Open Letter From Sara Chamberlain - "Open Letter from an American Coward"

[JohnyMac]

A good friend, who just got their General amateur radio ticket yesterday (Congrats), shared this open letter with me. Well worth your time to read. Enjoy - JMc

https://sarah-chamberlain-42954.medium.com/

Open Letter from an American Coward - Sarah Chamberlain

Please save, screenshot, etc., then boost.

I don’t usually ask for my content to be shared. What I am about to say though is perhaps the most important thing I will ever say in public, and in the present landscape of the internet, there is a very high probability that it is being silenced or erased even now as you read it. So, I am asking you to please, save an offline and/or archived copy of this letter RIGHT NOW.

If, once you’ve read this letter, you feel that it has any value or interest whatsoever, please, as a personal favor, send it on through whichever channels, to whichever people you feel safe doing so.

If you think what I say is absurd, please share my letter with your friends so you can all laugh at me.

If you think that what I say is evil, please share it with your friends so you can all rage at me.

If you think I deserve to be punished for what I say, please send my letter on to the “authorities” or to any person you think might hurt me for writing it. At least then, those people will have a chance to read it.

I am
an American, a New Hampshirewoman, a lover of liberty, and a happily married mother of four beautiful children. I have a wonderful life, a bright future, and could not ask for any greater blessing than those I have already received.

My enemies are
in a word, communists. Modern communists do not usually call themselves such. They do not talk about workers rising up and seizing the Means of Production.

Instead, modern communists adopt a rhetorical stance where they assume that all people and all property are ALREADY COLLECTIVIZED, then calmly discuss what WE should do:
- What WE should ALLOW people to own.
- What WE should ALLOW people to do.
- What WE should ALLOW people to say.
- How WE should ALLOW people to use their property.
- How WE should ALLOW people to conduct their businesses,
- … and WHO should be ALLOWED,
- … and WHERE.
- How WE should ALLOW people to raise their children.
- Who should be GIVEN which roles within society.
- etc.

The issue under discussion is always something sympathetic, something most decent people would like to see fixed: Intergenerational poverty, police brutality, environmental degradation, bigotry, violence.

But the solutions modern communists put forward are rarely passive, and they are never liberating. If a problem can be solved by individual action, voluntary charity, by the free market, or by the passage of time, that is never seen as good enough. In fact, nothing that fails to increase the power and control of governments or certain institutions (or to grow the people’s dependence on them) is ever regarded as a solution at all.

The people who do the work of modern communism, debating and voting on these “issues of the day” are mostly not aware of what they are doing. A majority of them are decent people who want real problems addressed. But their thinking is confined to a multiple choice question presented by prestige media and schools where only oppressive proposals are listed as options.

Even those higher up the food chain, the ones who create the policy proposals or set the bounds of debate around them are not usually conscious of the way they are manipulating the public. They are hobbled by a theory of history (care of the school system) where the past is merely a series of dragons slain by government policy, where everything is “systemic”, and where the free choices and conscientious actions of individuals have no meaningful effect.

This is how the enemy operates.
In order for modern communists to have the latitude to execute their plans, they need every citizen to be as weak and dependent as possible. They especially need the middle tiers of management, professions, and bureaucracy to be filled with minimally competent placeholders who owe their position to political and institutional favor. These sorts of people, since they are only able to achieve their present position through the system, are more pliable to coercion and less likely to see freedom in any aspect of life as promising or beneficial.

As a consequence, modern communists wage eternal war against every wholesome and sustainable aspect of life, society, and culture which gives people or communities strength and independence. They see it as desirable to destroy the natural optimum which people discover through freedom and competition and replace it with fragile, orchid-like solutions which could not thrive without government and/or institutional intervention:
- Those with demonstrable skills must be replaced by those with credentials.
- The self-employed must be reduced to the status of employees.
- Property must become regulated or burdened with tax and debt, and wherever possible, wealth must be rendered intangible as abstracted financial fictions constructed of laws.
- People must come to rely on government programs for security where they previously relied on themselves and each other.
- The traditional family and organic communities it forms, such as churches, must be invaded, defanged, and delegitimized to leave people at the mercy of authorities.

To a modern communist, “freedom” means the opportunity for individuals to choose some fundamentally maladaptive way of life and be protected from consequences, encouraged and subsidized by power.

The weaker you are, the more useful you are to those in power. Those who choose to be weak and dependent where they could be healthy and independent are collaborators.

