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LETTERS / A Call to Arms

Dear Readers,

Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country. Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country. Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country….. How many thousands began typing class with this phrase without a thought of its meaning? Is now the time to begin a revolution to bring freedom back to America? No, not with guns as our ancestors fought against a tyrannical king, but pens, pencils, phones or email… All the modern methods at our disposal that reach millions and begin a ground-swell much like that seen in the Mama and Papa Bear movements of Loudon and Fairfax Counties in Virginia. Many of which were begun around the kitchen table.

I have fond memories of my mom throwing together a tasty meal for 8 after a hard days work, sitting around the family dinner table and discussing our days with each other. Little did I know the life tools I learned and the impression it made on me during these family times. As my own family grew I demanded this time for my children. Time for my husband and I to hear their concerns, and teach them the values we hold dear in our family. We often replaced halfheartedness by teaching perseverance and grace, rudeness replaced with respect of and forgiveness to everyone, laziness with a good work ethic and the world’s values with Christian values.

My hope is that this phrase is a Call-To-Action for families to get back to the basics and the politics of the kitchen table all in the framework of FREEDOM. Teach your children that freedom is not free in the history of your family patriots that gave the last measure of freedom to insure future generations of Americans remain free. Teach them perseverance to face whatever comes at them in this life and grace to handle adversity. Teach them respect for those in authority with a laser focus on those promoting safety and freedom. Teach them that forgiveness does not mean giving in and that at the end of the day a hard day’s work has more valuable than the just a pay check. Teach them the value of our freedoms and why so many died for those freedoms. Teach them boldness to combat fear of ridicule and all other fears that creep into a young life. Most of all show them these values at work in your life. If you see something, say something.

Regardless of what you believe regarding the ambiguous origin of this phrase, either Patrick Henry or Charles E Weller, the meaning is no less important in these times of uncertainty for our beloved America. This call-to-arms should be taken seriously and that begins with kitchen table politics. Neither red or blue but American with FREEDOM at the center!

Anne-Marie Yates