Written by Frank Carbone Jr.

“Give me Liberty or . . . . ”

. . . . give me death” These famous words were spoken by American Patriot Patrick Henry, on March 23, 1775, in St. John’s Church in Richmond, Virginia. In his speech, before the Virginia legislature, he was urging his fellow Virginians to arm themselves in self-defense against the British.

In the last paragraph of this great speech to the legislature -- lawyer, patriot, orator, delegate to congress and Virginia Governor Henry stated the following: “It is vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace -- but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

Since the 9/11 surprise terrorist attacks, on our country, we’ve all read various accounts of Americans who have had their liberties challenged. This by different levels of government and individuals [both American and non American] in a position of power to threaten those liberties and freedoms.

Shortly after that infamous day in September, the President, the Governor and the Mayor of NYC and others in power, all stated that everyone should get back to business as usual. They said we should fly the airlines, visit/shop in NYC, travel and enjoy ourselves. At the same time and prior to 9/11, some of those same folks in power (politicos and others), believed that it would be a good idea to restrict some of the freedoms and liberties that we have enjoyed for many years -- all in the name of “security“ -- but it sounds to me like “feel good ineffective laws” being enacted again. Not unlike the anti-gun laws that have been enacted against the 2nd Amendment to our Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Even before 9/11, Governor Pataki and the NYS Senate (in 2000) passed the most restrictive, onerous, state gun laws in the country. All under the guise to impact criminals when in effect they impact more so on the honest law abiding citizen. The criminal is a criminal because they have no respect for law.

By the same token all procedures and laws put into place that further restrict our freedoms and liberties will never be respected by the terrorists. A good example of that today is the way that the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYSDEP) had closed down 100,000 acres of watersheds in the Catskill Mountains and other counties to hunting, fishing and hiking.

Nineteen reservoirs are affected. All current permits are invalid. I’ve had a photo I.D. permit since I was a teenager and have been fishing the reservoirs my entire adult life. Anyone who wishes to fish the NYC reservoirs in the future will have to apply for a new permit (ref. my column of 1/30/02 -- “To Fish or Not to Fish”).

A criminal or a terrorist doesn’t apply for permits before breaking the law or committing their terrorist acts -- if they do it will be under a fictitious untraceable name and address. But they will sit back and laugh at lawmakers who pass law after law, layering one law on top of another until Americans will need a “dictionary of unconstitutional laws” and a road map just to travel from one town, county or state to another in the USA -- without breaking some unknown or known, onerous law. The procedures required to purchase firearms, by honest law abiding citizens, is onerous at best. It is burdensome, troublesome and oppressive especially when one may have to wait (hours if the system is down) while the National Instant Check System (NICS) checks you out. [How they check the records of foreign born criminals in the USA is beyond me]. Then after the purchase you are placed on a registry of gun-owners that is supposed to be expunged from the records but is being held and fought over by operatives of the US Government for other reasons. The criminal and the terrorist on the other don’t have to wait, fill out forms, go through the NICS system. They get them quicker, with less hassle, are less expensive and there is no record for the government to come knocking at their door [for confiscation] possibly in the future. After 9/11 the sales of guns and ammunition to new buyers skyrocketed -- including women who also want to defend themselves at home and other places.

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I read a recent internet news report entitled “An old man with a curious little metal cross”. This story was printed in the Washington Times about an 86 year old man who encountered some problems when he went through a security check at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport on January 11th. A search by airport security found a nail file, a dummy rifle cartridge, and the subject of the story -- a little metal square about one inch across. He was carrying the medal because he had just returned from a speaking engagement at West Point. He stated that he had to take his cowboy boots off three times, as well as his tie and belt. He compared the situation to bailing out of a plane in a foreign country.

After being detained and almost missing his flight , the man was released to board the plane. The security agents didn’t recognize the little cross as the medal of honor or know of its origin even when told about it. It was given to the man by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1943. The man received this honor as a WWII Hero when he shot down 26 enemy planes in the Pacific. “ He was a Marine Corps General and went on to become the Governor of South Dakota, a President of the National Rifle Association and former commissioner of the old American Football League. The 86 year old American Hero’s name is Joseph “Joe” Foss. Some of us would also remember him from the old “American Sportsmen” TV show (all about hunting, fishing and shooting).

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There have been numerous other accounts of Americans being detained, had their civil rights violated and other incidents -- all under the guise of safety and security. The government puts a lot of emphasis, show and manpower at our borders where highways cross -- while the thousands of miles of remaining open borders are left unguarded.

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Sixteen years before Patrick Henry’s famous speech in Richmond, Virginia in 1775, it was Benjamin Franklin who stated -- “They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little, temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.“ (1759)

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The best homeland security is still an armed American.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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