The Crisis
“These are the times that try men’s souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” -Thomas Paine, The Crisis, Dec. 19, 1776[1]
The West is looking like the Western Roman Empire of the 5th century.
Inflation has turned the US Republic into an empire with the Senate losing authority to the President (Caesar).[2][3]
The Caesar (Joe Biden) even looks like the later Western Roman emperors who were puppets of powerful personalities fighting over redistributing the remaining wealth to their followers.[4][5]
The provinces in the empire are revolting against lockdowns.[6][7][8]
The withdrawal from Afghanistan has turned to shambles.[9]
Australia has reverted to being a penal colony and is now the poster child of domestic tyranny in the West.[10]
These are not our darkest days.
On Christmas Eve 1776, The Crisis was read to the Continental Army by George Washington right before crossing the Delaware River. It was a desperate gamble to defeat Hessian mercenaries after a year of disastrous defeats in battle. The Revolution was days from collapse. Most of Washington’s army had their terms of enlistment expire days before on December 20th and most of the rest would have terms of enlistment expire on New Year’s day so it was “victory of death.”[11]
The USA would go on to become the most powerful country in the history of the world.
These are the times that try men’s souls. Continuing with the original quote, Thomas Paine wrote,
“Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: It is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to set a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed, if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared, that she has a right (not only to TAX) but ‘to BIND us in ALL CASES WHATSOEVER,’ and if being bound in that manner is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is impious, for so unlimited a power can belong only to GOD.”
The West is looking like the Western Roman Empire of the 5th century. I pray that our renaissance begins soon.
[1]https://americainclass.org/sources/makingrevolution/war/text2/painecrisis1776.pdf
[2]https://www.hamiltonmobley.com/blog/r9tu385c22azkxuycdia7o3kludljh
[3]https://www.hamiltonmobley.com/blog/rlkhersiq93u5kirf2sicrhlg7m8fr
[4]http://thehistorymanatlarge.blogspot.com/2011/06/puppet-emperors-of-rome.html
[5]http://www.societasviaromana.net/Collegium_Historicum/principate10.php
[10]https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-58021718
[11]https://www.thehistoryreader.com/military-history/december-1776-victory-death/