What is going on in America is truly the exact same injustices that happened at the hands of the British upon the colonists on this land, which were considered to be tyrannical- consider this article we posted today- on the occasion of the memorial for an American Martyr who was killed with concerns- like this- on his mind:
The following article is from the Tenth Amendment Center, with some additions in highlight:
Patriot, Hero and Martyr to Liberty They never teach us about Algernon Sidney The “real American revolution” was a radical change in the views of the people.
It started with James Otis Jr’s 1761 speech against the Writs of Assistance – who noted that “an act against the constitution is void.
”This represented the “beginning of the controversy” between the Colonies and Great Britain. The colonists were starting to see all power as flowing from the people – not the government. And because the people held sovereignty – or final authority – acts of a government that went beyond a constitution (written or unwritten) could never be valid.
Of course, it’s up to the people to treat unconstitutional acts as they should be treated, too. This Revolution in Thought was reflected in the Declaration of Independence, which Thomas Jefferson said was intended not as a statement of NEW principles, but as “an expression of the American mind.”
“all it’s authority rests then on the harmonising sentiments of the day, whether expressed, in conversns in letters, printed essays or in the elementary books of public right, as Aristotle, Cicero, Locke, Sidney Etc”
These are the people who influenced the “American mind,” and thus, the American Revolution more than any other. While most have heard of 2, or 3 names, few today ever heard of the last, Algernon Sidney.
Sidney was executed for treason – today in history, Dec 7, 1683 – for merely writing, but not even publishing – a book, Discourses on Government. It was published years after his death, and Jefferson later wrote that he considered it one of the most important books in history:”it is probably the best elementary book of the principles of government, as founded in natural right, which has ever been published in any language”
Like others condemned to death, Algernon Sidney was given the opportunity to save his own life. But Sidney considered confession for freedom to be “unreasonable and indecent,” making his courage, principles and heroism legendary to the Founders and Old Revolutionaries.
The “real American revolution” was a radical change in the views of the people. This was reflected in the Declaration of Independence, and few people, if any, had a greater influence on that thought than Algernon Sidney.@michaelboldin https://t.co/pw1g2kW9J4
— TenthAmendmentCenter (@TenthAmendment) December 7, 2023
Everyone from Jefferson to Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, John Adams – and many others – read Sidney, cited his work, and recommended it for everyone else.
Algernon Sidney heavily influenced American revolutionary thought in 3 main ways:
Natural Rights
Government by consent
Right of Revolution
As Jefferson noted, we can see all these permeating through the letters, speeches and essays of the time, culminating, of course, in the Declaration of Independence.
For Sidney – and many of the Old Revolutionaries – resisting arbitrary government and tyranny was not an act of rebellion, but a right and a duty. For them, violating the constitution was the government acting in rebellion against the sovereignty of the people. Resistance to that rebellion was essential for liberty.
As Sidney put it, “That which is not just is not Law; and that which is not Law, ought not to be obeyed.”
Today in history – Dec 7, 1683 – Algernon Sidney was put to death by the state for the "crime" of writing, but not publishing, a book about natural rights, disobedience to government, and when it's morally justified to alter or abolish. pic.twitter.com/3ZbYD3WpUC
— TenthAmendmentCenter (@TenthAmendment) December 7, 2023
Think about this.. here is some more coverage of the topic of Americans and our Constitutional Rights: