Samuel Adams' words capture the freedom-impelled and freedom-impelling ideals of the American Declaration of Independence: that all men are created equal, and are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; and that government exists to secure these rights through just powers derived from the consent of the governed.

These ideals are a principled force for good that cannot be outgrown or superseded. The blessings that flow from fidelity to them may rise and fall over generations, but their rightness and relevance to human progress in government, the economy, and the culture will not.

Even if a majority of voting citizens appears to have rejected or become confused as to these ideals, the darkness that will surely follow is not permanent. Because these ideals are grounded in the Christian truth of God and of man’s individual freedom and responsibility under God—a ‘light’ that shines in the darkness, that can never be extinguished. Brushfires of freedom aims to inspire its readers with essays and links that are grounded in this truth.

“Brushfires” and Talk Radio

Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Mark Levin (and some others) are strikingly attuned to these ideals. Not their commentary as distorted by sound bites or hearsay to create a false context from which to attack them as hateful, bigoted, reactionary, etc., but what is heard when one actually listens for a few days, not a few minutes. What is then heard is— dare say—the God-inspired qualities of thought that quietly and implicitly recognize a loving Creator, and all men and women, with freedom and responsibility under God (not government) as capable of great good.

These qualities of thought are borne of honest spirituality—of faith in the unseen, trust that there is such a thing as truth, and humility in the recognition of a power greater than one’s self—that exists without regard to how individuals (such as Levin, who is Jewish) articulate the theological underpinnings of their worldview. It exists because truth is truth, in every language, among all peoples—and the heart of humanity responds naturally to it. That’s why their audiences are so large and loyal (and why they are so hated within certain other worldviews).

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The spirit of Sam Adams, the spirit of much of talk radio, and the spirit of this website—is the spirit of America’s exceptionalism. It was on fire in 1776, and empowered the American Revolutionary movement to triumph despite being outnumbered in personnel, weapons and wealth. It has smoldered from time to time since then, but is always ready to be re-ignited. It will triumph again, too, regardless of being ‘outnumbered’ by any measure. Just needs a few brushfires…

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