In many parts of the country... it's hot. In fact,
it's more than hot... it's sweltering. Yet, despite the
heat and the generally somber mood of the country, there
will be 4th of July celebrations all across this
country. It will be a day of flag waving, barbeques,
family gatherings, street parades, and picnic lunches.
Each of them will commemorate the founding of this
country, and each will remember the sacrifice of those
brave patriots and every solder that has come after them
who has fought for liberty and freedom.
However, ten years before America actually declared her
independence, revolution had begun. And that revolution
began under a 100-year-old elm tree in Boston, when on
September 10, 1765, a copper plate with large gold
letters was hung in its branches, declaring the tree
"The Tree of Liberty."
To understand the inscription, we need to realize what
was happening at the time. The British had accumulated a
massive war debt during the French and Indian War and
they needed a way to pay it off. Much like today, the
first and most obvious means of raising revenue was
through a tax. And on March 22, 1765, the Stamp Act was
passed by the British Parliament.
This tax had an effect the British were not expecting...
it enraged the colonists like no other tax had up
to that point.
You see, the Stamp Act required a tax be paid on ALL
documents: legal documents, permits, commercial
contracts, newspapers, pamphlets, and even playing
cards! The colonists viewed the tax not only as an
onerous financial burden, but as a form of censorship
since it would limit the colonists' ability to read and
write freely.
The colonists' anger would not be abated, and one hot
summer day, August 14th, 1765, a crowd gathered around
this large elm tree in Boston to protest this onerous
tax. In the tree they hung an effigy of Andrew Oliver,
the man charged with collecting the Stamp Tax. There was
also a British cavalry jackboot hanging from the
branches. An imp-like devil poked its head out of the
boot. In its hands was a scroll that said "Stamp Tax."
This was the first blatant act of defiance against the
British Empire. This is why the great elm tree became
known as "The Tree of Liberty." And this was just
the beginning! As 1766 rolled around, the tree
became a rallying point for the Sons of Liberty, men who
were to become the leaders and champions of the
forthcoming American Revolution.
Even after the Stamp Act was repealed, the revolutionary
movement continued to gather steam. And with the siege
of Boston, the first phase of the American Revolution
began. British Loyalists cut down the Tree of Liberty in
a spiteful act of retaliation against the liberty-minded
colonists. But the memories and values that tree
represented continued to live on in the hearts of the
colonists. Soon flags began to appear with the Liberty
Tree image emblazoned on them and were flown in many
battles during the Revolutionary War.
And yet, for all that the Liberty Tree stood for, few
Americans today know about this important chapter in
American history. We have lost our way... we have
forgotten where we came from. Our national memory of
these events have been all but left in the dustbin of
history. Children today can't even tell us who the
Founding Fathers were. They can't tell us why this great
experiment in liberty was even begun. And they don't
understand the basis of what Americans have inherently
believed through the years and why. Perhaps this is why
Thomas Jefferson cautioned:
"Yes, we did produce a near perfect Republic, but will
they keep it? Or will they in their enjoyment of plenty,
lose the memory of their freedom? Material abundance
without character is the surest way to destruction.
I tremble for my country when I realize that God is
just."
Look around you. What we have today is exactly what
Jefferson described: "Material abundance without
character." And that lack of character brings us lack of
morals and integrity in the political process, with
elected officials who are more worried about the money
they can squirrel away in their freezers and offshore
accounts than they are about keeping the Republic. We
live in a time when avarice and illusions of power
compel men and women to enslave their constituents in
onerous tax burdens and to deprive them of their
inherent rights under God.
We need to remember. We need to remember how our
liberty was won. We need to remember the virtues of
faith, love, and self-discipline. We need to remember
the values and morals that made this country great. With
that in mind, I want to tell you about something we
created that commemorates our country's fight for
freedom in exquisite detail.
The Liberty Blanket
The Liberty Blanket is a thick warm blanket made in
America with 100% all-natural cotton. In the center of
the blanket is an image of the Liberty Tree -- the same
tree that was a rallying point for the Sons of
Liberty... the same tree that became a symbol of the
colonists' unwavering spirit of liberty.
Above the Liberty Tree is the statement "Appeal to God."
This phrase was used regularly by Washington and other
Founding Fathers to announce to the world that their
rights and liberties came from a sovereign Creator.
In the corners of the blanket are four images that
represent the four pillars of American freedom:
Education, Church, Civil Government, and Justice.
I know... it's hot out there. But this blanket is the
perfect picnic blanket for summer celebrations. It's the
perfect tool for striking up a conversation with your
friends, family, and neighbors. If we want to restore
our Republic, then we're going to have to educate our
fellow citizens on her beginnings and why we're here
today. What better way to open a conversation than with
this beautiful blanket and all the symbolism represented
on it?
These Liberty Blankets are regularly $59.95, but they
are on sale right now for a special 4th of July price of
just $39.95 each. Order your Liberty blanket today,
and begin spreading the truth of our American heritage.
>>>>Click
here to order your Liberty Blanket today! <<<<
P.S. The Liberty Blanket reminds us that we are one
nation under God. It reminds us that liberty comes at a
price, and that we must be vigilant if we want to
preserve that liberty. Consider getting two or three
Liberty Blankets and give the extras away as gifts. Go
to:
www.LibertyBlanket.com
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