“You are not alone. We are with you.”
Looking back at a reader message of support in June 2020 that applies to all of us now standing up against seemingly insurmountable forces: “You stand, seemingly alone, in the breach. But you are not alone.”
In a recent post I talked about a note of despair from a reader, Reader: “It is so overwhelming, I am getting too depressed about where our country is heading”:
“I need to step away for a bit. It is so overwhelming, I am getting too depressed about where our country is heading.”
My post generated a lot of reaction:
That’s a feeling I have almost daily. It’s a feeling others have expressed to me apart from that reader.
The swiftness and efficiency with which the Biden administration has damaged the country is something to behold, and it’s built on a generation of institutional capture. I could run a list, but you know already. The current trajectory cannot be sustained, something has to give.
I wish I had an easy answer. But I don’t.
I do know that there is no choice but to keep fighting back. It’s our nature.
I should have mentioned in the post that readers need to read again the post sent to me in June 2020 when I was under attack at Cornell Law School for (accurately) criticizing the fabricated “hands up, don’t shoot” Michael Brown BLM narrative and the nature and goals of the activist leaders of the movement.
The 2020 post was “The spines of thousands are being strengthened by hearing of your fight” – A Supporter’s Message.
Here is his email to me (personally identifying information removed).
Combat Theology – a Combat Pilot’s perspective during trying times
Don’t cave to them.
You are not alone.
You can make a profound difference.Sir,
When you are in Combat; far from the target; there is rarely a shot fired against you.
When you are (Air Force term ) “on the Run In, to the OA” (Objective Area) that is when you know you are in the right area… SAM shots, AAA gunfire…everything the Adversary has, comes at you. Not solely to destroy, but often, simply attempt to distract you off target.
Distraction can lead to mission failure, as much as Destruction.
But, you are a warrior, you have trained your whole life for this moment, and you are on the Run In.
You are on the Run In, and you have Top Cover. People, Prayers, Angels, the Earth itself is a witness to your Courage. You will not die 1000 deaths; you will taste of death but once. The Top Cover overhead are like F15 Strike Eagles. You can’t see them, can’t hear them at 45,000ft; but the Eagles are there, and they will “Cry ‘Havok’ and loose the Dogs of War;” not now, but at the right time. To defeat the adversary when their tools, at their disposal, are the most effective. Not on your desires, not on your timing; but on moment when they know their weapons are the most effective; to protect you. ‘For the weapons of our warfare are divinely powered, for the destruction of fortresses.’
The spines of thousands are being strengthened, by hearing of your fight.
You are NOT ALONE.
Before tonight, I never heard of you. If you had equivocated prior to this point, you would have still been destroyed by the people who want you to pander to them; and you would have dissolved into obscurity.
But, you fought for righteousness. The rule of law, the Constitution and Bill of Rights. For the Ethos of Dr Martin L King, … you fight for Content of Character.
You stood, seemingly alone, in the breach.
But you are not alone. We are with you.
I am with you – Fangs Out and Full Speed, I am coming; and with you even now.
Bow, kneel, grovel… you will dissolve into obscurity.
Make them seemingly kill you; and the eggs and smears and brutality they throw at you, will be a mantle of Honor you wear into eternity.
Use their leaders and their words to defeat them. Fight like Sun Tzu, fight with asymmetric warfare; expose the rot they expound, with Frédéric Bastiat – the Law…. show their decayed ideas and words are NOT NEW: decaying and failing for the last 200 years; and being renamed, rehashed and repacked: Orwellian; Gestapo; Tribal and Animal Farm-brutal.
You stand, seemingly alone, in the breach. But you are not alone.
I am with you – Fangs Out and Full Speed. Dropping my external tanks; so I can gain extra speed, extra maneuverability; unguarding the Weapons Release switches. I am coming, a Warrior Poet, with an army of angels and prayers. Reaching Mach1, and the turbine blades in my engines glow cherry red, while the Tach gauge red-lines at 103%
I am coming. I am the prayers of strangers. I am the Almighty; who sees all and judges the Heart.
I put Daniel’s heart in the scales, to see if he would kneel to images of gold; but he chose lions; and therefore I was with him. I put David’s heart in the scales; to see if he would kneel to a giant. Three small stones. Smooth and round. Symmetric, and elegant in their simplicity. The sword was too heavy, the armor too clumsy. David fought his fight, he won because he fought on his terms and didn’t fight the way the others wanted him to: friends and foe alike. I was with him. Three smooth stones. He didn’t kneel; so I was with him. I Am with you.