This is what I see happening.
The American public has come to accept all the components of totalitarian states.
- We have come to accept a militarized police.
- We have come to accept ideological indoctrination in schools.
- We have come to accept mass surveillance.
- We have come to accept speech codes.
- We have come to accept the rewriting of history to serve the interests of the ruling party.
- We have come to accept the tarring of political dissidents as “terrorists”, “extremists”, and “White Supremacists.”
- We have come to accept the State telling us when and where we can meet.
- We have come to accept the State shutting down our places of worship.
- We have come to accept the idea that parents should have no special authority over their children.
- We have come to accept the manipulation of thought through the manipulation of language.
- We have come to accept the radical reordering of society by government in the name of crisis.

In the 2016 election, the full-throated manipulation by the mainstream press, academia, and the political establishment was so intense, and so obvious, that many people (myself included) who did not consider themselves “conservative” voted for Donald Trump just to poke a finger in the eye of Leviathan. So many people did so that his margin of victory exceeded the margin of cheat, and he was actually able to become president.

In the intervening years, the modern communists of both parties (though more so the Democrats) and those same media and academia mandarins have only doubled down on their commitment to subjugating the public and clamping down on our personal freedom and political prerogatives. Somehow, in losing electorally, we are to believe that their mandate for runaway collectivism and authoritarianism was strengthened.

Now, in the 2020 election, the fraud and manipulation became so glaringly obvious that, at the time of writing, at least 47% of all Americans, regardless of party loyalty, understand that the election was stolen and Joe Biden is illegitimate. Somehow though, it is still a long shot that Donald Trump, the person who has done more to expose the mendacity and incompetence of the ruling party and institutions than anyone else, will be seated as President.

Every one of those Americans who understands this must realize that this is it. This is the last moment for the American Republic, the last time we will even have a glimmer of a chance of an honest election result, and the last time any opposition to modern communism will be afforded space in the public square. And yet, neither I nor most of you are going to do anything about this situation that might risk our present status or comfort.

This is why I won’t yet act.
Unfortunately for me, the crisis has come either too late or too early. Our family has four young children, a single income, and a base of assets which could be easily lost but probably never replaced. We are maximally vulnerable to the sorts of attacks which collectivists bring against those who fight back.

Even so, if the fight were on, if the majority of Americans who this past election shows are opposed to creeping collectivism were on the march, I would risk it all to join them. No comfort, no wealth, not even life itself is as important as preserving the possibility of human freedom. The hive-society prison which is being built around us must be demolished at any cost.

But when I look around me, I see many people who are paralyzed as I am. We know that the fight for our republic is unavoidable, and that the time is now, but do not see a nucleus of resistance to which we can pledge our lives, fortunes, and sacred honors without it being tantamount to suicide. We are watching and waiting for someone else to be that nucleus.
Most people who have not committed to the cause of freedom are not conscious supporters of modern communism. Some hold out the futile hope that things will all go back to normal, others have convinced themselves that what is happening is inevitable and cannot be opposed. Both are dead wrong. As open struggle against collectivism, communism, authoritarianism, and globalism rises, both of these positions will weaken, and support for freedom will grow.

If you have the courage to act where I do not,
here is what I WILL do:
- If you speak out against them, I will listen.
- If you act against them, I will not stand in your way.
- If they portray you as uncool, cringey, old-fashioned, unintelligent, or low-class, I will not laugh at you or think less of you.
- If they call you a racist, sexist, xenophobe, homophobe, Nazi, granny killer, etc., I will not believe them, nor will I care.
- If they call you a terrorist or an extremist, I will not assume that you are in the wrong.
- When they ask me questions, I will lie, forget, or evade as I am able.
- When they tell me their version of history, I will smile and nod and know they are liars.
- If they dispossess you, I will share what I can.
- If they martyr you, my children will learn your name as that of a hero.
- If you have the courage to be shameless in opposing them, you will be honored in my house.
This is what I will remember.
1. The universities and the class of “experts” and “professionals” to whom they grant legitimacy have no constitutional role in the American Republic. No amount of schooling grants one authority over others, and no consensus among the educated should have the force of law.

2. The guarantee in the Constitution of “Freedom of the Press” is not a grant of authority to the legacy media or to professional journalists. It is, in fact, a right belonging to the people: WE have the right to publish and disseminate views and information the same as those who work for newspapers or television networks.

3. The Intelligence and Defense establishments of the US exist to secure the rights and liberties of the American people. The US has constructed a vast apparatus to deploy force, subvert or overthrow governments, and disseminate propaganda, but these activities are only legitimate when they are directed OUTWARD. When the geopolitical capabilities of the US government do not act to empower the American people and sustain our Constitution, they are just as criminal as the same actions taken by private citizens.

4. Law enforcement and defense against violence is the responsibility of each and every person. Even though we have become accustomed to having these services provided by professionals, they remain our right and our personal responsibility.
5. Education of the young is the responsibility of parents and natural communities. Even though we have become accustomed to having this service provided by professionals, it remains our right and our personal responsibility.
6. Provision of necessities such as food and shelter is the responsibility of each and every person. Even though we have become accustomed to these goods being delivered by a vast and interconnected economic machinery over which we have little control, it remains our right and our duty to provide for ourselves and those we care about.

