“Happiness depends upon ourselves.” -Aristotle

Such a short and simple phrase, yet full of so much truth. The world is full of so much negativity, or of things that promise happiness but never deliver. We are taught that happiness is almost an object; something tangible that we are working to reach. It is difficult to find that happiness if you look at through this lens. Happiness isn’t an object, it is not something you can obtain only when you complete a list of certain requirements, it is a state of mind. Happiness is a choice. However, George Washington also said that “happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected.” If we choose to live unvirtuous lives, that state of mind may become a little harder to reach as the little voice in your head tells you what you are doing is wrong. We cannot be happy if we choose to seek for that joy by seeking wickedness. On the other hand, if you live according to your moral duty, knowing what you are doing is right, you don’t need money, fame, or other worldly objects to try to satisfy your desire for happiness because the most sincere joy comes from doing what you know to be right. What a beautiful truth that is. The world will continue to lure you into believing the happiness you long for can only be found by going against your moral values when in reality that will only bring you misery. But I promise you, the misery can be avoided, and that joy that you are yearning for achieved. This of course does not mean that life will be perfect and that trial won’t arise, but you will be able to make it through, still smiling, and still knowing what is right. I can assure you that as you follow your moral duties, and as you seek truth and virtue, you will find happiness.

Yours truly,

Publius

One of the major issues in today’s society is freedom of speech. There is a question of what are the appropriate boundaries, if any, when controlling speech is on the line. Well, there is a very clear answer. Freedom of speech is a key an integral part to retaining liberty and can not be controlled or removed. As Trenchard and Gordon wrote, “A free people will be showing that they are so, by their freedom of speech.” The proclamation of ones thoughts is the clearest example of a free being. By saying what you want, you show that there is no control over you and that no one can stop you from acting. When you have no one watching what you say, you will speak more freely, so when a tyrant is breathing down you’re neck, you hold your tongue. The free man will speak out when things are wrong, the slave will either not notice or keep quiet. Additionally, the government does not have the power to silence your speech. No matter what people say, the government can not have any power over the people that the people themselves do not have. We created the government and gave them certain powers. How can we give something we do not have? We have no authority to punish our neighbor for something he said. We have no authority to go into his house and force him to be silent. We don’t have the authority to kill a man just because of what he said, so neither does the government. If you don’t agree with something, or you don’t like what was said, ignore it. You don’t have to listen. If your neighbor can be silenced, so can you. It is our right to express our opinions. We not only have that right to speak our minds, but a responsibility when it comes to what we know is true. We must share these things we have learned, shout it from the rooftops, till it touches every ear it can. You owe it to yourself, to the people around you, and to the people come and gone that you now revere to speak out. There is debt that must be paid for the years left silent; We must pay it in any way we can. Yes, we may be talking to a wall and maybe no one will ever hear the things we say or read the things we write, but perhaps someone will. Maybe the things we do will have the power and force to change how at least one person sees the world. Maybe one more person will fight back because of us. Maybe one more person will join in our efforts to change the world. That’s enough of a chance for me. Is it enough for you?

Yours Hopefully,

Publius

The fight to restore liberty is not a solo venture. We are united under a unified goal, to restore the principles that once were. While the camaraderie may prove to be an essential benefit to this cause, it can also hold us back. As Trenchard and Gordon wrote in Cato’s Letter Number 70, “Consider what you are about, and whether you will bring life or death upon us. Oh! take care of yourselves, and of us all. We are all in your hands, and so at present are your representatives; but very quickly the scene will be shifted, and both you and we will be in theirs.” The fate of the people is in your hands, in all of our hands. Unfortunately for us, the scene has already shifted. We now look to our representatives for instruction when they should be looking to us. We are in their hands, following what they say and living how they decide. This should not be the case. We choose them. We elect them, and we can kick them out. So why don’t we? The fate of America is in all our hands, right now. Now is the time! We have the power and the right to get the scene back into focus, right the car on the road, and put things back they way they should be, but our fate is in your hands, in everyone’s hands. We must work together to overcome this. Consider your votes and consider your allegiances because they just might impact the entire population. Also in Letter 70, Trenchard and Gordon pleaded, “For God’s sake, Gentlemen, and for your own, and for all our sakes, show your spirit, your understanding, and activity, upon this occasion; and the hearty prayers and wishes of every honest man will attend you. Alas Gentlemen with tears I tell you that the cure of corruption is left to you.” We have the spirit of the restoration, we have the understanding of what needs to be, we participate in the proper activities, all we must do is show it. Show it to the world, to the community, and most importantly to those who wish to serve us. Show them what you want and show they what you expect. Show them that you see them, you see their corruption, and you see someone better standing in the wings. The cure of corruption is left to us. We need only to find it and to put it in use, but it will take all of us that know how in order to accomplish this. Keep in mind the next steps you take on the path to liberty, as they will be the steps that affect us all.

Yours truly,

Publius

Most people have probably heard the expression “don’t cast pearls before swine”, but until recently I had not stopped to think about what that phrase actually means. It, of course, does not refer to throwing actual pearls to actual pigs, but giving something precious to someone who does not work for it or appreciate what it is capable of. When thinking of it in this context, I remembered what Patrick Henry said, “Liberty… give us that precious jewel and you may have everything else.” Pearls are precious jewels, just as Patrick Henry says liberty is. Liberty is something everyone should have, but only those who work toward it are able to obtain it. Because “there is no liberty without virtue”, it is impossible to obtain liberty if you do not work to earn it and it cannot just be given to everyone regardless of their virtue because they will not be capable of protecting it. The same applies to knowledge. We cannot expect knowledge to just be thrown at us if we have done absolutely nothing on our side in order to obtain it. It takes work, time, and desire in order to gain knowledge, but it can also be seen as a precious jewel. Overall, anything that is precious or worth anything cannot be obtained through little or no effort. If it is of any real value, it must be earned. Though this post is short, I encourage you all to think about it, and think about what you are willing to do in order to obtain those things that are truly precious jewels.

Yours truly,

Publius