I had a dream the other night I didn\u2019t understand,
\nA figure walking through the mist, with flintlock in his hand.
\nHis clothes were torn and dirty, as he stood there by my bed,
\nHe took off his three-cornered hat, and speaking low he said:
\n\u201cWe fought a revolution to secure our liberty,
\nWe wrote the Constitution, as a shield from tyranny.
\nFor future generations, this legacy we gave,
\nIn this, the land of the free and home of the brave.
\nThe freedom we secured for you, we hoped you\u2019d always keep,
\nBut tyrants labored endlessly while your parents were asleep,
\nYour freedom gone, your courage lost, you\u2019re no more than a slave,
\nIn this, the land of the free and the home of the brave.
\nYou buy permits to travel, and permits to own a gun,
\nPermits to start a business, or to build a place for one.
\nOn land you believe you own, you pay a yearly rent,
\nAlthough you have no voice in choosing how the money\u2019s spent.
\nYour children must attend a school that doesn\u2019t educate,
\nYour moral values can\u2019t be taught, according to the state.
\nYou read about current \u201cnews\u201d in a very biased press,
\nYou pay a tax you do not owe, to please the IRS.
\nYour money is no longer made of silver or of gold,
\nYou trade your wealth for paper, so like can be controlled.
\nYou pay for crimes that make our Nation turn from God to shame,
\nYou\u2019ve taken Satan\u2019s number, as you\u2019ve traded in your name.
\nYou\u2019ve given government control to those who do you harm.
\nSo they can padlock churches, and steal the family farm.
\nAnd keep our country deep in debt, put men of God in jail,
\nHarass your fellow countryman while corrupted courts prevail.
\nYour public servants don\u2019t uphold the solemn oath they\u2019re sworn,
\nYour daughters visit doctors so children won\u2019t be born.
\nYour leaders ship artillery and guns to foreign shores,
\nAnd send your sons to slaughter, fighting other people\u2019s wars.
\nCan you regain your Freedom for which we fought and died?
\nOr don\u2019t you have the courage, or the faith to stand with pride?
\nAre there no more values for which you\u2019ll fight to save?
\nOr do you wish your children to live in fear and be a slave?
\nSons of the Republic arise and take a stand!
\nDefend the Constitution, the Supreme law of the land!
\nPreserve our Republic and each God-given right!
\nAnd pray to God to keep the torch of freedom burning bright!\u201d
\nAs I awoke he vanished, in the mist from whence he came,
\nHis words were true, we are not free, and we have ourselves to blame.
\nFor even now as tyrants trample each God-given right,
\nWe only watch and tremble, too afraid to stand and fight.
\nIf he stood by your bedside in a dream while you\u2019re asleep,
\nAnd wonder what remains of your right he fought to keep.
\nWhat would be your answer if he called out from the grave?
\n\u201cIs this still the land of the free and home of the brave?\u201d
\nThelen Paulk, 1986<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I had a dream the other night I didn\u2019t understand, A figure walking through the mist, with flintlock in his hand. His clothes were torn and dirty, as he stood there by my bed, He took off his three-cornered hat, and speaking low he said: \u201cWe fought a revolution to secure our liberty, We wrote … <\/p>\n