On the Shoulders of Patriots

Although I grew up in Seattle, my adopted hometown is now Arlington, Massachusetts. The town of Arlington is located near Lexington and Concord, where the very first battle of the American Revolutionary War took place! All around the area are physical reminders of what took place here 230-plus years ago.

Today I'd like to share one with you. It is a monument to Samuel Whittemore:, which is near the center of Arlington Town.

In case you can't read it, it says:

Near this spot, Samuel Whittemore, then 80 years old, killed three British soldiers, April 19, 1775. He was shot, bayoneted, beaten and left for dead, but recovered and lived to be 98 years of age.

I walk past this monument about once a week, and each time I do, I pay a silent tribute to Mr. Whittemore for his sacrifice. It makes me both laugh and cry: Laugh because he was a feisty old guy -- eighty years old and he refused to lay down and die! There was something more important to live for. Good for you Samuel Whittemore - this country needs more like you, and I hope that I can live up to the standard you set, some day, in some way. I cry in gratitude for the sacrifice he made -- for me, for our country, for liberty. When I stand silently and look at the monument, I feel the sacrifice he made quite personally. And I pray that it does not go to waste.

We in America stand on the shoulders of great patriots, many of whom were willing to give the most precious thing they had -- their life -- to ensure liberty and freedom for future generations. We are those future generations, and we owe them a tremendous debt for the freedoms and prosperity this country has enjoyed. Unfortunately, I feel we may squander their sacrifice.

To sacrifice means to 'make sacred,' and it is one thing that Ron Paul certainly knows something about. As Lew Rockwell puts it in the introduction to Paul's 1988 book Freedom Under Siege: "Every American who cares about liberty owes a debt to Ron Paul." Today, Ron Paul is among the best examples of a true, living, breathing patriot. He is a hero for protecting the fragile flame of liberty -- lit and nurtured by previous generations -- and keeping it alive in what have become very dark times for freedom. Through his living example, he is able to ignite in others the passion to strive for the better world that the Founding Fathers of this nation dreamed of for you and me.

Ron Paul, through his writings has helped to spread word and understanding of what it means to be free - something most Americans have by now long forgotten. If you have not done so already, I urge you to read Ron Paul's book Freedom Under Siege for a better understanding of the threats this country faces, and join him in the fight for freedom and justice.

The ideas may at first seem foreign to you, for indeed, freedom in this country is under attack. But I am certain that the truths contained in the book will resonate with you and you will see the importance of the fight for freedom. Dr. Paul has graciously allowed the book to be reproduced electronically and distributed free, and I have spent countless hours scanning it into the computer, proofreading and formatting it. Please take the time to read it and share the ideas with others.

There is nothing more important for a nation or a people than good, wise, moral and honest leadership leadership. Let's not let things in this country get so bad that we need another violent, bloody revolution to take back our own country. Samuel Whittemore and his fellow patriots already made that sacrifice for us once. Let's not let that tremendous sacrifice go to waste. This time, let's let Ron Paul lead us in a peaceful revolution to take back the government of "we the people."

Michael Nystrom
March 20, 2007
Arlington, Massachusetts