It was a cool Sunday morning in September. For most residents of the small harbor town of Plymouth, England, the Sabbath was a day of rest and worship. To 41 people, ironically the most religious of the community, this was a day of great labor as they secured their limited belongings on their ship. The wisdom of aged sailors suggests September is when ships should seek safe harbor; certainly not the time to set sail for a strange land. However, these separatist travelers had sold all their possessions to finance their journey and they lacked the funds to delay their stay in Plymouth harbor even one additional day. Joined by a mix of 61 others, the Mayflower set sail for the New World on September sixth.

After a long, wet, cold 65 days at sea land was sighted on November 10th, 1620. Of the 102 souls who began this journey, miraculously only two died during the ocean crossing; the emotion of their loss offset by the birth of Oceanus Hopkins sometime during the Atlantic voyage. The first winter, however, was not so kind and less than 50 adventurers lived to see spring time in the New World. Fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers were laid to rest in a strange land; the price for freedom.

Sadly, today in America, leftist politicians claim we should surrender the freedom the Pilgrims sought for the security of an omnipotent federal government. “Let us tax the rich to give you healthcare,” is their mantra. “If you’ll give us control of industry through climate-change regulation and taxes we will actually adjust the earth’s thermostat to whatever temperature you desire.” (Quietly the socialists whisper to each other, “Can you believe they are actually buying this crap? Perhaps we dumbed them down too much.”)

Out in flyover country dissent is building. “This is garbage,” I have heard ordinary Americans mutter in disgust. “I’m gonna’ jump a ship to Australia.” Before you sell your possessions, consider two things:

Number one, if a man approaches you wearing an odd black hat with a large buckle selling tickets to the new world, you should know the Mayflower no longer exists. Upon the death of Christopher Jones, her captain, in 1623, her lumber was salvaged to build a tavern in Rotherhithe, England. Number two, even if you could find a ship to Australia, freedom would remain elusive because they recently plunged deeper into socialism than that proposed in the United States.

There is a solution and let not your heart be troubled. America remains the shining light of liberty to all inhabitants of the earth and now is not the time to cut and run, it is the time to stand and fight. Patriots in every community in our great republic are awakening. If you value your freedom as I do, join them. Freedom fighters are known by different names in different cities; they might be called “9-12ers”, “Montana Shrugged”, or “Tea Party” groups. Their name makes no difference; it is their cause that binds them all as patriots building the same ship…The Liberty.

If you don’t know of such Liberty builders in your hometown perhaps YOU should build the ship. If you are uncertain how to tackle such a task, call your friends together and then contact me at www.kraytonkerns.com. I will travel anywhere and anytime to rally patriots to freedom. The size of your group matters not as my first election to the Montana House was decided by a mere three votes. I have spoken at rallies in Montana towns as large as Billings and as small as Jordan. The passion for our cause is building and we won’t turn back…The Liberty must set sail. I just want to be free. Call me