"I truly believe," wrote Charlie Reese in The Orlando Sentinel, July 27, 1999, "that the single biggest problem young generations of Americans will face is staying free, and the only way they can do that is to educate themselves above and beyond what the establishment institutions will provide. Tom Jefferson was dead right when he said anyone who expects to be ignorant and free expects what never was and never will be."

Charlie Reese is one of my favorite columnists. He often touches nerves. The issue of freedom from Gov’mint tyranny is one of those nerves. He believes, and I share that belief, that freedom is on the run in our increasingly Big Bro culture. It will disappear completely if we the people don’t do something about – and fast.

In an earlier column (July 19), Reese wrote, "Some might say the Second Amendment is obsolete. Our own century shows us that it is not. Joseph Stalin, Adolph Hitler (quoted above), Fidel Castro, Pol Pot and Mao all saw to it that the people were disarmed prior to commencing their reigns of terror. God forbid, but Americans, too, could find themselves some day having to choose between submission or resistance to a tyrant."

Thought control and gun control – these are the twin pillars upon which a tyranny can be built. In today’s America, these two pillars are being incrementally erected on a daily basis. The Establishment seeks to control what we think through its educational institutions, its newspapers, its media, and its organizations.

The Gov’mint seeks to disarm the population by demagoging every incident of gun abuse that happens in this country. (I have commented on that in other columns.) The point is, because the American public is largely uninformed about the definitive issues of our time, it passively accepts the wisdom of Worshington which is progressively chipping away at our freedoms. We, the anesthetized people, are like laughing lemmings, giggling our way into an ocean of oblivion.

Here are some things I think we can do to help preserve what freedoms we have left:

Realize that Ignorance is a Choice
Any one who refuses to inform himself about what’s going on around him deserves whatever happens. If you passively accept the information you get from Establishment sources, you will not gain a grasp of what’s really going on in our world. The Liberal media, the Ivy League Universities, and the Worshington Liberal Establishment, collectively and effectively represent the "Ministry of Propaganda" for the American version of the New World Odor. Consistently, they all spout the Pahty Line. The recent orgy of Kennedy worship following the death of JFK Jr. is a case in point. Even the Fox News Channel got caught up in it. I remember telling my wife the moment we heard the news "This is all we’re going to get for weeks to come…"

Learn Critical Thinking Skills
Learn to be intellectually paranoid. Ask the hard questions. Probe to find out what’s behind anything the Establishment says. Sooner or later you’ll uncover the money/power issues that are inevitably involved.

Remember, Every Time the Gov’mint Gains Power, We the Pipple Lose It
Any time the Pipple gives up a right, the Gov’mint gains more leverage over the Pipple. The bigger the Gov’mint, the less the power of the Pipple. Today, the monster that squats over Worshington is huge and rapacious.

Remember, The More Money the Gov’mint Has, The Less We Have
Gov’mint has no money of its own. It has only what it extracts from the Pipple. Today, the Gov’mint is taking more money from the Pipple than at any time since World War II. Worshington now takes 21 cents of every dollar of new wealth Americans create. Between the Feds and the states, the average American family gives up close to 40% of its income before it even begins to address its own needs.

Use the Power of the Vote
Every Christian has the freedom to exercise his or her rights as a citizen. The apostle Paul exercised his rights as a Roman citizen. We may also exercise ours. When we speak as Christians, we are apolitical. When we speak as citizens, we are as political as is anyone else. There is no contradiction here. It is important to know the people we are voting into office. The less we know about them, the more dangerous they could become once they hold office. And character does count – big time. Ask China.

Pray Fervently and Consistently that God will Not "Give Us the Leaders We Deserve"
According to Daniel, it is God who "is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes" (Daniel 4:32b & 5:21b). As this nation degenerates morally and ethically, the last thing we need is a leader who reflects the general malaise. Pray that God will give us exemplary leaders with high and godly standards that they might pull the nation up, instead of greasing its slide into oblivion.

The year 1999 is not a year for Americans to passively roll over and say, "Whatever." It is a time to rediscover and recommit to the values of the Founding Fathers, and to seek to recapture whatever can be recaptured of the American heritage. If we allow America to go down the tubes, the world will soon be awash in the blood shed by its all-too-numerous thugs and barbarians.