An appeal to the folks on the side-line....

"After losing so many battles, I'm sure George Washington felt like an army of one. I know I often do."


This wasn't said by some victim-mentality whiney-ass. He said it to me yesterday, in an email. Depending on your perspective, (more to follow on that) if you ARE more from the outside looking in on the skirmishes in the cultural wars, you would think this fellow is enjoying the gratitude and help of many. The last thing you'd think is he often feels 'alone.' He has high visibility, and is a regional hero, at least for the cause of liberty. We who understand the stakes( hopefully 95 % of the choir reading this), owe a lot of thanks to those like him who are taking time out of their lives to devote to a multi-generational cause. Not everyone who has taken up the mantle enjoys the process.

My anonymous friend is one of them. There is little in his background to suggest he would be inclined to 'saving' the nation in a political setting. If you only knew...

This 'aloneness' has been felt by some of the greatest fighters for freedom ever. Whatever prompted George Washington to say, when the country turned to him to save it again, "Haven't I given enough of my life for my country?" Then he proceded, once again, to leave the life and land he loved, to become the first and only reluctant US President. Regardless of egalitarian envy and moral subjectivism, some of us are really nobler than others of us.

There is a contemporary example of a real-time hero on the level of the Founding Fathers, whom you may know by the following description. I'm not going to name him because he, rightfully, has asked that we not site his name, because it enables a segment of the population to discount the subject of the moment because he is being associated with it. The machinery of the Dark Side knows it has no substance to support its purposes, so it personally attacks the messenger, to discredit the message. And succeeds with the lazy and weak-minded in doing so.

Just days ago, this icon of miraculous courage, dedication, insight and valor implored his listeners to pray for restoration of his passion for the work. After an amazing extended period of study and reporting (things historians and media folks used to do) he in effect said he had hit a mental and physical wall. Burn-out. He quickly reassured he would not stop, but that he was running on emotional fumes.

We are all people. Some just better people than others, depending on the standards of judgment. When I say 'better,' I mean benevolent, productive, self-responsible and adherent to a profound belief in the Power of Truth. As humans, we all share traits passed along in our DNA, including 'social' needs, good and 'bad' inclinations, the desire to be valorous and the component of fear and envy that prevents many from being valorous. When WE win, this man will be remembered like the noble risk-takers over the years who have fought, lost fortunes, bled, died for their belief in human good.

Meanwhile, we are not all wired exactly the same. While some go into the burning building, some stay safely on the sideline. That's where their birds of a feather are and where they feel 'safe'. This tribal instinct to belong is shared to one degree or another by all of us, which is slowly getting me to the real point of this discussion. Like other 'instincts,' when this one prevails inside of us, the best that can happen is: nothing. The worst that can happen is on the pages of every history book.

We are limited by our own mortality, and a finite amount of time and energy. For too many years we've been squandering our precious time, energy and resources in trying to make sheep into eagles. Literally, they will never fly!

To maximize the return on our own personal investment, we'll get the biggest bang for our buck more acively encouraging, through word and deed, those who are out on the front lines. They need our support. They will not quit when they feel alone, but letting the energy flow to them will be inspirational, energizing, and a too-rare blow for justice to the good guys. They deserve it, and we'll deseve the greater results.

If you're a reader already 'out there' on the front lines of this war for freedom, you know exactly what I mean. I'm addressing this to the agreeable fellow traveler amongst us, who has seen and is seeing the light, but is 'too busy' or involved in other, perhaps very worthwhile things---family, career, hobbies. Take the time to demonstrate some form of support for those 'serving' the cause---it could be a kind word, an occasional constructive suggestion, or, if you can and want to, something on a larger scale.

I'm not asking you to give attention, support or resources until it hurts. I am asking you to be aware of the pay-off for you when you upgrade your level of involvement, not until it hurts, but just until it feels good!!

Now, start by engaging below!!