Peaceful Transition

It is our long tradition of a peaceful transition of leadership that makes us unique in the world and inspires dreams worldwide of a more democratic and peaceful planet. 

My favorite passage from Obama's inaugural address:

"The patriots of 1776 did not fight to replace the tyranny of a king with the privileges of a few or the rule of a mob. They gave to us a Republic, a government of, and by, and for the people, entrusting each generation to keep safe our founding creed."

This went hand-in hand with Senator Lamar Alexander's toast at the Inaugural luncheon, when he said:

“There is no mob, no coup, no insurrection. This is a moment when millions stop and watch. A moment most of us always will remember. A moment that is the most conspicuous and enduring symbol of our democracy....How remarkable that this has survived for so long in such a complex country with so much power at stake — this freedom to vote for our leaders and the restraint to respect the results. 

Last year, a tour guide at Mount Vernon told me that our first president, George Washington, posed this question: ‘What is most important of this grand experiment, the United States? And then Washington gave this answer: ‘Not the election of the first president, but the election of its second president. The peaceful transition of power is what will separate this country from every other country in the world.”

Obama and Alexander each speak to the idea that gun ownership is a right bestowed by our laws and constitution, not the other way around. With each successful, peaceful transition of our presidency, it suggests that the peaceful act along with our laws and government are what the 2nd amendment was primarily meant to protect. 

To keep the peace. It was not primarily intended so we would have guns in order to use them against the government. That makes no sense, especially in light of the government they had just formed. 

Starved for Glory

Americans have always rallied around causes of democracy, liberty and freedom. Our passion to live and die by these ideals has led to many great military victories, including the one that led to the birth of our nation. Now, we are a people starved for glory. Once the Cold War ended, there was no common enemy to rally around. We relished the win over Soviet communism, but once the victory-rush was over, we were rudderless without a new enemy. And instead of an external enemy, a new enemy was found within: the Federal Government. A first expression of this was manifest in 1995, with the Oklahoma City bombing. With Bill Clinton at the helm, fear of a “New World Order” motivated the most extreme and militaristic elements of society. But with 9/11, a new external enemy emerged and gave new cause for those who relish and rejoice in freedom-fighting. By 2006, a war-weary country realized that it had been lied to and duped. And, with the al Qaeda enemy mainly dispersed into the craggy shadows and mountains in a far away land another enemy was needed. He emerged in the form of the President of the United States of America. And, that is what motivates the Tea Party today and that is why the GOP cares more about removing President Obama, all Federal safety-nets, welfare and anything considered an entitlement, than they care about enacting polices that may help the nation.

Documentary on 9/12 Tea Party Protests in DC

There is a lot of fear underlying the emotion that is driving these protests. How can we create a compelling counter-weight to Fox News, which will help these people become more relaxed?

Please visit www.youtube.com/user/NewLeftMedia ...