Those who expect to reap the benefits of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it. – Thomas Paine

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Did the Founding Fathers Suffer?

By Shane Van Cleve

"And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, we mutally pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor." -- Thomas Jefferson
Declaration of Independence

The freedom that America has enjoyed for over two centuries is the result of the founding fathers' laboring and suffering. Yes, the founding fathers suffered for the freedoms we have today.

In a small cemetary at Berkeley Plantation on Virginia's James River is a tablet with this inscription:

"By signing the Declaration of Independence, the 56 Americans pledged their lives, their fortunes and their scared honor.

It was no idle pledge

Nine signers died of wounds during the Revolutionary War.

Five signers were captured or imprisoned

Wives and children were killed, jailed, mistreated or left peniless.

Twelve signers' houses were burned to the ground.

Seventeen signers lost everything they owned.

No signers defected.

Their honor, like their country, remained intact."

As you see the founders suffered for the precious liberty they wanted so badly. The War for Independence was no light thing. Thousands of people were killed for the freedoms we enjoy today.

But do we still really enjoy them? Are we not letting them slip away? The founding fathers wanted freedom from the heavy taxes of government .....where did that freedom go? The founding fathers wanted freedom of religion....is not that freedom slipping away also?

What are we going to do about the slow decaying of our freedoms? The founding fathers were willing to pledge their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. Are we?

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