…and I’m with you as well.
Fangs Out and Full Speed,
LtCol X.
He followed up with this note:
Only today did I realize you are “THAT” William Jacobson, “That” Legal Insurrection. I listen to Mark Levin (my hero) when driving home from work. Mark Levin has mentioned you a few times in the past. Didn’t make the connection until today, I simply thought you were a fellow Instructor; being attacked and on the ropes, and hoped to encourage you.
I’ve read those messages multiple times in the past two years, and also provided them to others under attack.
I think the message relates to all of us standing up against seemingly insurmountable forces.
[Featured Image: Ramona Bessinger]
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Comments
We all have to stick together, keep striving to accomplish our goals.
The key to success is to not be overwhelmed, just go day by day, making sure that you accomplish as much as you can. Most of the time, that approach produces the best outcome. Dwelling on how overwhelming a situation is usually does nothing to help the situation.
And when you feel alone, be consoled:
https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-2/
We are going to win big in 12 days but we can’t stop to celebrate. The next 2 months will be fraught with danger, particularly from a bitter lame duck Congress determined to “finish the job” before they go. Get ready to go on the offensive against the McConnell swamp rats who will have nothing left to lose.
Anything we accomplish before this Congress is gone will put the next Congress on notice that we got here before they did and that it’s a new game now. Going after the Gangs of McConnell should be job #1. No “time to allow the wounds to heal” speeches. Cut off any hands that reach across the aisle. Nothing gets done for the rest of the year but retirement speeches.
McConnell should be ‘target 1’ and driven out of office, if not prosecuted, alongside his complicit wife.
But McCarthy as Speaker? PLEASE!! This is a man who folded under fire on January 6th. Worse, what did this guy EVER accomplish in furtherance of OUR interests, not the GOPe’s? Answer: nada.
Thank you, Professor, for that message and for your efforts. It brought tears to my aged eyes. It is comforting to be able to read such words at a time when I perceive my beloved country being ruined.
jb4 conveys exactly my feelings and sentiments to you and for you Prof. J.
You came out publicly and moved away from the ‘flock’ back in 2008 and have been growing stronger.. As in the tribute to your strength by fighting back with your ‘three stones’ you ARE making a difference. Keep strong and know you absolutely have many, many more standing with you who have picked up their ‘three stones’.
Never Give In
https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/winston-churchill-s-never-give-in-speech
One of my favorite Winston Churchill quotes (1954):
We have surmounted all the perils and endured all the agonies of the past. We shall provide against and thus prevail over the dangers and problems of the future, withhold no sacrifice, grudge no toil, seek no sordid gain, fear no foe. All will be well. We have, I believe, within us the life-strength and guiding light by which the tormented world around us may find the harbour of safety, after a storm-beaten voyage.
I have a better one from Nancy Pelosi:
“A strange naked man bypassed the security of the third person in line for the presidency, broke into my house, found a hammer – my husband has been involved in carpentry as a hobby, and enjoys repairs around our luxurious home (usually with a hammer) – and forced my husband to have a few drinks with him, after which my husband asked: “Do you want to see my hammer collection?”
I’ve lurked in the comments since the early years because not only do I come here for fantastic news coverage and analysis, but the reader base is comprised of the deepest thinkers with real life experience.
It’s not just the story (which is best of class) it’s what the cast characters will opine on it.
Deeper thinking means you all weigh the dark for it’s true potential and that’s a hard place to reside. Have to say in my lifetime, this is the darkest bit of history I’ve experienced. I am pessimistic on how this election will go. My family and I are in the active process of abandoning our home state. We are home schooling and earlier this week I cringed to take the employer mandated training of how I will be fired if I don’t respect a tranny’s pronouns… But gee those BASTARDS SURE TANKED EARNINGS…SO YOUR PRIORITIES ARE SPOT ON. There is a God
Our good Prof. is such a champion for what’s right and proper, all the contributors to this site are why I read LI every day. I think in another lifetime I could stomach getting in the fight like they do, I could watch cable news, read all I could about current events and politics. Now I watch no TV, read no mainstream news sites and not a ton of internet news, period, except the very few places that I trust, not just because so much of it is horseshit, but because I don’t need that in my life to find purpose. What defines me is not who is sitting in the White House or the Senate or city council. Yes, I care about who we chose to govern. Unlike the left, I don’t let it haunt me.
