“The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission.”
—John F. Kennedy
Yesterday, July 3, was Julian Assange’s fifty-second birthday and fifth year in Belmarsh. He faces the harrowing prospect of extradition to a supermax prison in the country whose war crimes he exposed—the America that is a traitorous facsimile of the nation it once was.
Assange may be sentenced to 175 years for fulfilling the spirit of these words from Thomas Jefferson:
“Educate and inform the whole mass of the people.… They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.”
I dedicated my poem “Ode to a Whistleblower” to Julian and his recently departed friend, the heroic whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg, whose dying wish was to see his friend liberated:
I’m spending the Fourth of July seeing the sound of freedom and spending the next few hours brainstorming with a friend of mine who has been planning the construction of an aftercare for these kids for about a year now. He has the money. I am going to help with advice, regarding medical and psychological practitioners to utilize. I especially am concerned with the kind of medical care they’re going to get, considering that some medical care could be worse than the slavery trauma that they’ve been through pray for the project and for all the aftercare places that are already in existence
I see America, and, actually, life as a whole, as a case of: We aren’t where we want to be, but we ain’t where we were. There is ALWAYS room for improvement, in both our personal and national/political lives, which we should strive for, always, but which should not keep us from acknowledging genuine improvement and progress when and where it happens. As I get older, I appreciate America, warts and all, more and more. That appreciation in no way diminishes many shameful stains on our original stated ideals, nor the more recent abominations of government surveillance, coercion, censorship, etc. But American for me, its greatness, lies in its people, not the perverted denizens of the government machinery….and that greatness is, in many ways, truly unique.
All of my great-grandparents, 3 of my grandparents, one of my parents, and my wife, were all born outside of the USA, and each and every one of them was, and is, deeply grateful for the safe harbor and opportunity which they found here.
God bless America, and god bless you Jeff, for all you do, and all you stand for!
Surprisingly, me, being the dry-humored, in-control person that I am, began to cry as I read the end of your piece today, Jeff. The rally to have hope and the promises of God in Revelation was a tear jerker for me this morning. Thank you for a great start of this day!
Dearest Jeff and the C&C crew: as a Conservative JEIWSH woman , I read this stack every day! Please don’t disrespect us of the Jewish faith by writing our words improperly in lower case. I would never disrespect my Christian brothers and sisters thusly. Do we have work to do in our Jewish community? Absolutely! But I will never give up on this glorious country that is rooted in the bible given to the Jews by Hashem. Thank you for your writings, please don’t ever forget your readers are well represented across the spectrum! G!d bless these United States and it’s people!
BEAUTIFUL!!!!! You have a gift, and thank you for sharing with us. Rev 21. One day all will be made perfect and we will walk with the King, the one true God! One day, all of this- and the grieving we have right now on all levels- will be wiped away. HERE’S TO THE MIGHTY, COURAGEOUS REMNANT! ❤️🇺🇸❤️🇺🇸❤️🇺🇸
It's telling how the people in the NYT's article, when faced with something they don't like, choose to hate or destroy it rather than improve it. It's more telling that it's their country. Remember, there are people trying to break us down to the most inane personality blocks like sexual preferences, race, obscure political opinions because the less people are united regardless of the aforementioned characteristics the more they can control you. Don't let them do it. Happy 4th everyone!
I don't 'not celebrate' July 4th, but it is no longer what it once was to me.
I honor the past of what we once were, but do not, will not, can not honor what we are now, a nation that proudly and aggressively promotes and celebrates degeneracy and lawlessness. I have hope for the future, but I also doubt that that future will be one that has what we currently recognize as America in it.
I served my country in combat, and in law enforcement. I gave the best years of my life and sacrificed my body willingly. But over time the veils were lifted from my eyes by the actions of the very government that I had pledged to defend, and that is a broken promise that can never be remade, never be made whole again. I will resist the government, but I still love the country, and what it once stood for.
For ME, it is now longer a day of celebration, but one for remembrance of what was, and the hope of what may be...
