Young Noah Webster

by KrisAnne Hall

I really don’t like the term “founding fathers” it gives this visual image of a bunch of old, white haired guys. Our Independence movement wasn’t the the result of a bunch of old guys getting fed up with government.  Oh, there were a few, but the majority of our liberty fighters were under the age of 40 with many in the 20’s and younger. John Adams would call them the “vigorous youth.” Noah Webster is a great example. Noah was barely 17 when he joined the Liberty movement and would become the writer of the Webster’s Dictionary, a brilliant rebellious act to remove all British spelling and pronunciation from the American speech.
The idea that our independence was established by a bunch of old guys is an impediment to the real source of strength …OUR vigorous youth. We somehow cling to the idea that age is needed to battle for Liberty, when in reality it has always been the youth that has driven such and endeavor. In our “maturity” we tend to be comfortable in our stations; ready to relax after a life of sweat and tears. We’ve done our labor, we’ve fought our fight, now it’s time for the youth to take over. This bit of human nature makes us comfortable and less likely to “rock the boat” or challenge the status quo. It is the youth who are the ones filled with dreams and aspiration; still rebellious in nature and feeling a bit immortal that will challenge and drive us to a new future in Liberty. So why don’t we take more time to foster that spirit?
Meet Gabriel. Gabriel attended my lunch lesson in Cottleville, MO for local law enforcement. Gabriel is not law enforcement; he has just started at the police academy. He said he didn’t even know who I was until about 30 days ago and found out I was going to be teaching and thought it would be a good thing to attend. In this particular lesson I teach the foundation of our Constitutional Republic, the difference between Kingdoms and what we are supposed to have, the real catalyst for the Declaration of Independence, and the source and proper applications of our 4th Amendment. It is a lesson I have prepared especially for law enforcement so they can better understand what they are pledging to when they take their oath and what it means to uphold it.
Gabriel seemed to really soak up the teaching. After the class Gabriel walked me out to my car; he wanted to ask me some questions. He told me that he heard about me a few weeks ago and really enjoyed my radio show. He has downloaded all my podcasts to his phone and is listening to them like an audio book. You have to know that just made my heart soar. He then told me that he wants to be a peace officer, but he wants to do it right, by following the Constitution and NOT violating people’s Liberty. He was very concerned about how to deal with the instruction that he was going to get in the academy. He recognized that the academy was going to likely teach him how to circumvent the Constitution to do his job rather than how to follow it. This distressed him. I said you can be a light. You can be a voice of truth. I told him I would be more than happy to help him make sure that he understood his role and responsibility under the Constitution. I explained that, while in class, rather than being obstructive and defensive about the lessons he should plant seeds of question and reason. One of my favorite set of questions to pose to people to want to justify circumventing the Constitution for safety or security are these: “ Don’t we call people who circumvent the law criminals? Isn’t the Constitution the Supreme Law of the Land? Doesn’t that make us criminals if we have to circumvent the Constitution to do our job?” Planting these seeds will lead to the same types of revelations that drove Sheriff Richard Mack to start the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association. (www.cspoa.org).
I told Gabriel that our law enforcement is getting a really bad reputation lately. Not because ALL officers are tyrants with badges but because the majority of good officers are unwilling to stand and condemn the few bad ones. They are being consumed by the bad apples through their silence.
Gabriel is writing his first paper and giving his first presentation at the police academy on the militarization of the police; when safety and security goes too far. I am very proud to know Gabriel. I am very proud to know that he is going to bring honor and a standard of oathkeeping back to a profession that seems to have lost its way. Gabriel is beginning his peace officer journey by laying a proper foundation; a foundation in truth, a foundation in history, a foundation in the Constitution and a dedication to Liberty First!
Let’s encourage Gabriel to have the strength to stand and be a real oathkeeper. I loaded him down with training (books and DVDs), now the Liberty First Brigade can become his family. Do what you do best. Share this story and encourage him and others like him! Let’s stop talking about founding fathers and start encouraging some founding brothers and sons!