The left cannot find meaning in anything but politics. Further, you cannot be on the left unless you “think” so rigidly that your own identity evaporates. People on the left always think of themselves as the most creative, the most free-spirited, etc. They are so unaware of what’s outside the hive that they cannot begin to comprehend how they are the most closed-minded, boring twits on the planet.
We need people like our good Prof. to lead the fight. I’m not saying our side needs to withdraw. I’ve never thought our side, on the whole, fought properly ever. But if you do fight, or if you have to step back, it’s comforting to know that as important as politics is (are?), it is not the sole reason we were put here on this earth. The lives of people in office are not worth one ounce of effort more than it takes to keep them in check, and they do not deserve to feed off our angst when things don’t go as we’d like. They need us more than we will ever need them. Never let these bastards drag you down their hopeless road.
Thank you. You’ve always been one of my faves. This post and others like it are why.
I thought it might be a good time for a change of pace and walk down baseball’s memory lane. Where were you 31 years ago tonight? I was there….at the old Metro Dome.
https://twitter.com/TwinsAlmanac/status/1585315327457517568?s=20&t=L5sfIZwctEWHfnxC6duWDQ
What happened next? Kirby Puckett came to the plate. A Braves left-hander threw a couple of balls, and then this…
One of the greatest moments in Minnesota sports history. Ever.
https://twitter.com/MNTwinsZealot/status/1585233895951196160?s=20&t=p78Y1dIN2Q5ehCnXYCo-JQ
Beating the Packers?
It’s important to find like-minded people to get through these terrible times. I have left-leaning friends who I can’t relate to any more. They are blind to anything but progressive ideas. I appreciate Legal Insurrection for providing a place of sanity while we try to save our country.
Thank you Professor
Is LtCol X still posting here?
Bill, if I may, others of us also remember our Con Law classes, 5th Grade American History, 10th Grade American History, Freshman year mandatory American history ( CA history was an option for CA students, as I remember). I was AP so was passed over for the class and simply assigned a grade. We are shocked.
Thank you for this post, professor. Sometimes, it’s not the politics of the day that wears one down, but the constant and insessant grind of being asked to roll over, bend, deviate, or otherwise change direction from what is right, clear, and correct; just so that other entity can get their way.
Just reading those words from LtColX gave me a boost for today.
It also brought to mind one of my favorite quotes from Churchill: “withhold no sacrifice, grudge no toil, seek no sordid gain, fear no foe. All will be well”
But to know I have a real spiritual cover above me, gives me the courage to hit it for one more day, each and every day.
One of the most pleasant aspects of hitting one’s 70’s is the dropping away of the flotsam and jetsam of younger years.
When I turned 70 it was as if a veil had been lifted enabling me to finally tune out the background noise of Life and I no longer have any fear of events I cannot control; I must ascertain the needs of my tribe and prepare.
Standing against the unseen behemoth used to be terrifying but now it spurs steadfastnesses. Steady on, fellow warriors; it is good to know we are not alone.
We have to remember that WE are the majority, a majority that is growing every day due to the corrupt, inept and repressive policies of the Democrat socialists.
It may appear that they are strong, with the propaganda put out by the leftist media, but look at your friends, your coworkers, your family; they find the leftist garbage to be that, garbage.
Be strong, vote and participate in local government in any way you can. Beat back their insidious incrementalism with direct action. it is not insurmountable; these people cave when you scratch through their thin veneer of leftist “virtue.”
Remember how you deal with bullies.
We need someone to put together a new Declaration, updated to the modern era, detailing the abuses and explaining how our essential liberties are under threat and specifically identifying the whole Marxist infrastructure that is overturning America. Without such a justification published, patriots will be picked off and destroyed one by one. (As is happening all around us every day.) There is no other way. John Hancock et al knew they were signing their death warrants but it gave them the justification they needed for what are otherwise illegal actions — rebellion and revolution.
At the moment, the wielders of power are badly outnumbered; their access to the levers give them the advantage. Every day that goes by is more entrenching for them and vulnerability for us. They appear to be winning — they may have won already — they surely will win if we don’t stop them. All the progress of human freedom will come to an end. The brief shining moment of the city on the hill will be snuffed out. Totalitarian darkness, the default condition of humanity, will be, once again, the order of the day.
The time is approaching. Time to decide, choose a side, to fight the Marxists and restore our heritage, or ‘safely’ sit by and just watch it happen. We have some heavy lifting ahead. Courage and Faith are our only hope. The other side does not have them, just a reliance on human nature to be cowardly and surrender.