Thank you for perspective and wisdom. God bless the work you are doing and may He open the ears and hearts of those that hear the truth. And we shall be free indeed…
Keep on keeping on!!! You are continuing to be light and truth for so many of us “ Patriotic, freedom loving Americans “ who are grateful for your words of wisdom and factual letters !!!! I just want you to know that there was no dearth of patriotic displays of celebrating Independence Day eve where I am this wonderful holiday!!! Fireworks and American flags everywhere you look!!! Enjoy today and every day, and keep on keeping on!!!!🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
The year they didn’t have the large fireworks displays in our area was the year I saw and heard THE most spectacular displays in every neighborhood. It was a constant stream of lights and sounds of our freedom. Everywhere you looked fireworks were in the air. I was so choked up driving around and seeing it. When they decided it wasn’t “safe” for us to have the large displays, like we are stupid children that they think we are, the people in our area created their own displays and proudly sent a message that we will not be controlled. We will not be silenced!
Thank you Jeff for the light you bring, however small it seems sometimes, but it is a light that shines in the darkness and perhaps can only be seen in the darkness. All light converges together in day, but a tiny light is so bright at night. Don’t underestimate the tremendous effect you have had in our country. Your tiny spark has started an inferno that is spreading. I can feel it in my bones that this country’s heart has begun to beat again.
Happy 4th everyone! Take courage! The battle has only begun, but we fight on God’s side and He will give us victory in the end!
I love you too Jeff. And for reminding us of “whose” we are…Gods children. We just need to act
Iike it. And also for the pep talk to keep us looking forward and inspired.
And every adult and older teen should go see “Sound of Freedom”. I didn’t want to go. Such a terrifying subject but we need to stare this evil down. Not allow it to take another child or adult.
☕️ INDEPENDENCE DAY ☙ Tuesday, July 4th, 2023 ☙ C&C NEWS 🦠
“The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission.”
—John F. Kennedy
Yesterday, July 3, was Julian Assange’s fifty-second birthday and fifth year in Belmarsh. He faces the harrowing prospect of extradition to a supermax prison in the country whose war crimes he exposed—the America that is a traitorous facsimile of the nation it once was.
Assange may be sentenced to 175 years for fulfilling the spirit of these words from Thomas Jefferson:
“Educate and inform the whole mass of the people.… They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.”
I dedicated my poem “Ode to a Whistleblower” to Julian and his recently departed friend, the heroic whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg, whose dying wish was to see his friend liberated:
• “Ode to a Whistleblower” (https://margaretannaalice.substack.com/p/ode-to-a-whistleblower)
In the spirit of Independence Day, let us raise our voices in the growing chorus to #FreeAssange. As I write in my poem:
“We will trill your truth.
We will warble your song.
We will whistle your secret
to the world, until there are
too many of us to silence.”
Seats E1, E2, E3, E4. 6:30pm. July 3, 2023
Sound of Freedom
Wow. Wrecked in the first 10 minutes. Exposure the rest of the way.
This movie is but a small step in the right direction. We all know it’s going on. We all know it goes on in other countries. Third world countries.
When?
When will it be exposed on American soil?
When will the truth come out here?
How long O Lord must the children wait for the Sound of Freedom?
How long O Lord must we wait for justice?
I’m spending the Fourth of July seeing the sound of freedom and spending the next few hours brainstorming with a friend of mine who has been planning the construction of an aftercare for these kids for about a year now. He has the money. I am going to help with advice, regarding medical and psychological practitioners to utilize. I especially am concerned with the kind of medical care they’re going to get, considering that some medical care could be worse than the slavery trauma that they’ve been through pray for the project and for all the aftercare places that are already in existence
"Those who expect to reap the blessing of freedom must undertake to support it."
"It is not in numbers, but in unity, that our great strength lies."
- Thomas Paine
I see America, and, actually, life as a whole, as a case of: We aren’t where we want to be, but we ain’t where we were. There is ALWAYS room for improvement, in both our personal and national/political lives, which we should strive for, always, but which should not keep us from acknowledging genuine improvement and progress when and where it happens. As I get older, I appreciate America, warts and all, more and more. That appreciation in no way diminishes many shameful stains on our original stated ideals, nor the more recent abominations of government surveillance, coercion, censorship, etc. But American for me, its greatness, lies in its people, not the perverted denizens of the government machinery….and that greatness is, in many ways, truly unique.