7. Though peace, prosperity, happiness, and a long life are all wonderful conditions to experience, they are not what makes a human life worthwhile. Humans have dignity and value insofar as they are free agents struggling and striving to obtain these ends. “Treating someone as a human being” does not mean coddling them and providing for them like you would a child or a pet. It means getting out of their way and leaving them the freedom and latitude to provide for themselves.

8. Whoever relinquishes their freedom to obtain comfort or security is not acting as a human, but as an animal. Because our fates are all intertwined, such a person is betraying all of us, and does not deserve our concern or regard.

— Sarah Chamberlain

[Jackalope]

And there's a thoughtful reply to the Coward from Kit Perez, who's a well known conservative writer:

https://victorygirlsblog.com/an-open-letter-to-the-american-coward/

So did you get the Extra ticket??

[JohnyMac]

No. The class I was taking was a complete waste of time. It was not a class but a way to memorize answers to questions. I do not do that. I want to understand why I am picking 'A' in a test not just because through memorization, is the correct answer.

I will do 100% better teaching myself with frequent excursions off topic using the ineterwiz as my professor(s).

With all that written, I am about 50% there. I just took a practice exam and rated a 63%. Getting there 

Thanks for asking. 

[Nemo]

Reply.

Nemo


https://victorygirlsblog.com/an-open-letter-to-the-american-coward/

December 18, 2020
An Open Letter to the American Coward
An Open Letter to the American Coward
by Kit Perez in Cultural Issues, Everything Else 19 Comments

A few days ago, a woman in New Hampshire named Sarah Chamberlain posted a letter on Medium. It was titled “Open Letter From an American Coward.” In it, she lays out the situation before us as Americans who love liberty. She is dead on, and her words underline just how terrifying a position we are in. Thomas Paine wrote that “These are the times that try men’s souls,” and while his words were written to a battle-worn, freezing, hungry Continental Army, they may just as well have been written to us…to you. And to me.

What makes Sarah’s letter so poignant, however, is that even in the face of this looming disaster, the nearly-guaranteed end of our nation if we do not rise up and stop it, Sarah says she cannot be among those who stand, because not enough people are standing — and standing alone now is to sign one’s own death warrant.

    Unfortunately for me, the crisis has come either too late or too early. Our family has four young children, a single income, and a base of assets which could be easily lost but probably never replaced. We are maximally vulnerable to the sorts of attacks which collectivists bring against those who fight back…when I look around me, I see many people who are paralyzed as I am. We know that the fight for our republic is unavoidable, and that the time is now, but do not see a nucleus of resistance to which we can pledge our lives, fortunes, and sacred honors without it being tantamount to suicide. We are watching and waiting for someone else to be that nucleus.

She goes on, however, to say that for those who do choose to rise when she cannot, she wants them to remember something.

    If you have the courage to act where I do not,
    here is what I WILL do:
    – If you speak out against them, I will listen.
    – If you act against them, I will not stand in your way.
    – If they portray you as uncool, cringey, old-fashioned, unintelligent, or low-class, I will not laugh at you or think less of you.
    – If they call you a racist, sexist, xenophobe, homophobe, Nazi, granny killer, etc., I will not believe them, nor will I care.
    – If they call you a terrorist or an extremist, I will not assume that you are in the wrong.
    – When they ask me questions, I will lie, forget, or evade as I am able.
    – When they tell me their version of history, I will smile and nod and know they are liars.
    – If they dispossess you, I will share what I can.
    – If they martyr you, my children will learn your name as that of a hero.
    – If you have the courage to be shameless in opposing them, you will be honored in my house.

     

Dear Sarah,

I wonder how many in the current climate recognize the act of defiance it took for you to write your letter. There will be those who focus on your supposed “cowardice,” as if standing up in the current game of Whack-a-Mole is somehow bravery, and restraint is proof of spinelessness. In reality, it is not cowardice you possess, but a recognition that there are different roles to play in this war, and different times to play them. Not all roles require a rifle, and not all of them are being played right now. I cannot speak for anyone but myself, but I fear they will all be in much greater use sooner rather than later.

Anyone who has studied both the historical record and the current dilemma understands that unless we rise en masse, they will simply pick us off, one by one, taking what they can until we have nothing left to lose — or until there are none of us left. Whoever rises first will be vilified forever, their name seen as a synonym for “domestic terrorism” at best, and as an example of “pure evil” at worst. The atrocities around the world at the hands of Communism show us in no uncertain terms what our enemy is capable of…and willing to do to those who do not bow the knee. Ruby Ridge and Waco show us that it can and will happen here as well.

