Those of you, like me, who are political theory geeks are quite familiar with the “Father of Classical Liberalism,” English political philosopher, John Locke. It was Locke who proposed a revolutionary concept that challenged the political order of the day. In 1689 Locke published his Second Treatise of Civil Government. In it, he advocated what would be called Natural Rights Theory; the belief that individual rights emanated not from man or government, but rather from God. This was revolutionary because the prevailing belief was Divine Rights Theory which bestowed the power of granting rights to monarchs, who were supposedly empowered to rule by God.

Locke said that the unalienable rights of the individual granted to them by God were life, liberty, and property. It was no longer the status quo of individuals requesting a “bye your leave” under the feudal system of those who lorded over them, relegating them to a status of serfdom. In the American Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson codified natural rights theory when he referred to “the laws of nature and nature’s God” in establishing the preeminence and sovereignty of the individual. As well, Jefferson put forth natural rights theory as a prominent ideal in the establishment of the United States of America.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

Later in the mid-1830s, a French economist named Frederic Bastiat wrote an essay called “The Law.” It simply put forth the purpose of the law, which was to protect the life, liberty, and property of the individual. Bastiat warns us in his essay about “legal plunder” where the government, by way of greed and misconceived philanthropy, steals the resources of the individual to advance its intentions and agenda.

So, here we are in America, some 248 years later, and Americans are being told that they own nothing . . . not their lives, liberty, or property.

Not too long ago the government told us that we had no control over what is injected into our bodies. They issued unconstitutional mandates under the threat of losing employment, being restricted in movement, and social ostracization. It was the government that worked with media outlets to censor any information, and discussion, that opposed COVID shots and mandates. Who would have ever believed we would live in an America where healthy people would be told to stay in their own homes? Where people were arrested for being at playgrounds with their children, or surfing, alone, in the ocean. It is the government that wants to control our healthcare system and access, and not to our benefit. It is the government, along with disturbing ideologues, who wish to control what we eat . . . all under the guise of knowing what is best for our health.

“My body, my choice” only applies when it comes to dismembering unborn babies in the womb as a primary means of birth control or chopping off healthy tissue under the guise of “gender-affirming” care. Otherwise, the progressive socialists feel that you have no choice in decisions relating to your body.

These same leftists who control our government seek to control our liberty. Freedoms that are defined in our Constitution as the Bill of Rights are dismissed as suggestions. As Joe Biden has quipped, “No amendment to the Constitution is absolute.” Freedom of religion? Nah, we will shut down churches. Freedom of speech? No way, only leftists can define accepted speech. Freedom of expression, the right to peaceably assemble, or the right to petition your government for redress of grievances? Fuhgeddaboudit! If you disagree with the ideological agenda of the left, you lose your liberty, and will be branded as a domestic terrorist. All the while, dangerous leftist domestic terrorists go free.

If you are a businessman who takes out loans and pays them back with interest, you can be found guilty of fraud. However, unconstitutionally, Joe Biden can dismiss the college student loans and have American taxpayers foot the bill.

The leftists, Marxists, do not even believe that you own your business. Recall it was Barack Hussein Obama who quipped, “If you own a business, you didn’t build that,” and America was dumb enough to reelect him. Obama asserted that government roads and schools enabled people to have businesses. Sadly, he failed to recognize that the tax revenues of individuals and businesses fuel the public sector to provide these services. As well, it was the government that told private sector businesses that they had to shut down during the COVID fiasco. Yet, if anyone speaks of shutting down the government, they go apoplectic. Along the same lines, it is the government that tells the private sector what their wages must be. Imagine the private sector setting the wage standards for the government. Hmm, after all, it is the revenues of individuals and businesses that provide the largesse for the government. Not only do you not own your own business, you do not own your resources; you must “pay for fair share” unless your name is Hunter Biden.

Parents no longer have the liberty of raising their children. If they do not agree with the progressive agenda of child gender mutilation, you will lose your children. That is happening in several States across America, most recently in Indiana. However, you can take your child to see perverted biological males scantily dressed as females, showing their genitalia, and being lauded. Young women no longer have the liberty to compete against each other or have privacy in their locker rooms.

Lastly, we certainly no longer have the property right. Here in Texas, we suffer under onerous property taxes, likewise in several other states. In those cases, Americans can never truly own their own home. You can pay off your mortgage, but you still are a renter to the government. And it is not just the physical home. Progressive socialists, aka Democrat party, want to determine what type of dishwasher, stove, heating/AC unit, thermostat, energy source, and amount of water you have in your toilet. Leftists want to tell you what type of vehicle you can have and even want to place mileage monitors in your vehicle if it operates on fossil fuel.

What am I describing here? Totalitarianism!

Under totalitarianism you truly own nothing. There is no such thing as natural rights theory, or the ideal of individuals having the right to life, liberty, and property. Any and everything is all about state, government, and control. Heck, the leftists in America do not even believe that we have an America . . . open borders. Therefore, they do not believe you have a right to be kept safe and secure.

Orwellian? Dystopian?

If we are idiotic enough to reward these totalitarians with elected office in this 2024 election cycle, then yes, we get the government that we deserve. If we continue to participate in the grandest, and most dangerous, Pavlovian experiment, and reward this bad behavior we will only reap what we have sown, more bad behavior.

Let’s make a stand for the Laws of Nature, and Nature’s God and replace any form of government that does not operate within the rule of law and the consent of the governed. I will not be ruled by totalitarianism. I will not surrender my rights, freedoms, and liberties to be replaced by collectivism. I will not be a slave, serf, or mindless lemming.

It was George Washington who said, “We are either a United people, or we are not. If the former, let us, in all matters of great concern act as a nation, which has national objects to promote, and a National character to support — If we are not, let us no longer act a farce by pretending to it”. — Letter to James Madison (author of the US Constitution and President), 30 November 1785.

Our rights of life, liberty, and property are integral to our national character. Undermining them is a matter of great concern. To leftists who wish to make a farce of America, I say we defeat them, restore our Constitutional Republic, and protect our Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness (Property).

Steadfast and Loyal.

This post first appeared at Townhall.com.