Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Come And Take It

In 480 B.C. the forces of the Persian Empire under King Xerxes, numbering approximately two million men, invaded ancient Greece with the intention of conquering the Greek city-states and enslaving the people.

King Leonidas of Sparta met the invaders at Thermopylae with 300 hand-picked troops. When a Persian envoy demanded the Spartans surrender their weapons, Leonidas defiantly replied "Molon Labe," which translates as "Come and Get Them."

Today there is a monument at Thermopylae with the words ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ (Molon Labe) inscribed on it.



In 1778 during the American Revolution, a contingent of 500 British soldiers plus artillery approached Fort Morris in Georgia, defended by less than 150 Continental soldiers. The British demanded the Americans surrender. The fort's commander, Colonel John McIntosh, replied:

"As to surrendering the fort, receive this laconic reply: COME AND TAKE IT!".

The British withdrew.


Fifty-seven years later, in October 1835, 150 mounted Mexican soldiers approached the Texas town of Gonzales to seize a small cannon. Eighteen Texans opposed them. The Mexicans paused and set up camp for the night.

In the early morning hours of October 2, 1835, the Texans -- with the cannon -- attacked the Mexican camp. The Texans carried a hastily constructed flag emblazoned with a drawing of the cannon and the words "Come And Take It."

The Mexicans retreated from Gonzales to San Antonio, a distance of some 75 miles.

Gonzales became known as “The Lexington of Texas.” Each October a "Come And Take It" festival is held there to celebrate the defiance and courage of those early Texans.



That brings us to today. The weasel-in-chief, callously and disgracefully using children alive and dead for political purposes, and shamelessly aided and abetted by the lickspittles of the media, is waging an unprecedented war against the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America.


It's obvious that gun-control advocates have no use for facts or logic. Rather, their position is based on pure emotion. Reasoning with them is a waste of time. I've had as much of their self-righteous sanctimonious crap as I can take. So I was glad to see the NRA take this stance.

Stand and Fight

Lest anyone think this is overreaction, consider this. The federal government's actions have shown there is no aspect of our lives too trivial for them to intrude upon.

In 1994 the federal government made the traditional toilets that I grew up with illegal.

In 2007 the government banned incandescent light bulbs.

Not satisfied with my toilet or my light bulbs, now the feds are coming for my guns.

Here's my response.




2 comments:

JT said...

The Gonzales flag is my favorite, but I like some of your renditions.

CenTexTim said...

The classics are always a favorite, but thank you for appreciating my poor efforts...