We need a new Declaration and it has to be good. No one can lift a finger to save our country without it. How to organize such a thing? The obstacles are seemingly insurmountable. Every day that goes by makes it harder. Time is running out.
No…to open the Constitution for a ‘re-write’ to open it as a document up for debate by adding a ‘Declaration’ 250+ years later is a terrible idea. Adding amendments per legal actions and only if they comport with the establishment of the original. Why the SCOTUS has the best handle on the issues at hand for those sitting who now are a majority readers are ‘Originalists’ as opposed to those who read the Constitution as ‘textualists’ to use and the Constitution for the purposes of re-writing the intent of the founders. The basis of keeping the states together as a Republic is marginalized by moving the rulings further left as textualizers are wont to do is to lose that entire purpose and would end up having a One Party, One Rule Government.
I think the original Declaration of Independence enumerated the current abuses quite nicely.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Despotism is despotism, no matter the era.
Then let’s re-issue the original. Isn’t that the point being made? No one is proposing changes. We really need to do more than salute the old document. We need to re-affirm our commitment to what it says whether it be King George III or the Marxists who have usurped our government and have convinced or coerced too many of us to vote away our God-given rights.
The list of complaints should be a pretty easy exercise – the original provides a good template since many of the complaints are applicable today. There are authors & experts out there (and here!) that can be drawn upon who have detailed problems and solutions in their writings & appearances. It will be a long list. (“Nowhere have we mentioned deep sea fishing rights!” – 10 points if you can identify the quote)
It would need an introduction, and a declaration that we pledge our lives to defend the principles embodied in the Constitution to sum up – one that can be signed by anyone.
But I guarantee that the signers will be seen as insurrectionists and domestic terrorists (See Oath Keepers). Just like the signers of the original, they will become targets.
The original Declaration and The Constitution and The Bill of Rights are just fine, thank you very much. Throw out everything else (with the exception of giving all men – black, white and other – and women the same standing, period). It was ideal then and it’s ideal now.
Oh, and term limits.
Thank you, Prof. Jacobson, LtColX, and everyone else. You don’t get to see how your courage inspires others you don’t even know, but it happens…a lot.
We don’t need a New Declaration. We need to return to upholding the Original. Almost every problem and trouble in this country can be traced back as far back as Woodrow Wilson – and further – to governments and administrations circumventing the Constitution for some alleged “good”, or more sinister justifications.
There are thousands of examples throughout our history. Sticking to , and returning to adherence to the Constitution, the Declaration, the Bill of Rights, is the only framework in which this country has a snowball’s chance in hell of succeeding.
That is why the Left hates those documents so much, as they restrict and restrain them from their evil ends. Hence, they defy them – and far too often have gotten away with it. And here we are.
What we need is a Constitutional Revival, which should be taught in every school in the land, from K- Grad school.
I have replied to Suburban Farm Guy with a statement I strongly believe fits well with your statement here. Also agree that the previous 20 + years has found our school districts from K-12 have clearly omitted any real type of continuous Civic classes. The man on the street interviews with a cross section of all genders and ages on any type of Civic question elicits responses testifying of to where we are now…Re-writing the Constitution by those who have created a voting public to be totally ignorant of their intent.
Exactly.
I agree, DelightLaw. I’m not the one who called for a new Declaration.
If it is any consolation, my recent experiences in teaching in high school for the last five years shows a surprising number of conservative, Trump supporting students. Now, I taught science, so there are fewer of the snowflake socialists there, but they are there.
There may be hope for the “lost generation.”
Our political opponents are not ten feet tall and they are not invincible. They largely control the means of mass communication; media, Internet backbone. They depend upon it. They have a small but incredibly vocal and focused group of partisans who create the illusion of mass support.
Every time a disruptive technology or a person using that technology in a manner disruptive to the establishment comes along our political opponents seek to co-opt them or begin labeling that person as full of ‘ists and isms’ in order to destroy them. If that doesn’t work they organize boycotts.
The broader public has had their eyes opened over the past decade. Many of our fellow citizens desperately don’t want to believe that they have been supporting the people pushing a radical agenda. They have finally had their eyes opened with Rona, mandates, closing Schools, businesses and places of worship. They see the inflation, the lost jobs, energy insecurity.
The best thing we can do is to welcome these folks. Yes they are late arrivals. Yes their prior votes put the idiots in charge who brought us here. Take them as they are. Work with them on a personal level. Continue to assist their journey. Bring them into the fold v pushing them away.
