To Support and Defend the Constitution...

"The strength of the Constitution lies entirely in the determination of each citizen to defend it. Only if every single citizen feels duty bound to do his share in this defense are the constitutional rights secure." - Albert Einstein

I haven't posted in quite some time. Honoring my oath has kept me extremely busy these past several months with lawsuits and has given me pause to reflect on the importance of the words taken by public servants to "support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same..." While I'm a proponent of picking worthy battles to strengthen our nation, some battles pick you and if you've taken this oath before God, it's kind of tough not to stand up. It's also no cake walk to stand up.

But it's not tough for all unfortunately and some find it very easy to ignore their oath of office. In the past several months I have witnessed several abuses of government power and desecration of the Bill of Rights in a short time frame. I'm not speaking of politics or the health care debate or the topic of the week on talk radio, I'm talking about in my own day to day existence. It has been absolutely staggering to me and I have personally paid a significant price for honoring my oath and confronting these abuses and working to have them righted. I have been utterly amazed at the willingness, seemingly without a hint of reservation, of tax paid public servants in positions of authority in various organizations to trample basic civil liberties and to blatantly lie in attempts to avoid accountability. While my view of human nature was not high to begin with, it has sadly reached a new low.

While I fight these several battles it becomes clear why the abusers have no reservations for their abuse. Citizens, even those who have taken an oath to support and defend it, often do not value the freedom enshrined in our highest law of the land and are typically unwilling to risk for its defense. Rights are given up for the sake of convenience and there is no shortage of apologists for government abuse. Most simply want to stay low on the radar of life and avoid the pain and suffering that comes with standing up for what is right. That's understandable certainly. But this unwillingness by the citizenry to share in the burden of defense identified by Einstein is a bad omen for freedom in our nation. The unwillingness of those paid by the citizenry precisely to defend those rights is absolutely frightening. If those who take the oath don't keep the oath we are doomed.

I am embroiled in the biggest battle of my life and I didn't choose it. I have spent a great deal of money on lawyers, massive amounts of personal time dedicated to seeking accountability, and have had my career ruined in the process by lies and retaliation from officials in a variety of uniforms. This battle will leave significant scars I am sure. But I'm reminded of those I witnessed lay down their lives on foreign soil for the cause of freedom and reminded that my oath said nothing of "...if it doesn't cost you anything for its defense."