Bugle Call
Charlie Earl
As a former trumpet player in high school though not a very good one, I hear the call of the bugle (a trumpet without valves). Any warrior can attest that the bugle call pierces the din of battle and informs the troops of the next maneuver. While headsets and earphones have replaced the bugle on the battlefield, the trusty instrument remains a staple for significant ceremonial occasions.
It seems rather clear to me that many of our people here in the U.S.A. should be introduced to the clarion call of the bellowing brass instrument. Perhaps “Reveille” would be the most appropriate beginning for our hapless citizenry. After all, many of them are in dire need of a resounding wake-up call. Too many appear to be sleepwalking through life and unaware of the constant dripping of big government eroding their liberty and limiting their choices. As our Declaration of Independence so emphatically exclaims, we have been endowed by God with the right to pursue our happiness….without having it defined and directed by innumerable bureaucracies and regulators. The bugle blast should stir them awake and spur them to awareness followed by action.
If we can sound the alarm with the bugle call, then the “Charge” command should be played. Skirmishes, battles and wars are not won by passively awaiting and tardily reacting to the opponents moves. Only a superior force with the advantage of favorable terrain can confidently sit tight and destroy the desperate foe. No, our force for liberty must charge the ramparts of statism, seize the initiative and propel our nation to victory. Our weapons will consist of dispensing knowledge, extolling the blessings of liberty and encouraging our fellow citizens with our enthusiasm, persistence and commitment. We have no choice. We must charge and change the momentum of the nation. Our passivity for the past century has placed us at this great disadvantage, and we must break out, break through….the barriers created by our own inattention. Action overcomes confusion, and purpose outweighs hesitancy.
It’s quite possible that our numbers may be insufficient and our weapons too ineffective for the moment. We may order the bugler to play “Retreat” as we re-group and reconsider our strategy and tactics. Few conquests of a worthy nature are acquired on the initial conflict. Feinting and attacking, probing and withdrawing, flanking and directly challenging will all be necessary to vanquish our foes -- indifference and fear. We must remember and loudly proclaim that freedom is worth the struggle. Even when we must withdraw from the field of battle, we should immediately begin to prepare the next assault on lethargy and indifference. We must convey through words and action that “the time is now.” The urgency of our message --- our rally cry — must be unmistakable and passion-filled. The time for all to inhale the sweet air of liberty…….is now.
All battles, all challenges, all undertakings worth doing include an element of risk. If successful, we will enjoy the precious taste of victory and the glorious benefits of liberty. If we fail after an arduous and painful struggle, we will be forced to assist our wounded, hide our dreams in secret places and return to the mass of people who never followed the bugler. It will be time for him to play “Taps.”
Charlie Earl
No comments:
Post a Comment