As July Fourth fades into July fifth, and the rockets’ red glare ceases to illuminate the night sky, I sit on my bed pondering about this great land of America and the challenges we face. My heart is somber. I feel like I want a cosmic megaphone so I can shout to the whole world and warn them of the fate they are rushing towards – to alert them to the trap that has been laid for them by humanity’s enemies. As we wave our flags, sing patriotic songs, and boast of our Freedom, I fear that we lose sight of the seriousness of our present situation.

It appears that we are fulfilling in every particular the old scriptural warnings against complacency, naïveté, and ignorance. In one place we are told: “Woe to them that are at ease in Zion” (Amos 6:1). And in another ancient holy book, we are similarly warned:

“And others will [Satan] pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.

“And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance” (2 Nephi 28:21).

I see so many conservatives applauding what they think are improving conditions under President Trump. The economy appears to be a booming. Unemployment numbers seem to be dropping. Some taxes have been cut. President Trump has slashed some of the myriad of bureaucratic regulations that entangle us. We are pumping and exporting more oil than ever before. We are extending the hand of diplomacy and friendship to belligerent nations like North Korea. We are making “deals” with everyone. And so forth. In all these things, conservatives believe they see the winds of change – a revolution in favor of sound government, national stability, and personal Freedom.

Yet, I must question whether any of these are indicators of true change and betterment. We have been so indoctrinated with Marxism that we see everything in terms of economics and materialism. If the economy appears stable, we think things are peachy. If unemployment drops, we think the government is doing wonderful. If a small tax cut puts a few extra dollars in our bank accounts, we assume everything is on track.

But what of our spiritual health and cultural well-being? Is church attendance on the rise? Is faith in Jesus Christ increasing? Are we following the Ten Commandments as a People? Are our families stronger? Are more marriages weathering the storms of life and resisting the Siren song of easy and “no-fault” divorce? Have we done away with the barbaric practice of slaughtering our newborns? Are we having large families again like our forefathers? Are we less sex-obsessed than before? Are people obeying the Lord’s law of chastity and abstaining from sex before marriage and remaining faithful in marriage? Is entertainment abandoning the trend of throwing profanity and lewdness into everything?

And how are our social relations? Are we less divided than before? Do we agree and unite on more issues than before? Do we ignore superficial issues like race and gender, or are we obsessed with them? Do we heed the ludicrous demands of political correctness or ignore them? Do we go along with Marxist hate speech legislation or cherish free speech and expression? Are our public demonstrations peaceful or more violent and heated? Are mobs and mob mentality increasing or decreasing? Is our social media interaction friendlier than it was in the past or worse?

And legally speaking, are things on the upswing? Is the Constitution followed more often now or less? Is the First Amendment under attack or defended? Is the Second Amendment under assault or held inviolate? How are privacy rights doing – or is there such thing as privacy these days? Do we have more or fewer police swarming our streets? Are we emptying or filling our prisons?

Folks, I could keep asking leading questions all day, but let me get to my point. Although the economy, on the surface, appears to be in a moment of upsurge (our $22 Trillion in debt, the existence of the parasitical Federal Reserve, and numerous other factors belie the claim of a booming economy), other indicators are blaring a “RED ALERT!” warning signal. The three great standards and institutions of any nation – Faith, Families, and Freedom – are all suffering massively. In fact, each is imploding before our eyes.

What good is a so-called “booming” economy when our Faith in the Savior gives way to pagan beliefs and reprobate behavior? How does a small tax cut assist us when our Families are decreasing in size, decreasing in effectiveness, and disintegrating altogether? What good is it to be a net exporter of oil when our Freedom is consumed by collectivist attitudes, Marxist-style Social Justice laws, and open calls for socialism by presidential candidates and the crowds who back them?

America is more divided than ever before. And the segment of the population who wants to drive the wedge even further and break us apart as a nation is succeeding largely because those of us who truly care and who ought to know better are ignoring the real problems. The honorable Ezra Taft Benson warned:

“If American freedom is lost, if America is destroyed, if our blood-bought freedom is surrendered, it will be because of Americans. What’s more, it will probably not be only the work of subversive and criminal Americans. The Benedict Arnolds will not be the only ones to forfeit our freedom. . . .

“If America is destroyed, it may be by Americans who salute the flag, sing the national anthem, march in patriotic parades, cheer Fourth of July speakers—normally good Americans, but Americans who fail to comprehend what is required to keep our country strong and free—Americans who have been lulled away into a false security” (President Ezra Taft Benson, “Americans Are Destroying America,” Conference Report, April, 1968).

Is this what is happening? Are good, seemingly patriotic Americans responsible for the cultural destruction we see around us because they have been apathetic, naïve, and ignorant? I submit that this is precisely the case. There will always be subversives who want to overthrow the established government and set up a self-serving system with themselves in charge. However, this criminal element can only succeed when the population as a whole turns a blind eye and allows them to. We have for generations been so obsessed with bread and circuses that we allowed the communist cancer to spread to every community in the Union. We’ve slept while Rome burned. We’ve sold our Liberty for a mess of pottage!