As I wrote a few days ago, the dehumanization of we who refuse to comply is already in full swing, and the screws tighten daily, leveraging citizen against citizen in a way that ensures we will become the hunted — not just by the tyrants, but by our own neighbors, and even our family and friends who see us as “the problem,” the bacteria infecting society. Your letter makes it clear you know exactly what is waiting for us on this path; it’s a familiar song, the ending of which too many have already forgotten. Those of us who are willing to rise sooner rather than later know the ending, but must wait a little longer for reasons too long for this reply. Our lives, fortunes, and sacred honor mean nothing if there is not liberty. Blindly throwing ourselves to the wolves, however, is not sacrifice; it is merely stupidity and an easy win for the enemy, who can then frame our actions in whatever way they see fit.

Your choice to raise your children and train them in freedom, to serve as a support mechanism instead of a front line partisan, is not a cowardly one. The time is coming soon when those fighting for freedom will need a place to hide, food to eat, and a way to communicate. You may be a conduit for supplies, information, and a safe place for a partisan to get a tiny bit of much-needed rest someday in the near future. This is all for naught if our children cannot live in freedom, but doubly so if they do not understand its cost.

The cause of liberty has been served by many who will forever remain nameless and faceless. They put their lives on the line in other ways, and while we will never know them all, we live in their debt just as deeply. Their sacrifice is no less, and their gift to us no less treasured.

There are those who are willing to be on the proverbial tip of the spear, and they see you as well. If they are students of their own role, they understand that yours is crucial too. Paine wrote that “If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace; and this single reflection, well applied, is sufficient to awaken every man to duty.” Duty doesn’t always mean a rifle, and I have no doubt that you, and many others like you, will find a way to serve in the coming trouble.

Your letter did not fill me with a sense of superiority or judgment for your position, and I do not believe that you are somehow worth less in the cause of freedom. If anything, it made me take heart, because I see you. I see your heart and your willingness to be part of the fight for liberty, if only as a “mere” cog in a larger system, one that is bigger than any of us.

There will be a time when you are needed to take up your role, and that day is coming so much faster than any of us would ever wish for. Perhaps a wounded patriot will find your door in desperate need of help. Maybe you will find a way to get supplies to those who are fighting. Maybe your role is simply to stay alive long enough to tell our story to your children. And if all else fails, in a time when there is seemingly no hope, someone has to pick up our rifles and keep fighting. Your letter says that you will, and that is all we can ask for.

In Liberty,

A Fellow Patriot
Incepto ne desistam
Joshua 1:9

[Jackalope]

    Yup, your way is the right way.  I see too many "paper" extras who don't have a clue about setting up and running a station.  I hate to say it, but it's true, the old way the tests were operated and administered at least forced people to understand the theory and the practical application.  In the old format, novices had to demonstrate 5 wpm Morse code, and the test was given by one amateur of general class or higher.  Knowing Morse code wasn't the key(no pun intended), but usually the prospective applicant had built up a relationship with the person giving the test, so they usually learned the practical aspect of operating a station.  The examiner usually became the mentor of the new ham and provided guidance, as necessary. (Kind of like a Jedi master)

   The more advanced classes were given by FCC employees, and in the more remote areas, the exams were only given 2-4 times per year, and there wasn't any exam books with all the questions and answers.  So because the tests were so infrequent, most folks put in extra studying time to ensure they passed.  I don't believe there was a provision to allow an unlicensed person to take multiple tests either.  I remember taking days off of work so that I could take the exam at a federal building.  I was one of those that held every class, including a coded extra, and back then the Advanced test was more difficult than the Extra.  The big thing that weeded out the Extra class applicants was the 20 wpm code test, if you couldn't pass the code, you weren't allowed to take the written test.  The typical FCC license examiners mostly didn't know much about radios, but they did know how to give the exam.

     As I've mentioned before, I see too many people who don't know much about radios, but they do know how to take an exam.  I don't miss the code, but I do miss people understanding radios.  This was 40 years ago, but the novice exam then was more difficult than the current general class exam.  I'm guessing that the failure rate 40 years ago was probably 25-30%, which drove the exam question and answer book craze, led by Dick Bash.   Ahhhh....the good, old days...

[RB in GA]

Forwarded on. You should too.

[pkveazey]

Jackalope's comments about Hams is right on the mark. I especially agree with the part about the ADVANCED test being the hardest one. I took my Advanced test and my Commercial Radiotelephone test at the same time at the same FCC office. I passed the Commercial and failed the Advanced. Way back in the day, we hams had a name for those people who memorized all the answers. We called them "Appliance Operators". Being called an appliance operator was worse than being called a LID. For those who don't know what a LID is, its a piss poor operator. Some define it as a Lousy, Inconsiderate, Dumbass.