All of my great-grandparents, 3 of my grandparents, one of my parents, and my wife, were all born outside of the USA, and each and every one of them was, and is, deeply grateful for the safe harbor and opportunity which they found here.
God bless America, and god bless you Jeff, for all you do, and all you stand for!
Surprisingly, me, being the dry-humored, in-control person that I am, began to cry as I read the end of your piece today, Jeff. The rally to have hope and the promises of God in Revelation was a tear jerker for me this morning. Thank you for a great start of this day!
Dearest Jeff and the C&C crew: as a Conservative JEIWSH woman , I read this stack every day! Please don’t disrespect us of the Jewish faith by writing our words improperly in lower case. I would never disrespect my Christian brothers and sisters thusly. Do we have work to do in our Jewish community? Absolutely! But I will never give up on this glorious country that is rooted in the bible given to the Jews by Hashem. Thank you for your writings, please don’t ever forget your readers are well represented across the spectrum! G!d bless these United States and it’s people!
BEAUTIFUL!!!!! You have a gift, and thank you for sharing with us. Rev 21. One day all will be made perfect and we will walk with the King, the one true God! One day, all of this- and the grieving we have right now on all levels- will be wiped away. HERE’S TO THE MIGHTY, COURAGEOUS REMNANT! ❤️🇺🇸❤️🇺🇸❤️🇺🇸
It's telling how the people in the NYT's article, when faced with something they don't like, choose to hate or destroy it rather than improve it. It's more telling that it's their country. Remember, there are people trying to break us down to the most inane personality blocks like sexual preferences, race, obscure political opinions because the less people are united regardless of the aforementioned characteristics the more they can control you. Don't let them do it. Happy 4th everyone!
I don't 'not celebrate' July 4th, but it is no longer what it once was to me.
I honor the past of what we once were, but do not, will not, can not honor what we are now, a nation that proudly and aggressively promotes and celebrates degeneracy and lawlessness. I have hope for the future, but I also doubt that that future will be one that has what we currently recognize as America in it.
I served my country in combat, and in law enforcement. I gave the best years of my life and sacrificed my body willingly. But over time the veils were lifted from my eyes by the actions of the very government that I had pledged to defend, and that is a broken promise that can never be remade, never be made whole again. I will resist the government, but I still love the country, and what it once stood for.
For ME, it is now longer a day of celebration, but one for remembrance of what was, and the hope of what may be...
Thank you for perspective and wisdom. God bless the work you are doing and may He open the ears and hearts of those that hear the truth. And we shall be free indeed…
Dear Jeff,
Keep on keeping on!!! You are continuing to be light and truth for so many of us “ Patriotic, freedom loving Americans “ who are grateful for your words of wisdom and factual letters !!!! I just want you to know that there was no dearth of patriotic displays of celebrating Independence Day eve where I am this wonderful holiday!!! Fireworks and American flags everywhere you look!!! Enjoy today and every day, and keep on keeping on!!!!🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Happy Independence Day to our favourite freedom-fighting Floridian!
The year they didn’t have the large fireworks displays in our area was the year I saw and heard THE most spectacular displays in every neighborhood. It was a constant stream of lights and sounds of our freedom. Everywhere you looked fireworks were in the air. I was so choked up driving around and seeing it. When they decided it wasn’t “safe” for us to have the large displays, like we are stupid children that they think we are, the people in our area created their own displays and proudly sent a message that we will not be controlled. We will not be silenced!
Thank you Jeff for the light you bring, however small it seems sometimes, but it is a light that shines in the darkness and perhaps can only be seen in the darkness. All light converges together in day, but a tiny light is so bright at night. Don’t underestimate the tremendous effect you have had in our country. Your tiny spark has started an inferno that is spreading. I can feel it in my bones that this country’s heart has begun to beat again.
Happy 4th everyone! Take courage! The battle has only begun, but we fight on God’s side and He will give us victory in the end!
I love you too Jeff. And for reminding us of “whose” we are…Gods children. We just need to act
Iike it. And also for the pep talk to keep us looking forward and inspired.
And every adult and older teen should go see “Sound of Freedom”. I didn’t want to go. Such a terrifying subject but we need to stare this evil down. Not allow it to take another child or adult.
Go see it and tell everyone you know!!
Happy Independence Day!! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!