Its been almost a week since Independence Day, and I have been saving this special write up for when I felt there would be more to see it.
Cindy Gamrat makes an eloquent argument for smaller government, fewer safety nets, and the ability to earn, good or bad, our just rewards.
I present unedited, her message:
Dear Fellow Patriots,
As we celebrate this Independence Day I am acutely aware that freedom is under attack in America. In nearly all forms, the freedom that so many have given their lives for is quickly diminishing before our eyes. There are many freedoms I am concerned about losing, especially religious freedom, however, we are also losing another freedom that doesn’t get spoken about much that is deeply disturbing to me as well, and that is the freedom to fail.
We have become a “prop-up” society where it seems just about everywhere we turn, we are being propped up in some way or another. Whether it is through any one of the myriad of government welfare programs, subsidies, grants, etc. to not keeping score at a little league game so that children wont get hurt feelings for losing, we are quickly becoming dependent on a safety net of some sort or another to see us through and help us along.
Failure may be painful in the short term, but the long term benefits outweigh the costs. The fear of failure produces perseverance in the face of adversity to see a challenge through. It can also be a powerful incentive for us to strive for excellence and do our best in all that we do. Failure produces resolve and determination to give it another try and overcoming failure helps breed a “can do” spirit and a sense of accomplishment and achievement, and beating the odds when everything is stacked against us make up some of the greatest moments in our lives.
It is during the tough times in life that our mettle is tested and we see what we are made of. It is during difficult times when we have to rely on God Almighty and our faith to see us through. This is when we are refined by the fire and character is built, not a flimsy false sense of self esteem, but a deep resolve and earned fortitude that will sustain a soul and lead a community in tough times to come. When we remove the chance for failure, we remove the opportunity for important individual growth and maturation that is necessary to maintain a free society.
In order to be free and independent, we must be willing to stand on our own two feet, individually, as states, and as a nation. We must be willing to fail at times in order to succeed with later attempts. We must be able to rise up after a fall, dust ourselves off and give it another shot. This is the essence of the free spirit of America. It is the foundation of self discipline, self reliance, and independence that formed and built this nation.
America is not only a nation, but it is also a vision. A vision of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The freedom to pursue happiness comes without guarantees of success with every attempt, but it also comes without a ceiling of what can be accomplished. In America, at one time, you could go as far as your dreams could take you, the sky was the limit if you were willing to work hard to pursue your dreams.
I am concerned that by losing our freedom to fail, we are losing what it means to be American. Ideas have consequences, and allowing the government to try and remove failure, hardship, and difficulty in our lives, will in the long run be to our own detriment.
All of these safety nets come with a price to be paid not only in our national subconscious, but also as chains around our necks. The piles of regulations, mandates, and laws, from city, township, state, and federal governments that have been put in place to keep us safe and free from any possibly perceived harm have mounted into obstacles that tie us down personally and economically. From needing to get permission from your local “planning committee” to plant a garden in your front yard, to the layers of regulations businesses have to meet in order to keep their doors open, we have been inundated with government rules on how we are allowed to live our daily lives and conduct our businesses. We have even traded in our 4th Amendment Right of unreasonable search and seizure to TSA for a false sense of safety and security at our airports.
These are not the American ideals our framers fought and gave their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor for. These are not the ideals that will sustain freedom in America for future generations. We need to heed Benjamin Franklin’s words, “They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
In allowing ourselves and our children the freedom to fail, we are giving them the gift of the freedom to dream, aspire, overcome, and prosper. We are unleashing the potential for an individual to become all that they were created to be. Yes, we will have to unlock ourselves from the cookie cutter box and unhook our safety nets, but by doing so, we will be removing the barriers that are holding us back from going beyond the self imposed expectations of society. I believe if we truly seek God as a nation, and allow ourselves the freedom to fail, then once again we will flourish and see America and it’s citizens reach heights not yet even dreamed of.
As TEA Party leaders and members, it is up to us to lead the way in our nation on this. It is up to us to inform others of the contrast of what it means to live in a fishbowl of government induced safety, or to live under the providence of God and the principles of freedom that our nation was founded on. Our nation desperately needs leaders who will step up with courage, Truth, and wisdom while holding the bright torch of liberty high to shine the light and lead our nation out of darkness.
Here is a great video on freedom that I hope you will watch and share: http://joycemeyer.org/broadcasthome.aspx?video=My_Country_Tis_of_Thee
I pray that you will join me in doing all that you are being called to do for such a time as this!
With Firm Reliance on Divine Providence,
Cindy Gamrat
Plainwell Patriots
