Slouching Away From 9/11

By Matt Rooney, The Save Jersey Blog

I shared a quote with my Facebook friends last night from Rudolph Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, on the eve of this 12th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks:

“The attacks of September 11th were intended to break our spirit. Instead we have emerged stronger and more unified. We feel renewed devotion to the principles of political, economic, and religious freedom, the rule of law and respect for human life. We are more determined than ever to live our lives in freedom.”

Pretty soul stirring, right?

Then I started to wonder if it was still true, Save Jerseyans.

Evidence to the contrary: (1) the NSA is intercepting our personal phone records and (2) Americans can’t board an airplane without invasive searches; (3) Government spending is now approaching 40% of the GDP, greater than any time in our history save for World War II; (4) Washington can compel you to buy anything that Congress wants you to consume provided that it’s accomplished under the guise of a “tax” or, in the case of real property, transfer yours to another private individual for the “public good”; (5) Government opposition groups suffer punitive tax audits and (6) major scandals are shamelessly covered up.

Shall I keep going?

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Statue Of Liberty To Close

By Art Gallagher

The Associated Press is reporting that the Statue of Liberty is closing in October for “safety upgrades and other renovations” that will cost taxpayers $27.25 million.

Those upgrades are ““code-compliant” stairways and upgrade electrical and fire suppression systems, elevators and bathrooms.”  according to the AP article.

Really?  We need “code-compliant” stairways, elevators and bathrooms in a 150 year old symbol of Liberty?  The Lady will be closed for a year.    I hope no one gets the bright idea of fixing the broken chain at the Lady’s feet during that year.

This closure is a symbol of a loss of freedom for Americans for more than the obvious reasons.

Throughout the history of Lady Liberty its construction and renovations were provided by private fund raising.  In good economic times and bad. While the statute  itself was a gift from France, the cost of construction of the pedestal was provided by citizens private donations.

In 1982 President Ronald Reagan announced the formation of the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Centennial Commission which was charged with raising private money to renovate the Lady.  Led by Chrysler Chairman LeeIacocca, the commission raised $350 million for a major renovation.  The renovation started in 1984 and was completed in 1986 when President Reagan rededicated the statute on July 4.

The 1980’s campaign to renovate the statute was a source of pride and patriotism for American.  Donors’ names were engraved in marble on walls in the pedestal.  My father’s name is engraved there.

25 years later we have surrendered our private fund raising for the Lady, as well as for many, many, many, too many charitable endeavors to the  federal government.  The more we let the government be responsible for, the less freedom we have, the less pride and patriotism we have.

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