By Peter GBarack Obama won the election fair and square. That means that not only is he *the* President, he is *my* President. No, I didn't vote for him, nor did I contribute one red cent to his campaign. I am, first and foremost an American and a passionate believer in our Constitution, and as such, I am duty bound to embrace him as my President. No, I don't agree with his positions on most things, and I believe that so far as the Second Amendment is concerned he's a bald-faced liar.
In 1962, as a five year-old riding in the back seat of my parent's 1958 Mercury traveling through Chattanooga, I saw the Freedom Marchers. I also saw them being fire hosed. That during my lifetime we as a country elected a black man to our highest office redeems my hope in the promise that our Founders envisioned. That we might finally be getting over this self-inflicted madness over skin color also gives me hope for the future of our Republic.
Nevertheless, it's going to be rough going for at least the next two years, and the mid-term elections of 2010 will only make things less bad. President-elect Obama is more intelligent than
Jimmy Carter, and is more disciplined than
Bill Clinton, so prepare yourselves for two terms of President Obama. And please remember also that the President doesn't make laws, he can merely sign or veto them. The real problem resides at the other end of Constitution Avenue, with Congress. As well, let us not forget the old saw about the decisions being made by those who show up. Barack Obama showed up, he built up a network of supporters, raised the money, and did all the things necessary to win the election. Are there better choices out there? Sure there are, but they didn't show up, or they didn't make it to the end. That's our system, and if one is truly serious about being a Citizen, one must accept the unwanted results along with those that one might agree with.
For my part, I will continue doing what I have been doing. This past Monday, I bought another rifle, more ammunition, a scope, and some spare parts for one of my Mausers. Should the worst forecasts of a Democratically dominated Federal Government come true, I will resist those results as a free man. This is not a call to revolution, far from it. It is my sincere wish to be left alone to live my life as best I might. However, should my 'betters' in DC decide to violate my Constitutional Rights, I will fight until they kill me. I can do no less, not while I self-identify as an American. I will never fire the first shot, but shoot I will if attacked.
I will continue to network with my like-minded e-friends, and will continue to send articles and notes of interest to
David Codrea,
Paul Grant,
Jeffersonian, and
Mike Vanderboegh, amongst others. Gunfire is the last resort, not the first, and if I can protect my freedom and country by a profligate expenditure of pixels and electrons, then I'll happily write that check to the electric company and consider it a bargain.
This has been quite a journey: it all started because I wanted an 1858 Remington and didn't want to pay list price, so I hit Google. One link led to another, I started reading and then thinking about what it is to be a Citizen, what the responsibilities entail, and not just the benefits. I don't regret the time nor the effort. If nothing else, it has kept me off the streets and out of the arms of strange women.
In closing, Ladies and Germs, the immediate future is pretty bleak. However, it's not permanent, nor is it unchangeable. I could write more, but I need to get off my overpadded behind and put some miles on the bike. Physical conditioning is just as important as the mental kind.
III
