I’ve come to realize that in today’s society, ‘tyrant’ is not as foreign of a word as I originally thought. However, people seem to use it to describe only the person who is opposing their political party. Something many choose to ignore is that there are many people who classify as a tyrant, not just a single ruler. A tyrant is any one being who takes power that is not theirs, or anyone who crosses the line of power that was given them. And I know I have written about it before, but as Trenchard and Gordon say, “the subject of liberty and tyranny [is] a noble subject, superior to all others… it concerns the whole earth, and children ought to be instructed in it as soon as they are capable of instruction.” This is a lesson that continually needs to be taught.

So, why are tyrants so bad? What’s wrong with living under a tyrant if you are “happy”? The answer is one that should be shouted over and over: because we need liberty! Robert Ingersoll said that “what is light to the eyes- what air is to the lungs- what love is to the heart, liberty is to the soul of men.” Liberty is not just a convenience, it is a necessity, and tyranny destroys that. Nothing can be more cruel than someone who slowly deprives a people of something as glorious as liberty and does so in a way they don’t even realize it. Trenchard and Gordon even go so far as to say that if the devil himself had one way to get ahold of man, it would be through tyrants. Without your liberty, you are not free to do what you know is right and will therefore not live up to your true potential. Tyranny should be feared and avoided at all costs. Part of treasuring and restoring liberty is protecting ourselves from those who seek to take it away. Educate yourself on this “noble subject” and do everything in your power to bring down tyranny so liberty can rise up.

Yours truly,

Publius