Ezra Taft Benson delivered another powerful warning that should’ve been heeded decades ago:

“For a quarter of a century I have seen, at close range, the insidious forward march of creeping socialism and its ruthless companion godless communism. It is a shocking record of bluff, bluster, deception, intrigue, bondage, and mass murder. Never in recorded history has any movement spread itself so far and so fast as has socialistic-communism in the past few years. The facts are not pleasant to review. Communist leaders are jubilant with their success. They are driving freedom back on almost every front. . . .

“I say to you with all the fervor of my soul: We are sowing the seeds of our own destruction in America and much of the free world today. It is my sober warning to you today that if the trends of the past thirty years – and especially the past three years – continue, we will lose that which is as priceless as life itself – our freedom – our liberty – our right to act as free men. It can happen here. It is happening here.

“Our greatest need in America today is to be alerted and informed” (Ezra Taft Benson, “We Must Become Alerted and Informed,” speech, December 13, 1963).

The seeds of destruction that were sewn decades ago are being harvested now before our eyes. Our enemies are “jubilant with their success.” Our level of healthy religion and morality – the pillars of free society – is declining. Our families are falling apart. Freedom is being pushed back “on almost every front.” And what do we do in the face of this awful situation? We cheer and celebrate, wave our flags and shoot off our fireworks, and believe that President Trump will save us!

Instead, we need to become “alerted and informed.” We need to comprehend that there exists an international Satanic cabal which seek to obliterate our Liberty and consolidate the United States into a Marxist world order. We need to understand that communism never died, the USSR faked its “collapse,” and the West lost the Cold War. We need to admit that we have not done enough for to save our Republic – that it is our fault for allowing this clique of gangsters to abuse us for all these many years. We need to wake up and heed the warnings of men who have been awake all this time and who have screamed themselves hoarse trying to alert and save their country.

After this Independence Day, will anything change? Are our hearts stirring with emotion for our lost Liberty? Are we pricked with the terrible realization that all is not well in Zion? Will we push forward with more vigor for the restoration of our land to its godly roots? Will we work harder to preserve and replenish our Faith, Families, and Freedom? Will anything change at all? Or is July Fourth it just another day? Was it just another holiday – an excuse to BBQ, take the day off, and blow off some fireworks? Only you can decide what this day meant for you and what you will do from here on out.

From where I sit, it is not “morning in America.” But there should be mourning in America. The blast of the fireworks last night should have reverberated in our souls. We should feel the urgency which our situation presents. We should feel stirred to action in defense of our smoldering homeland. We should feel a greater determination to push back the communists who have gained so much ground that they are openly parading with hammer and sickle flags, burning Old Glory in D.C., beating people to within an inch of their lives in violent public demonstration while the police do nothing, and relishing the notion that one of their chosen candidates will likely be the Democratic Party nominee for president in 2020.

My fellow Americans, we are losing this war. We are losing. Donald Trump is president, yet we are losing. So-called conservatives have a majority on the Supreme Court, yet we are losing. Republicans control the Senate, yet we are losing. Our culture is sinking under the weight of hedonism and selfishness. Public schools are little more than communist indoctrination centers. Even public libraries, those places that gave me so many hours of joy as a child, are scenes of debauchery and indoctrination. Yes, Christian constitutionalists are being pushed back on almost every front.

If I sound overly pessimistic, it is because I am. We are losing the war and the casualties are mounting. I know we will win the war in the end, but at what cost? How much will we lose along the way? How many of our friends and family members will fall in this struggle? How many more good people will have their lives, careers, and reputations destroyed because of the cowardice of their neighbors to defend their rights against oppression? How many more children will be stolen from good homes because of the political or religious views of their parents? How much more lewdness and depravity must we be forced to witness? How much more suffering must we endure before we wake up and thrash the enemy who feeds off of our pain like the American Indian god Okee?

As wonderful and fun as it is to watch fireworks, have BBQs, wear patriotic apparel, and read The Declaration of Independence with my family, I can’t help but mourn for my country. America is on fire. And if my home is burning, will I remain silent? If my family is in danger, will I remain inactive? If I’m on the verge of losing everything I love, will I shout, “USA! USA! USA!” or say “All is well”? No! And if you are a patriot, you must not fall into this fatal trap of complacency and inattention!

Now is the time to wake up. Now is the time to become informed. Now is the time to study the Constitution as well as the tactics of the communist enemy. Now is the time to educate your family and neighbors. Now is the time to act in behalf of your country. Now is the time!

I love America! America is the greatest nation on earth! We are the most blessed People in history. This is a special land – a Promised Land. It is a land reserved by God for humble, righteous People. It is the Lord’s base of operations in these last days. America must be defended!

I pledge my life to the restoration of the Republic, the defense of our God-inspired Constitution, and to the maintenance of the principles of Liberty and rule of law. I pledge myself to the defense of Faith, Family, and Freedom. Whatever little I have to offer, I offer to my nation, to my People, and to my God. God help America!

Zack Strong,

July 5, 2019