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Refreshing the Tree of Liberty [1]

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Date: 2024-07-07  

Bam!

You could call it the slap heard round the world.

French political party National Rally and its supporters won roughly one third of the French vote in a national election, concerning everyone on Earth because of its right-wing policies that view immigrants as unwelcome and unneeded threats to France. Their platform includes ending citizenship at 18 for children born of non-French parents. Anyone with more than just a French passport will be prevented from having a ‘sensitive’ job, like working at a nuclear plant.

How about less of a sacrifice? Like giving up your political career for the sake of the greater good of your country?

The big source of international angst, however, is based on its historical rhetoric as much as its current watered-down slogans. From the New York Times:

But the National Rally is the heir to a political tradition in France associated with overt racism, antisemitism and Holocaust denial, and though the party has distanced itself from that past, some basic philosophies remain embedded in its policies: Immigrants pose a threat to France’s security, economy and national identity.

So when French voters today stopped the National Rally’s rise in the second round of elections, everyone sighed in relief. Truly.

Water for the Tree

The saying favored so much by rhetorical lovers of freedom is, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants,” which was written by Thomas Jefferson about Shay’s Rebellion. The quote is meant to support occasional violence by supporters of liberty and was used to mock Jefferson’s civilian saber-rattling.

Share The Tell with Christine Axsmith

How about less of a sacrifice? Like giving up your political career for the sake of the greater good of your country?

Over 200 French politicians withdrew from the second round of votes in their national election for no other reason than to stop the National Rally from getting real power in France. That’s refreshing the tree of liberty.

Beating the drum of doom over American fascism may or may not be called for. But if you believe it - really believe it - the answer would be self-sacrifice as seen in leftist French politicians by simply withdrawing from elections for the common good.

So instead of blood, violence and guns, how about a little self-sacrifice?

If we want to refresh the tree of liberty, rhetoric is cheap. Maybe turn off social media for a day or two. You know, sacrifice.

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