Sons of Liberty

No 19

September 3, 1995

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it NOW, deserves the love and thanks of man and women. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain to cheap, we esteem too lightly -- Tis dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.

Tom Paine, The American Crisis (December 19, 1776)

Although written at Washington’s camp at Fort Lee many months after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, these sentiments and critique offered by Tom Paine, a foreigner who had volunteered to fight beside Americans, would have applied, equally, to the circumstances surrounding events from Bunker Hill (June 17, 1775) to Fort Moultrie (June 28, 1776). Thousands had answered the call for action against the British, and hundreds had died. There were those who would stand for what they believed -- and those who could not back the words they had spoken nor the claims that they had made.

Today, we have those who speak so often of what they will do -- when the time comes! When I listen to them, I, like they, wonder when the time will come -- for them!

For some of us, the time has come. Passed is the rhetorical discussion of what will happen when-. Passed is the comfort and security of the ‘American Dream’. Passed is the ‘security’ of job, picket fence and taxes.

It was May 23, 1993. I had returned to Waco and had finally been able to go on the property at Mt. Carmel. As I stood on what remained of the concrete floor of the building that I would only know by the pictures and videos -- as I stood amongst the ashes -- as I gazed around and saw they partially burned clothes, toys and implements of what was, only recently, the lives of over one hundred peace-loving people, I declared, aloud, that I was at war with the us government.

Standing there, I also reflected on the words of Rita Riddle the day of the fire. Rita had called from the jail after being recharged with conspiracy to murder. She had no idea of her fate, but had been able to observe, on the jail television, the events of the conclusion of the 51 days siege. When I asked Rita why she didn’t seem upset over the assault and fire, she simply said, "Gary, that was God’s will." It took me a couple of days to fully comprehend the message that was carried in those few words, but when the thoughts finally consolidated, the enlightenment filled my head to a point that I will never be the same again.

Prior to April 19, 1993, there continued a flow of speculation within the Patriot community as to the severity of our relationship with the government. Would they ever kill innocent people in their quest for One World Government? To what extent would they really go to achieve their goals? Questions that we simply could not answer, at that time.

The rising smoke of the ruins of the Branch Davidian church crystallized into an answer as clear as could possibly be given. There would never be any doubt again as to how far they will go to achieve their evil end. The days of speculation were over, forever.

This new frame of mind forced me into a commitment to victory unlike any I have ever made before. Simply, I would pursue, progressively, whatever I felt within my means to achieve a restoration of Constitutional government. As a result of the encouragement I received over the series of releases I sent out from Waco during the siege, I decided that to continue to develop and hone my skills at conveying messages, both of events occurring and commentaries of the nature of this tract. Whatever I was able to do would just barely be enough. Always in mind was the status of a medic in the army -- non-combatant, as long as possible, but equally committed to the risk inherent in war.

When the means to continue writing might, for whatever reason, be curtailed, I would then find the next level of battle to pursue. Any change of circumstance simply forced a decision to escalate to the next level. Never, however, to abandon the goal to which I had committed my life, my fortune and my honor. I still retain the two most important of those items, and I intend to retain one forever.

Young Tom Paine recognized the nature of man and addressed it in such a manner that his words were broadcast to clandestine radios in Europe during World War II. His words then, as they should now, compelled commitment of those who were in the heart of the enemy’s territory. The incentive to continue against odds that for many would prove fatal was provided by these few words written generations before.

Can we develop the same courage that has grown from them in the past? Can we recognize, as those first Americans did at Bunker Hill, that no declaration is necessary, except in our hearts and minds, to join the battle that is at hand?

Have you asked yourself when the battle will begin? Or, have you recognized that is has begun? Have you made your commitment and begun to fight? Or, should you stand out of the way of those who have? Do you stand idly by and condemn those who have taken up the sword? Or, have you picked up your sword and placed your life at risk? Are you ready for the next battle? Or, are your ready to retire and stand out of the way of those who will not?

Are you a "summer soldier and [a] sunshine patriot"?
Or, will you "stands it NOW"?

Tis dearness only that gives every thing its value.
Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods;
and it would be strange indeed
if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.

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