the time when it will be impossible to travel in this country without federal government issued identification and permission.

Those of us who still believe in freedom understand that there is a price to pay. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. We also understand that those who remain surrounded by those who lack courage, will most likely not fare as well as those who are surrounded by others who are willing to defend their rights. Until now, there has been no "safe haven" for those seeking freedom. But now, there is a movement to concentrate those who are serious about freedom into a smaller geographic area. The hope is that once we have a nucleus of courageous individuals, that the momentum will spread and we can help others to find their courage. The hope is that by nurturing courageous instincts, rather than stifling them, courage will grow and become a welcome feeling rather than a foreign one. And for those who can muster up the courage to move to Wyoming, you will be rewarded with freedom. You see, freedom isn't completely gone from this country, it is still hiding in a few remote spots. Wyoming, has weathered the storm. The folks in Wyoming have not given up their rights as easily as some of the other states. However, the government continues its relentless fight for centralized control. The folks in Wyoming have done a great job of keeping the jackals at bay, but the fight is getting more difficult and maybe it is time to bring in some backups. So, if you desire freedom and have the courage to fight for it, perhaps you should consider Wyoming. Bring your guns, leave your attitude at home.