If we do that then we keep some portion of these folks in our coalition. That helps us continue to expand the reach of our policy preferences and gives us the time to reverse and repair the the damage from decades of mismanagement.
My hope is that Elon Musk, who can’t be President, can make a difference. Buying Twitter might help with big tech censorship.
And “the steal” begins,
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/after-sending-out-240000-unverified-ballots-pennsylvania-now-warns-delays-counting
They don’t even disguise it anymore. There are never any consequences so why not?
1) Vote in person, at a polling station, on election day only with a strong ID. No mail-in ballots, no absentee ballots, no drop box ballots. If you wish to vote, plan accordingly – or don’t vote. The only exceptions are for service and diplomat corp folks overseas.
2) Make voting day a national holiday – everything closed. Make sure there are plenty of polling stations.
3) Paper ballots, marked with an ink pen, counted by hand by pairs of folks from opposing parties, the more rabid the better. Each pair recorded during all counting. Video kept or count didn’t happen. Poll watchers mandatory, for both parties – the rabid the better
4) All ballots for each district to be serialized. Full chain of custody required. polling stations document the ballots they receive, number of cast ballots match the signed voter roll book for those who voted. Unused ballots accounted for and voided, returned with cast ballots. Voter can record the SN for future reference, but not traceable to them after cast.
5) Election fraud shall be a capital crime. Punishment executed on election day.
6) what else?
Words cannot describe how much I loathe these people.
More “voter suppression” going on in Florida:
https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/elections/florida-opens-criminal-probe-democrat-whistleblowers-evidence-ballot
This time, they are being caught before the elections. Let’s hope this puts a wet blanket over the rest of the Hillary voting system.
Let’s be optimistic and wait for the midterm electoral outcomes. Maybe, just maybe, reality is about to give the Left a swift hard kick in the nutz, ovaries, or whatever TF they claim to use for reproductive purposes.
I live in Illinois–I feel this sometimes as well; but the alternative is just to let the left win, and I can’t live with that–so I will go down fighting–I wish someone could get McConnell’s and McCarthy’s attention–it’s just ridiculous that we are making progress only to be sold out by these two and the establishment GOP
along with not being alone in this contest believe there is something else we need to accept–absent a violent and epic conflict, we may not see a return to our previous values / way of life in our own lifetime–things took a while to get here so would expect it will take time to return to our rightful path–so be it–when discouragement about all this knaws on me i look around at the children in this world, at our vulnerable, older countrymen, hear the concern in their voices, see the anxiety in their eyes and know what we must do is right–for their sake more than our own–though individually we may not live to see it, i know that once upon a time american ideals were the greatest lights on this planet and it is time for them to shine once more
It was inspiring to read this email to you from someone who, like myself, is an ex USAF officer.
His letter was that of a Warrior; a call to arms!
He nailed it; I couldn’t have said it better and wish I had seen it when it was first posted.
He is correct, Professor, you are FAR, FAR from alone!
We are Legion.
Some of us are even local..and if ever urgently needed will be there to defend you.
Your local physician friend in Elmira.😉
Professor I follow you every day and I’m so disenchanted with Cornell. I emailed you way back when when they shunned you regarding your true statements about BLM. Example after example of Cornell’s hypocrisy from their leadership nauseates me. My biggest concern is that they( universities, WH administration, media, big tech, etc.,) prey upon the young who have yet to accumulate wisdom to know any better. They don’t miss what they haven’t had. Avoiding confrontations has become the norm, texting is highly preferred, efforts to brainwash have stepped into another unprecedented gear and the path of least resistance has kicked in big time. It will take a monumental effort to right this incredible ship called the United States but it can and must be done especially with people like yourself immersed with the young crowd. They must never be afraid to speak their mind, ever ever ever!!! You are far far from alone and then some.
I’m sorry, I hit the wrong thumb!
You are NEVER out of the fight!
The left is scared of us. Don’t forget that.
https://twitter.com/jackmurphylive/status/1308759112130473984
THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.
Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.
What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.
– Thomas Paine, December 1776
The hard truth is this: even if we manage to shift the tide, the damage done by Clinton/left/Obama/Biden/McConnell is generational. The years going forward are not going to be easy.
And if you’re young: you future was robbed – perhaps you’ll learn a lesson.
And if you were seeking emotional counsel from the Clinton/left/Obama/Biden/McConnell, your breasts and your penises are missing, and you’ll likely be sodomized by some fat hairy guy before your 16th birthday.