Death to Traitors!!!!

Death to Traitors!!!!

Many of you may be aware that I am a history buff (or nut, depending upon your viewpoint) and am finishing up my Masters in history at Sam Houston State. The other day I posted a long blog on how I felt about many of the current conditions taking place in this country. I received a number of very positive responses, so I thought I would press my luck and delve a little deeper into one issue which is on a lot of our minds.

In 1775, all the colonists (not slaves) of this country were British citizens. Subject to the authority of King George III.

If you went against his authority or against the British government, you could very well be deemed a ‘traitor’.

Do you know what the punishment was for being a traitor to the English Crown was at that time?

Death.

But not just an easy type of death. No, you were first hung by the neck until you were almost dead. Then you were laid on a bench or table (in public, I might add) and you were ‘drawn and quartered’. Your stomach was opened and your intestines ripped out and sometimes set on fire while you are still alive. Then to top it off, your arms and legs were tied to 4 horses and then the horses were whipped, which effectively tore your arms and legs off your body.

By this time, you would, of course, be dead.

Women were only burned at the stake for treason. Bags of gunpowder were often tied around their necks so that they would explode and kill the person instantly rather than suffer the flames.

So, isn’t this information uplifting?

Well, in July of 1776, 56 men signed what we call the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, which was the equivalent of affixing their signatures to their own death warrants.

These were not soldiers, Army Rangers, Navy Seals or paid mercenaries.

These were lawyers, shop keepers, merchants, printers and ordinary people, who had had enough of King George and his oppressive policies.

England was the greatest country in the world at this time, with the largest navy and armed forces.

They had colonies scattered throughout the world. Hence the saying of ‘The sun never sets upon the British Empire’.

England needed colonies to sustain itself. It is an island with few natural resources and they needed the colonies for timber, tobacco and other profitable exports. They also considered that if the colonies were allowed to rebel against them then others would follow.  

In the hot building known as ‘Independence Hall’ that July, the windows were kept closed to prevent British spies from overhearing of the forth coming plans for independence.

All of these men could have been arrested and executed for their signatures on that one piece of paper.

Well, we all know the story and the outcome of the war, don’t we?

Against all odds, George Washington was able to defeat the mighty British army and its navy and gain our independence.

I suggest you read the kind of obstacles which had to be overcome in order for this to occur.

All of this leads me to the point I am trying to make.

We have learned a lot since 1776, and we still have a lot more to learn, don’t we?

But, we must learn as a nation…..not as a divided entity fighting for different objectives.

We will never solve any of our major problems, unless we agree to work together as Americans, not as individuals. As one of those 56 men so aptly said… ‘United we stand, divided we fall.’

We owe allegiance to our country, and to our flag and to our national anthem.

If it had not been for the courage of those 56 men in Independence Hall in 1776, we would not have a national flag or a national anthem.

If it had not been for the many thousands of men and women who have given their lives and their health (even today) in the belief that America is worth fighting and yes, dying for….then that flag and that anthem would not be there.

You want to protest? I don’t blame you. So do I. But where and when is where you and I may disagree. A sporting event is a form of entertainment that I pay for, it is not the place for you to demonstrate your political viewpoints and spit in the face of all of those I have described above.

For those taking a knee in our football games, look at the back of your helmets.

There is an American flag stuck back there.

If you are so upset with our flag, my flag…then let me suggest this to you.

Rip that sucker off and in place of it, stick the flag of any nation in the world, any nation in the entire world that will pay you the kind of money your receive for a GAME, and let you voice your opinions freely and openly as you are allowed to do in this county.

All because of the guts, courage and fortitude of 56 men in a hot building 241 years ago.

Can’t think of any country whose flag you could stick back there in place of our American flag?

Funny, neither can I.