Fight for Liberty!

On exiting the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin was asked what sort of government had been created and he replied, "A republic, if you can keep it."  So how do we keep it?  How do we maintain the liberty we have, and restore liberty that we have lost?  Below, I will outline my thoughts on this subject.

Education
You can not advocate effectively for a principle that you do not understand.  It requires a solid knowledge base on the fundamentals of natural rights and the founding of our country.  If you have not read the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, or the Federalist Papers, then you have homework to do.  Once you have read the founding documents, you need to understand them.  I recommend Clinton Rossiter's book:  The Political Thought of the American Revolution:  Part III of "Seedtime of the Republic."  This book is no longer it print.  It can be found at Amazon.com, but you may have to watch and wait to get it at a reasonable price.  It is not light reading, but if you truly want to understand the principles of liberty and the founding of our nation, you would be hard pressed to find a better resource.  Another excellent book is Paul Revere's Ride by David Hackett Fischer.  This is an account of the events surrounding the outbreak of the American Revolution.  It is a fascinating book.  Much of it reads more like a good novel than a history book.  Another excellent resource is the free online education available at Hillsdale College.  I highly recommend their Constitution 101 course.  After you educate yourself, share with others.  Teach your children.  Encourage your friends and relatives to, at a minimum, read the Constitution.

Voting
Vote in every election.  Research the candidates.  votesmart.org is a good resource.

Be Represented
Contact your representatives.  Find out who represents you and make your options on the issues known.  Tell them how you want them to vote.  You can find out who your representatives are and how to contact them on votesmart.org.

Jury Duty
If called on for jury duty, educate yourself.  Understand why the right to trial by jury was included in the Bill of Rights.  Understand the concept of jury nullification, and how this is part of the system of checks and balances.  A good resource is the Fully Informed Jury Association.

Be Part of the Militia
If you are an able bodied man between the ages of 17 and 45 or a veteran under the age of 65, you are the unorganized militia according to US Code Title 10, Section 311.  You should be physically fit, have a rifle and ammunition, and be a good marksman.  Project Appleseed can help you with the latter.  This is not a call to arms.  I do not advocate the violent overthrow of the US Government.  We live in what some call a "soft" tyranny.  There is still time and opportunity to work within the system.  A conversion to "hard" tyranny would necessitate taking up arms.  An well armed citizenry proficient at arms serves as a strong deterrent to that conversion.  In other words:  A well regulated militia is necessary to the security of a free state.

When the founders framed the Constitution, they devised a system of checks and balances.  Know that the citizenry is part of that system.  Education, voting, communicating with your representatives, serving on juries, maintaining arms and skill at arms are the means to that end.