Today, it became real.....
by
Maureen Michelle
2/9/2013

If you've been paying attention these past twelve years, you'll have noticed our Liberty is in grave danger.The unrelenting chipping away of the cornerstone started the day they took the three Towers in New York City.
I am an Oath Keeper. An oath keeper takes seriously their oath sworn to uphold, defend and protect the constitution. I read about the abuses of our government everyday. I've researched House Resolutions, United States Codes and illegal Executive Orders written monthly in defiance to the constitution.
Today ironically, 2 blocks from our town square where the Freedom Trail is commemorated with the golden footsteps of the civil rights momvement in 1963, our loss of Liberty became manifest.
Today, in America's oldest city, it became all too real to me. The loss of Liberty actually touched me. It was no longer just words or blogs on the internet. It wasn't something I'd copied and pasted into a forum. No, today I felt the loss of Liberty...For the very first time in my life, it becamereal to me. I became a Jew, with a yellow star pinned to my chest. I became an Irishwoman tending her man shot by an English soldier, in his own homeland. Today I was the defiant Chinese man standing in front of a tank in TiananmenSquare. Today I was an American, arguing for my free speech....today it was myturn.

This Saturday afternoon, I was in the company of two St Augustine Tea Party Gentlemen. They were dressed in colonial garb,complete with tricorn hats, carrying Gadsden & Molon Labe flags.
This is a weekly happening for them. They pass out pocket constitutions along a busy thoroughfare to tourists & passers by. They spread the message of Liberty to the thousands who visit our city from across the country visiting St. George Street, in America's oldest city.
My tea Party companions Lance and Dave, wanted a picture of themselves for their newsletter standing in front of the Castillo San Marco fort, an historical national landmark.They wanted a picture holding their flags flying.
They warned me before hand that we might "get chased" as we weren't allowed to be just anywhere with our patriotic messages...I didn't really comprehend or register what they were telling me, when they mentioned free speech“zone”.
The wind on top of the rise kept blowing off their hats! The flags were flying in their faces,camera adjustments had to be made, the picture taking was taking longer than it should have. The tourists are coming and going, entering and leaving the fort. They're clapping for us, cheering the Americans, enjoining the flag's sentiments saying "Come & Take It".
I was juggling in my hands a flat brown paper package with fliers inside and a small telephone/camera on video mode. I reached down to catch one of my companion's blown off hat's. I returned it and found a Park Ranger straddled across his bicycle on the hill in front of me. He was smiling at the blowing tricorn hats and us chasing them.

"Ooohh careful now, don't fall" he addressed us on this sunny hillside. Then he addressed me.
"Ma'am, your not allowed to be here with this kind of display, you're not within the 1st amendment free speech zone.."
I stared at him for a moment...handsome healthy looking young man, on a bike. I thought of Central Park in NY, that he could've been riding on a path with his wife or kids.
"Excuse me" I said," I don't think I understood what you just said......?"
The young Park Ranger repeated his initial statement. Very polite, very respectful,soft spoken, smiling with his dazzlingly white teeth.

"Ma'am... you're not allowed to be here with these signs, or pass out material (which I wasn't doing any of)outside of the 1st Amendment zone which is over there down the hill."

It took me a second till it clicked,this is what my Tea Party companions mentioned about the "zone"...!
Me: It sounds like, you are telling me, there is a designated area for free speech, or the 1st amendment?

Park Ranger:Yes ma'am, that is what I am saying...over there, is a section...." he indicated with his head while holding his handlebars leaning on the hill. He responded to my question in such complete nonchalance like I'd asked him where were the drinking fountains or restrooms!

I was incredulous as to what I was hearing....and I am sure my mouth was hanging open in disbelief.

Me: Sir? Did you swear an oath when you took this job?
PR: Yes ma'am, I did..
Me: To what? To what did you swear an oath to?
PR: To the country...
Me: To the constitution?
PR: Yes ma'am.
Me:Yet, you are breaking that oath this very moment!
You're telling me, that on these park grounds, of which I support, I may only exercise my 1st amendment right,which is within the bill of rights, in a designated area? Have we reverted into Nazi Germany sir?
PR: I understand ma'am...
Me: You understand that you, right now, are not only breaking your oath to the constitution you swore to uphold and defend, but attempting to force me to deny my oath as well? You sir are denying me my 1st amendment rights as a citizen of this country! Our rights cannot bedesignated on a piece of ground! Our rights go fromsea to shining sea! They are not yourrights to take or give or designate to a piece of ground!

Why have you no American Flag on your uniform? Why is there no American flag flying over this fort? I understand you are just doing your job, but that's exactly what the Nazi's said in Nuremberg Germany. Is this not still the United States?
PR: I understand...this is federally owned ma'am..
Me: Yes, by me! I am the government, I own this park, as do all of these people walking up this sidewalk! This park belongs not to an "office", but of all these people around me here today,including yourself!

Maybe he will think about this when he goes home tonight......

I went home, with all this jazz in my head, the tyranny became real...I felt it today.... and cried.............

GIVE THE CITY A CALL.. GO AHEAD.. OUR RIGHT TO SPEAK FREELY MUST NOT BE STOPPED. IF WE SIT AND TAKE IT, THEN THERE WILL BE SOMETHING ELSE.. THEY ARE CHIPPING AWAY AT OUR FREEDOMS AND IF WE DO NOT STAND UP AND DEMAND OUR RIGHTS GIVEN TO OUR BY GOD, THEN WRITTEN INTO THE CONSTITUTION WE WILL LOSE THEM. YES WE WILL. IT IS TIME TO STOP THE COMPLAINING, IT IS TIME TO ACT. NOW..CALL THEM NOW.!!!