The REAL Guardians of Freedom!

The older I get, the more concerned I become over the lack of understanding among Americans about how this Representative Republic, we call the United States, works. It concerns me that we have, somehow, come to believe that the Constitution is our protector. We have come to believe that the Constitution guarantees us all the privileges and rights contained within it.

Now, the problem with all this high-minded understanding of the US Constitution is … it ain’t so!

Now that I have your attention….

The Constitution is a wonderful document. It is the foundation upon which this country is built. But, taken alone, it is totally worthless. The words written upon that parchment are powerful in that they espouse a freedom unequaled in the world, before, or since. But they are just words. Yes, words can, and do, have power. But words are totally defenseless. They can just as easily be erased from that document as they can be written upon it. Oh, and those rights guaranteed us, with those words, are just wishful thinking… unless we are inclined, and able, to defend them.

Now, if you are new to this site, you may not be aware this is a US Military Friendly Site. Now that you are aware of it… know this: It is those men and women under arms, in all branches of the US military, who guarantee your freedoms, and your rights, and your privileges granted by the constitution. Without them, the rights, privileges, and the freedoms, given all Americans, as a birthright, would be totally worthless.

We have become so accustomed to our politicians preening before the TV cameras and loudly proclaiming their defense of the constitution… not to mention the various courts, and court systems, up to, and including, the Supreme Court, also assuring us they are responsibly guarding the constitution, until we have fallen under their spell. We have several generations of Americans who have bought into this distorted fairy tale. It’s a crock!

The people who actually defend those rights, privileges and freedoms, spelled out in that document, are, as we said above, the US Military. Without them standing guard 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year, every year, in diverse places around the globe, that constitution would not have lasted as long as it has. They are the REAL guardians of Freedom.

So, it will come as no surprise to you that it pains me deeply when I hear the US Military being disrespectfully put down. There is entirely too much of that in our society today.

There was a time, in the not too distant past, when many of the members of Congress were veterans. Very few are veterans these days. And it is obvious! Boy, does it show!

And somehow, they have decided to assume the office of the Commander-in-Chief giving the US military 535 Commanders-in Chiefs. Our forefathers had the good sense to vest that power in one person, the President. But, as is usual, little by little, the Congress has whittled away at the power of the Commander-in-Chief, until they have convinced themselves that they are the true commanders of the military… and it is a lie! But, that discussion is for another day.

It is enough on this post that we remember whom, exactly, are the Guardians of the US Constitution… the men and women of the US Military. It is not, as you may have believed, the Senators and Congresspersons in their tailored suits, shirts, and ties. And it is not the solemn faced judges in their elegant, long, flowing robes. No! It is the dirty, smelly, streaked with gunpowder and cozmoline, soldier!

So, next time you hear one of our esteemed Congresspersons, or Senators, holding forth on how he, or she, would run the Military, just know, for the most part, they haven’t a clue!

And finally, next time you see a soldier, no matter the branch of service, extend your hand and say: “Thank you for serving”!

Longstreet