Well, 2010 is now relegated to the history books, with the inevitable Life Magazine’s 2010 in photos. The coming of a new year always seems to be cause for great celebration. Maybe it is hope that fuels the urge in people to bring in the new year with a huge celebration. Whatever, I never feel any amount of joy at the start of a new year, only melancholy and a sense of dread at what lies ahead.

Don’t get me wrong, I am all for hope for a brighter future…if I can justify that hope by tangible facts that lead me to believe that things will get better. Call me a pessimist or a party pooper, but I just don’t see it.

Prior to the American Revolution, our future second president, John Adams, was merely a lawyer. Adams is probably best known for his defense of the British soldiers who fired upon the crowds, in what has become known as the Boston Massacre.

During his defense of those men, Adams is quoted as saying, “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”

A good lawyer, be it a prosecutor, or a defense attorney, will attempt to provide facts which support the fact that the defendant is either guilty, or innocent. However, facts can be manipulated by the inclusion of only facts that support your belief, and the exclusion of those that do not.

So, when I write, I am of course biased towards the belief that our government is guilty of overstepping its authority, and in so doing, stripped me of my inherent and unalienable rights.

The quotes I provide are the facts that I use to show the intent of the writers of those documents which gave life to this republic. In my struggle to awaken people to what is happening in this country, I have no defense attorney defending the accused, (the government). My only opposition comes from ignorance and apathy of the jurors, the American people.

If the readers of my articles let what I say go in one ear, and out the other, than my efforts have been wasted. If the readers of my article do not consider the facts, and, as Adams tried to prevent, rely upon their own wishes, inclinations, and dictates of their passions, then my efforts have been wasted.

In other words, if people do not THINK about what I am saying, then I have wasted my time. But, there is more. Thinking is merely the first step, you must then dedicate yourself to fighting this evil entity that we call our government.

Now, by no means do I consider myself a lawyer. I like to think that I am more a marketing strategist. My target audience is the American people, and the commodity I am trying to get them to buy is Liberty. Just as do the advertisements on TV, which try to get you to purchase the product they are promoting, I have used various tactics to get people to think. I have tried to educate them, I have tried to play upon their pride, or make them angry.

A marketing campaign is judged effective when it motivates people to purchase whatever it is they are advertising. Nothing I have done has been effective in changing the opinions of a sufficient number of people in this country. If I were getting paid to do this, I would have been fired a long time ago.

However, I do not do this for pay. I do it out of love for my country, and more importantly, love for my own rights and liberty. I feel like a person who is locked in a room filled with someone who is intent upon committing murder/suicide, with me as the murder victim.

The thing that people don’t understand, especially when it comes to rights, is that when allow the government to infringe upon their rights, it is not only theirs that they give up, but they are allowing the government to take the rights of others away as well.

And that is what I am trying to prevent, the loss of my own rights, my own liberty. Personally, I don’t really care if YOU want to live as a slave to your government. Just leave me out of your twisted dream of social equality and Utopian society!

Ever see the old science fiction movie, Invasion of the Body Snatchers? The story revolves around a town where the people are slowly being replaced by exact duplicates, except that they have no emotions.

I often feel that way, except that instead of a lack of emotion, people have a lack of patriotism. Patriotism is not blind devotion to your country, right or wrong. To me, patriotism is loyalty to the principles upon which this country was founded.

I once stood in a room an raised my hand and stated, “I, Neal H. Ross, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic…” At the time that oath meant little to me, I was joining the Air Force because I could not find a steady job elsewhere.

However, now that oath forms the foundation for all that I do. When it says all enemies, foreign, AND DOMESTIC, it does not single out, nor exclude anyone. ANYONE who thinks that the actions of my government are perfectly acceptable fall into that category. Those who are employed by the government and who are only doing their jobs, but nevertheless, enforcing unconstitutional laws, fall into that category. Finally, since it is our government which creates these unconstitutional laws, and agencies, they sit at the top of the pyramid of, what I consider to be, domestic enemies to the Constitution.

I do not know what happens once I hit the SEND button and my articles make their way out to readers. Feedback is one method of gauging my effectiveness, but it is not the best. What would show me that I have been effective is by seeing a massive change in attitude of the people, and their concept of the purpose of government.

If suddenly I saw people committing random acts of civil disobedience, disobeying laws that have no foundation upon the Constitution, then I would consider my time well spent.

If I suddenly saw overwhelming numbers of third party candidates replacing the well polished snake oil salesmen of the Republican and Democratic parties, I would consider my efforts worth the time.

But, I don’t see this happening. I see people tolerating one after another infringements of their rights. I see them lining up for government handouts that their government is not entitled to give out, and a free man would never take.

That is why New Years Eve is so melancholy for me. I see more of the same in the future, and, to tell you the truth, I am getting downright tired of it. It is like a huge mudslide towards tyranny and oppression that I am powerless to stop.

So, go ahead, look to the coming year with hope. Not, me. I am a realist and I see what lies on the horizon. So, call me the party-pooper, but I will ask you to keep one thing in mind as we make our way through 2011. At this time next year, I want you to ask yourself if your life is better, or worse than it was a year ago.

I already know the answer. I could tell you, but it is better that you THINK about it for yourself when 2012 arrives. That is, if there is anything left of this country by then.

~ The Author ~
Neal Ross can be reached for comments at bonsai@syix.com. Visit Neal’s Blog at http://www.zombie-slayer.com/neal