The Tyranny of Indulgence

"Having the power to indulge your whims can be very dangerous... It borders on tyranny."

~ Robert Timmons (Larkrise to Candleford)

On Monday we will swear in our current president for four more years. Perhaps the leadership of our country (democrats and republicans alike) would do well to learn the above. For their whim has become banning guns until only criminals and the government have them. Their fancy to make an indolent, apathetic culture by punishing hard workers and rewarding the lazy. And their notion has long been to withdraw our freedom of speech. Tyranny has been lurking 'round the corner for some time, what will we do to stop it?

Tyranny skulks about our own souls and selves before it affects a whole country. When we begin to think we deserve good things, merit salvation, have a right to an education  – or any particular good, we must beware. The disease of entitlement has infected us. When we complain rather than give thanks, we become slaves to discontentment. When we are undisciplined in body, habits, mind, and worship, yet still expect a reward, we have every reason to hear, 'Depart from me, I never knew you.'

I speak these things to myself as much as anyone else. If we allow ourselves to be undisciplined, or apathetic, or to believe we are entitled to things, we will be not only under the thumb of our flesh, we will be ensnared more easily by the tyranny of corrupt authorities. What will we do to halt tyrants? Will we pledge our fourtunes, our sacred honour, and our lives to what is right - even if it is not easy?

“They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger?

Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot?

Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power.”

~ Patrick Henry, 1775 (emphasis mine)