I’ve been thinking about this billboard since I posted an article about it the other day. I went on a search to see what sort of reactions it was generating. Most of what I saw was on liberal/progressive websites. The reactions were predictable. The people that erected the sign were: haters, cowards, scumbags, liars, trying to stir up trouble and on and on. This got me to thinking about the gulf that separates the conservative/libertarian worldview from that of the liberal/progressive.
I got to the end of my thought process by starting with a movie; “Shenandoah” starring Jimmy Stewart. If you’ll remember, Stewart’s character was a farmer in the Shenandoah Valley during the Civil War. He has sons of fighting age that wanted to sign up to fight. He wouldn’t let them because he didn’t believe the war concerned him.
You see, the questions of slavery and states right weren’t of any concern to him. In his view, his job on this earth was to raise his family and his crops. He asked nothing of the government so he felt that they had no claim on him. His intent was to stay out of the way and do his job and fulfill his duty to his God and family.
His sons didn’t understand this. They were of an age where hormones easily outrun intelligence. I’m sure many of his neighbors resented this as they had sons that were dying in the war. The military tried to take his sons though impressment but he turned them away. I’m sure that he was called all the names that are being tossed around today by those on the left.
But the war couldn’t be avoided. Eventually Stewart is forced to engage, to pick up a gun to defend his family. When the time comes, and the war becomes his business, he carries out his duty with iron willed resolve.
This attitude of self reliance and the desire to be left alone runs strongly in much of America: especially in rural areas and among people that work with their hands. I realize that I may be making broad generalizations, but I’m going to do it anyway. Most of the people that I have met in my life that have strong progressive beliefs tend to be from urban areas.
Progressives have a mindset that is ingrained in them through experience, just as we all do. Living in an urban environment they learn that there is a system of support in place for almost any problem you may have. You just need to fill out the proper paperwork and submit it to the right people. The police are nearby to help you, somebody takes your trash and the diner’s always open if you need something to eat. The price of this convenience is a loss of liberty and a certain level of dependency for your existence.
The other thing that I’ve noticed about city people is that they learn to complain about every damn little thing. My guess is that this is because the system that they depend on for their day to day life doesn’t work as well as advertised. They are always forced to deal with some disinterested government employee just to get something done, waiting on the phone or in line for something that if they could do it themselves, would be just a minor inconvenience. So people in the city learn to yell. They learn that the squeaky wheel does get the grease and that grease is absolutely essential to their lives.
City people become used to government. Worse, they become absolutely dependent on it. It becomes just so much background noise, part of the normal activity of their lives. They view government as a necessary evil, can’t live with it, can’t live without it. The fact is, they have forgotten how to be self sufficient because government has enslaved them. They’ve been conditioned to believe that it is perfectly normal to pay taxes to a government to supply services to you that you could supply yourself at a cheaper price. They think nothing of intrusive government regulation of their lives because look at all the government does for them. The live a life that a large percentage of America can never understand.
Like I said, I’m speaking in broad generalizations. I realize that there are plenty of conservatives in the city. I’d go as far as to say that there are more conservatives in the city than there are liberals in the country. A lot more.
By and large, rural people are a lot more like Jimmy Stewart’s character. We are fairly self sufficient and don’t look to others for help. When we do, it’ll be our neighbors, not some government. As a matter of fact, governments in rural areas don’t generally have the capability to help anybody. Even our fire dept. is made up of volunteers.
The most contact rural people have with government is getting plates on the truck and paying our taxes. Farmers get a bit more because the Federal Government gets involved in their lives but even that is sporadic. We know that if we have a problem we are going to have to fix it. Sewer problem? I own the septic system, I’m responsible for it. Water problem? Same thing; I own the well. If the electric goes out, well I’ll call the electric company but I better have a generator because I’ve been without power for a week. If I don’t have a generator, I’ll sit in the dark. Nobody is going to put up a shelter for me.
All this writing just to get back to that billboard; I’d damned near forgotten about it.
That billboard and where it was erected got me to thinking about the rural mindset, self sufficiency and guns. I wrote a couple days ago that the sign and in particular, its location, were a clear indication of just how close this country is to a cataclysmic event.
One thing about growing up in a rural area is that you grow up with guns. Now, this is true in the city also; I realize that. But it’s different in the country. Kids carry guns out here to hunt and plink. I grew up in a part of St. Louis County that when I was a kid was still mostly farms. We didn’t leave the house without a BB gun and as we got older, .22’s. Even when the police would see us nobody cared. It was just part of life. It’s the same where I live now.
OK, I’m getting back to the billboard. I got to thinking about the attitudes and understandings of those on the left and those on the right. People called the person that erected the billboard all kinds of names. This is understandable from the viewpoint of a progressive. They’ve been conditioned to yell, scream and complain to get things done. It is an acceptable and normal mode of behavior.
Out in the country, we’re a bit more laid back. We would rather ask politely and see if we can’t get a problem resolved. Treat each other with respect; because it’s the right thing to do. That and who wants to get into a fight. You call someone out here all kinds of names and you’re likely to get rocked back on your heels. You see, we believe that there are consequences to your actions. We may tolerate poor behavior for a long time because most of us would rather just live and let live. But make no mistake, when you finally cross the line there will be no hesitation.
This brings me back to the billboard; and guns. One of the rules that you learn growing up with guns is that you never, ever point a gun at something you are not willing to shoot. Taken a step further, never point a gun at someone unless you are willing to kill them. Being around guns teaches you deliberation in your acts, just like the threat of getting punched for shooting off your mouth.
I think that the left is badly misreading what that billboard signifies. They view it as a sign of cowardice. They think that because we aren’t screaming, that because the TEA Parties are without incident and because we don’t vandalize buildings we have no resolve. We are cowards that in the end will not stand up to their big government power grab.
They are mistaking deliberation for a lack of resolve and calling it cowardice. They don’t understand that if you keep yelling and screaming, calling us names and insulting our sense of patriotism, somebody will get punched.
But what they are really missing and what I am afraid the sign is signifying is an undercurrent of real unrest and dissatisfaction with the government. I am afraid that we are about to jump right over the punching part of the dance. We have tried everything that we can for redress of our grievances. We have petitioned and we have marched. We’ve made phone calls and we’ve written letters. Yet, I believe the Health Bill will pass. The Congress will act against the will of the American people and the President will sign the bill.
Maybe it won’t be Health Care. Maybe it’s Cap and Trade or EPA regulation or some other decree from on high. But some invisible line is about to be crossed; and when it is all Hell will break lose.
The left is so sure of the cowardice of the American people that they don’t see it coming. But come it will. Americans will take up their arms. It will be a deliberate and resolved act of revolution. The guns will not be taken up lightly but with full recognition of what the action means. There will be no turning back. All or nothing; “Give me liberty or give me death.”
The progressives are trying to box us in because they don’t believe we’ll stand up. This is a serious miscalculation that in the end stands a high probability of being the cause of the end of America. The talk I hear from people that I run into is that we have few options left. Most are armed and have given thought to the very real possibility of rising up. Militias are being formed. Everyone I talk to is of the opinion that if we are going to lose our freedom anyway we might as well go down with a fight.
That is what the billboard is saying. Because the media is mostly urban they won’t be able to read it. Because the progressives are arrogant and convinced of their own righteousness they won’t be bothered to look. But there it is. A clear, stark signal of what lies right around the corner.
Pray for guidance and protection. Look to your family’s safety. READ THE DAMNED SIGN!
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