Live Free or Die – More than a motto

Everyone knows the famous New Hampshire state motto, after all it’s on our license plates.  Some may even know General Stark is the source for this phrase.  However, most people nowadays regard “Live Free or Die” as just another slogan devoid of meaning or essence.  Nothing could be further from the truth – New Hampshire rightfully earned the motto by including Article 10 in the State Constitution:

“Whenever the ends of government are perverted, and public liberty manifestly endangered, and all other means of redress are ineffectual, the people may, and of right ought to reform the old, or establish a new government. The doctrine of nonresistance against arbitrary power, and oppression, is absurd, slavish, and destructive of the good and happiness of mankind.”

The last line clearly reflects the Founding Fathers’ mentality when they penned this article shortly after the Revolutionary War.  As you see, resistance against arbitrary and discriminatory government actions is not our right – it is our obligation as good citizens.  

Of course this is not an excuse to get your pitchforks and muskets and go after the selectmen when they don’t agree with you.  Article 10 clearly identifies ‘other means of redress’ (meaning the court system) as the first means of fighting against a government that conspires to trample on the rights of a group of its citizens based solely on their ideals.   

So if you support Article 10 of our constitution and you support the fight against those who use the power of government for their own personal prejudices, you don’t need to display some crummy sticker on your car – “Live Free or Die” is already proudly displayed on your bumper.