Ah, 1776 — a time when the ruling aristocracy taxed Americans without their say, destroyed printing presses of those publishers demanding liberty, and jailed outspoken critics for treason. How things have changed — not! If there were one indispensable truth to be learned from America’s glorious Independence, it is this: governments do not give freedom; they take freedom away.
Any smooth-talking politician who pretends that government should be praised for the “gifts” it bestows upon the people is a smiling agent of the Crown fashioning new chains for citizens to wear. Laws, taxes, and regulations do not liberate human beings; they are the bricks and mortar trapping us inside ever-smaller cells.
Government is the destroyer of liberty. Bureaucracies do not light the flame of freedom; they snuff freedom’s light out. People alone (separate from the organizing strictures of the State) secure their liberty by pushing back against and restraining the otherwise ever-growing oppression of power-hungry governments. Citizens hold the keys to their own prison cells. They must only find the courage to open up their doors and walk outside. This was true in 1776; it is no less true today.
What is remarkable about the period leading up to the American Revolution is how quickly public sentiment shifted. By and large, colonists saw themselves as loyal servants of the English Crown until, suddenly, they were not. They celebrated King George III’s birthday each year. They formed militias to aid their king in wars against his European foes. As late as 1775, few Americans desired anything so radical as political Independence. The idea seemed far-fetched.
A year after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, half a year after the publication of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, and a month after Richard Henry Lee of Virginia urged the Second Continental Congress to declare the United Colonies, “free and independent States,” Americans were well on their way to separating from the British Empire for good. Colonial delegates agreed to a Resolution for Independence on July 2, approved Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence on July 4, began publishing the Declaration on July 6, and publicly read the Declaration in Philadelphia’s Independence Square on July 8. A year later, Philadelphia celebrated July 4 as an official Independence Day holiday with music, bonfires, parades, military processions, speeches, and fireworks. From loyal servants of the Crown to rebellious rabble-rousers who staged mock funerals for King George in the space of two years. Sometimes History comes at you fast.
Fifteen years earlier, American colonists had been fighting alongside British redcoats in the French and Indian War. Now they were conducting guerrilla warfare campaigns against English garrisons and seizing English vessels. America had no navy; young fishermen and sea merchants created one. America lacked well-trained, professional soldiers. Sharpshooting hunters with accurate long rifles had to suffice. America didn’t have enough young men to bear alone the burden of fighting. Old veterans, patriotic young women, and dedicated wives became instrumental to the Revolution’s success.
Samuel Whittemore, around eighty years old when the British marched on Lexington, is often credited as the oldest colonial combatant. His obituary recounts the remarkable man’s heroics on April 19, 1775. “If I can only be the instrument of killing one of my country’s foes I shall die in peace,” he reportedly declared. Killing a redcoat with his rifle, taking out two more with his horse pistols, and drawing a sword to defend himself from advancing soldiers, Whittemore was shot in the face and bayonetted several times. “We have killed the old rebel,” the British allegedly exclaimed. “About four hours after,” his obituary records, Whittemore “was found in a mangled situation…but providentialy none” of the blades had “penetrated so far as to destroy him; his hat and cloaths [sic] were shot through in many places, yet he survived to see the complete overthrow of his enemies, and his country enjoy all the blessings of peace and independence.” Now that’s an obituary! Amazingly, Captain Whittemore lived another eighteen years after being left for dead.
I like to think that men such as Samuel Whittemore scared the bejesus out of the British Regulars. The Crown’s professional soldiers marched in formation and followed rules of gentlemanly conduct, and out of nowhere, some eighty-year-old madman was jumping out from behind a wall and firing on them without warning. “You’re not playing by the rules,” I bet they cried. “What rules?” Whittemore probably replied.
His story reminds me of that of Daniel Morgan, who formed a company of Virginia riflemen and marched six hundred miles to Boston in under three weeks in the summer of ‘75. During the French and Indian War, Morgan had been lashed five hundred times (yet miraculously survived) for punching an English officer in the face. He never forgot the lesson. In Massachusetts, he ordered his legendary snipers to take out British officers who believed they were well out of range. The British army was outraged. Morgan didn’t care.
In his memoir, Private Yankee Doodle, Joseph Plumb Martin described the heroics of Mary Ludwig Hays at the Battle of Monmouth. When her husband went down in the fighting, Hays began loading cannon in his place. Martin described the scene: “A cannon shot from the enemy passed directly between her legs without doing any other damage than carrying away all the lower part of her petticoat. Looking at it with apparent unconcern, she observed that it was lucky it did not pass a little higher, for in that case it might have carried away something else.” Pennsylvania later rewarded her with a veteran’s pension.
Another woman, Deborah Sampson, disguised herself as a man and enlisted in the Continental Army as Robert Shurtleff. As part of a light infantry unit, she was involved in many skirmishes and got shot twice — and even removed one of the musket balls herself to avoid discovery. She was later honorably discharged, married a farmer, and received a military pension from the state of Massachusetts. Incredibly, Congress later granted her a federal military pension after the intervention of a rather famous friend — Paul Revere.
Never underestimate ordinary people determined to advance a cause. In the eighteenth century, the British redcoats were the preeminent fighting force in the world and represented the most powerful empire on the planet. Still, they could not best colonial irregulars who were willing to risk all for victory. Guns and bombs win battles. Hearts and minds win wars.
I look back at the feats of Deborah Sampson, Mary Hays, Daniel Morgan, and Samuel Whittemore and see a common attribute: they were men and women worth listening to. In my mind, there is no higher honor. We should all strive to conduct our lives in such a way that others might stop and listen to what we have to say. Those worth listening to tend to be people of principle, courage, conviction, and honor. During the American Revolution, our country was blessed with an extraordinary share of exceptional people.
Do not doubt that America is still blessed with an outsized share of heroes. I’ve met many. I’ve seen amazing people make tremendous sacrifices. I know many of you are heroes because I’ve had the chance to read your comments and reflect upon your words. If we were ever facing hardship as our ancestors did nearly two hundred and fifty years ago, I would want you all in a foxhole with me.
This patriotic time of year always reminds me of someone who is gone but never forgotten — Lloyd Marcus III, who passed away nearly four years ago. A tireless defender of America who loved his country dearly, the “Unhyphenated American” was unquestionably a man worth listening to. In spirit, he will always be in our foxhole, too.
Happy Independence Day!
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
To all those who won our freedom, to all those who fought to preserve our freedom, and to all those will have to fight to once more regain our freedom; I salute you. A toast to the true American spirit.