John Galt is an idea. John Galt is the spirit of individual rights, triumphs, property, liberty.
In my generation was born a personification of Ayn Rand's epic Hero.
His name was Andrew Breitbart.
His voice and vision spoke to millions, in an attempt to free them from propaganda and socialist programs determined to enslave our minds, bodies, and property.
Andrew Breitbart IS the John Galt of our day and age.
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The socialist machine and their propaganda outlets within Media Matters and the Main Stream Media seek to steal your right to think and choose at the barrel of a gun. They seek to choose, for you, what facts are important. They seek to do this so you won't fight when they come to take what is rightfully yours.
Andrew used a one-word response to this in his Trailer for the upcoming film, "Hating Breitbart". Those who knew Andrew well have often said that Andrew is not a man of few words. In this, however, one word suffices: WAR.
A War of ideas, a war for your own mind to be free. It is a war of words and facts and action. It is a war not of violence except if brought to the absolute last resort. It is a war of representation, a war of votes, a war where our greatest weapon is the truth, not the use of physical force.
It is good versus evil.
The Shock Heard 'Round the World:
When I awoke the morning of March 1st, 2012, I saw a tweet in my Twitter feed. Given the antics of various political activists, I thought it was just a sick joke or a vicious rumor. Within minutes, the suspicion of a joke turned out to be a horrible truth.
Andrew Breitbart, 1969-2012, passed away shortly after midnight PST, March 1st, 2012. The reports are he died of natural causes while taking a walk. He collapsed and the paramedics were called.
How and why he died are not of any great import. Conspiracy theorists are already speculating it was really an assassination formulated by anybody from George Soros to Eric Boehlert to Media Matters to Keith Olbermann. If an investigation were initiated then I would join those suspicions. The facts as I have them indicate no foul play was involved. The one thing that needs to remain foremost in our minds in the wake of this tragedy is HOW ANDREW BREITBART LIVED!
A few days ago I wrote this latest philosophical essay. I think Breitbart's life exemplifies the tenets I discussed in analyzing Tecumseh's poem and the movie "Act of Valor". Bretibart was a great warrior.
I never met Andrew in person. My interactions with him were restricted to a few battles I jumped into on twitter. I was looking forward to meeting him at BlogCon in April. Despite having never seen the man in person, however, he did have a huge impact on my recent life.
During my last deployment to Iraq, several key issues and bills were passed. This was 2009. During that deployment, I was introduced to Andrew Breitbart's "Big" websites. I began to count on them for news. In Iraq, we were mostly restricted to Fox and CNN in the Dining Facilities and 3-5 day old stories in Stars and Stripes. The Drudge Report and Breitbart's site became vital links to news and information from "home". As an intelligence analyst, socio-political events and issues at home dis play into my wartime job. They impact the environment in which we operated. In addition, Soldiers tend to depend upon their intelligence analysts for news and gossip from home on subjects ranging from "who won the Oscars" to sports scores to local political news. I depended upon Breitbart and his site to give me data to pass along to my Soldiers. That perspective which differed from Main Stream Media's reporting expanded my capabilities in performing that aspect of my mission.
With the current administration in Washington, I read between the lines. I made a hard decision to retire from military service. There comes a time when a Soldier has to compare the values he holds sacred to the policies of the government. When those policies seem to conflict drastically with our solemn oath, hard decisions must be made. I had done over 20 years and made the decision to hang up my spurs.
Gutfeld: Breitbart the 'most fearless person I've ever met'
Andrew was an inspiration. Upon retirement, a whole new world opened before me. I no longer had that path of military service guiding my way. I still seek to serve the people of this great nation in some capacity. I hold to the truths that are "self-evident". My spirituality (and religion) guides my life and decisions. Second to that are the ideals behind the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. Andrew's continuous quest for the truth struck a cord.
I have not chosen that new path yet. Andrew showed me opportunity. His passion for life and truth was a beacon towards those possibilities. I decided to strive towards a graduate degree in International Relations. My experience in the intelligence community lends to both public and private sector jobs. Breitbart showed me that such skills can be used outside of jobs in the intelligence community.
Breitbart inspired me to get involved in politics. After 24 years of having to remain largely apolitical, Breitbart inspired my voice. The few political essays on this site were borne from that inspiration. Through his work first with Matt Drudge and later on his own publishing business, Andrew spoke to me. He told me I no longer had to remain silent. He showed me that I have a right to stand up for the principles I passionately hold true.
On Twitter, Mr. Breitbart often republished his opponents views and scathing (usually personally insulting) remarks. He did this to expose the whole argument on topics. From the stories I have heard, he never backed down from a debate. He also remained civil and often regarded as "friendly". A recent story I heard had him at a dinner with several socialist activists. Despite some undoubtedly heated and impassioned debate around that table, all I heard from those who sat with him was "He is really a nice guy! He was not what I expected". That is a testament to the man Andrew Breitbart should be remembered to be.
On WSB radio in Atlanta, GA, Mr. Erick Ericson of Red State said of Andrew, "A bright Super-Nova has now gone dark". The best eulogy and epitaph for Andrew's short, passionate, and FULL life is simple. That one super-nova may have been extinguished. Now a thousand bright stars are called to pick up the fight where he left off.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Andrew, his wife, Susan, his 4 children, and his closest friends. Those thoughts and prayers also go out to the journalism community, as it has suffered a huge loss. My prayers also go out to this great nation. A great voice calling our way back onto our path of greatness has gone silent. Andrew, your work will go on. Andrew, you are greatly missed, and loved by many who never even had the pleasure of meeting you. Rest in peace. You've earned it.
Tecumseh wrote of "singing your own death song" in living a life devoid of the fear of death. Andrew Breitbart wrote not a "death song" He wrote a symphony to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Listen to the wind, it is echoing through eternity upon it.
Andrew Breitbart and Ayn Rand are in the afterlife, marveling together how their messages continue on, spreading, growing, inspiring lovers of liberty and individual prosperity. His voice will never be silenced.
"Who is John Galt?"
Andrew Breitbart and his spirit are John Galt.
I am John Galt.
I Am Andrew Breitbart
Video below compiled by Misfit Politics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ld8tJdfVMc
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