Sharing my birthday with George Washington may help explain my fascination with history. Being born in the same year and season as the events depicted in this story, part of the greatest conflict in human history, may explain it. Then again, it may be purely coincidental. Whatever the reason, I am left to wonder, why must we fight the same battle again and again? Why must people, usually the majority, embrace tyranny and the rest of us fight it? I guess I just answered my own question. If the majority find comfort in the embrace of a tyrant, if they are willing to surrender freedom for freedom from responsibility for their choices and actions, there will always be someone to take advantage of their servility. This lesson was driven home just yesterday when I lost my own battle in this war. By a vote of 30 to 18, my VFW District chose to swear allegiance to our government. I could not convince them that We the People are sovereign and that government owes its allegiance, its very existence, to us. Sadly, they will continue to watch stories, such as this, about the exploits of our parents who fought tyranny with unearned pride and many "Hoorahs!" Then rush to elect and reelect tyrants who promise to make everything better. Yes, I have little hope that this November's ballot boxes will stave off the tyrants, but will continue the fight until there is no fight left in me.