We are the sons and daughters of liberty;
we remain steadfast and diligent
in honoring our legacy,
in maintaining our rights to life,
liberty, and pursuit of happiness.
These are the times that test our resolve.
We have a choice of staying silent, staving ourselves
against the steady and sure breakdown of democracy,
as we watch the dismantling of our rights
and the destruction of all we know and hold dear.
We can give in to the demands from those
who wreak havoc against our core principles,
against the laws of God and country.
What do we do when governance declares themselves
not the protectors of law, but the law itself?
When they declare that we MUST toe their line,
and bow to a leader who cares not for the people
he pledged to protect, but only those
who pledge their allegiance to him?
It seems we’ve been here before…
So hang your lanterns; ring your bells;
print your posters; share the truth.
Our forefathers understood the cost.
They taught us that It matters not
should you fail or should you fall—
only that you rise again.
We draw our strength from history.
We know not how our story ends
but that each must do their part,
knowing we are duty-bound
to honor all who stood their ground.
© Ginny Brannan 2025
On the 250th Anniversary of the hanging of lanterns and the ride that changed the course of history, we must remember to never take liberty or democracy for granted.