a citizen's response.

In light of the events that passed last night in Congress, and the words spoken by our President, I feel it necessary to respond. I feel compelled, rather, to exercise my voice and my rights as a citizen. After careful consideration and prayer (yes, prayer, because God cares about matters of the state as well), I believe the only response I have was penned years ago by the Continental Congress in the Declaration of Independence. I recommend you read the entire document. It is long, but it contains foundational rights that we built America on. Rights that were once esteemed high enough to die for. Here are some excerpts that I feel are exceptionally appropriate at this time.

"Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed"

"He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good."

"He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures."

"He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance."

"He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:...For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent."

Here is where we now feel helpless. We have spoken and are not being heard. Watch the final arguments of Republican Minority leader John Boehner here. His emotional and desperate plea speaks volumes.

"In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people."

My hope and prayer is that after all of this, the American people will not be silent. My hope and prayer is that as free citizens of our God-given country, we will join together to hold fast to the values that John Hancock supported when he signed the Declaration of Independence, not tolerating injustice and evil, but saying,

"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."