Editor,
It was 231 years ago today that Patrick Henry said, "Give me liberty, or give me death." Most Americans know him as a passionate defender of liberty, but did you know he was anti-empire? The title of his speech, "Should Empire or Liberty Be Sought?" gives you a clue.
"When the American spirit was in its youth, the language of America was different: Liberty, sir, was the primary object," Henry said in 1788.
No doubt neo-conservatives are no fan of this American patriot. In fact, they must hate George Washington, too. Why? All the founding fathers were noninterventionists - as every true American conservative knows, as empires grow abroad, liberties at home shrink.
Henry spoke those words for all to hear. To the British, he was a traitor, but he was no coward. Today people submit letters to the editor and insult others while hiding behind fake names or unlisted phone numbers. When I found the person who called me a pacifist liberal, I called him out. He declined. Cowards insult when they are safe.
"Fear is the passion of slaves," Henry said. Many Americans are ruled by fear - fear of foreign boogeymen, fear of criminals and fear of punishment by the state. The answers to such fears are not found in the hands of government. Just the opposite - it is government that is the threat to liberty.
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What would Patrick Henry conclude about Americans today?
Gregg Ozimek
TVI staff
