Preparing for war?

“As we remember our veterans today, let’s hope that someday soon maybe perhaps some will be willing to pay the ultimate price for freedom here at home.” – State Representative Bobby Franklin

There’s an old saying. “Hope for peace, prepare for war.” There is wisdom in this phrase in most instances, as it discusses prudence and preparing for the worst. I’ve always thought that was a better way to function day in, day out. However, whenever a democrat gets into office, there are those who are suddently not just preparing for war at home, but eager for it.

I am not a combat veteran, but I’m a student of warfare for many years. Part of that study has been to understand what happens to people in combat. It’s not that I’m eager for a fight, it’s that you never know when one will happen.

But when a State Representative makes comments that “hopefully some will be willing to pay the ultimate price” for freedom stateside, it makes my stomach turn.  Someday, there may be a time when that is needed.  But rhetoric like this encourages martyrs.  Some idiot with a truckload of kerosene and fertilizer and a target in mind, some whack job with a high powered rifle targeting politicians, etc.  These are not the acts of patriots, but of murderers.

You want to prepare for war?  Fine.  Get you a weapon and plenty of ammo.  Get training.  You can get it all over the place.  Learn how to use your weapon.  You want a war, take a look around Albany.  You’ll get a war, and it’ll come to your doorstep before you know it.

But when politicians make comments calling for war with the United States, we have to ask are things that bad yet?  We are losing politically it seems.  Sucks, but it happens.  However, that’s not grounds to pick a fight…not in the literal sense.  Instead, we need to fight in a different way.

You see, nothing Obama has tried to push through is something that can’t be blocked.  We may not be able to trust our Representative in the House, but perhaps our Senators are more open to discussion on this.  With luck and hard work, we just may be able to change enough minds to keep some of these oppressive measures off the table.

Is it a time to fight?  Absolutely.  Both sides are marshalling their forces for the big push.  But with words and letters, not with bullets and blood.   We still have a chance to stop these measures through legal means.

Make no mistake, a war won’t take place on a distant battlefield like Chosen, Saigon, Fallujah, Kabul, or Normandy.  This will take place in places like Albany, GA and Biloxi, MS.  Fighting could take place in Austin, TX and Grand Rapids, MI.  This won’t be a war we watch in our front yards, but will be fought in those front yards.  The collateral damage won’t be namless kids half a world away, but our children and grandchildren.

There may come a time when we need to destroy our nation in order to save it, but that time’s not now.