Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Daily (Patrick Henry–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship



Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikipedia



Lord,

I once cried,

“Give me liberty
or give me death!”

In this wired republic,
teach me how to defend liberty
without handing it away
a click at a time.

Show me the chains
that come disguised as convenience:
surveillance wrapped in “personalization,”
pressure to speak wrapped in “engagement,”
exploitation wrapped in “free” services
that cost us our privacy
and our peace.

Protect my fellow citizens
from digital tyranny—
whether it comes
from hostile states,
criminal cartels,
or corporations
that treat people
as mere resources to mine.

Guard my own love of freedom
from becoming license—
an excuse to harm,
to harass,
to spread whatever I please
 without regard for truth or neighbor.

Grant me the courage
to say “No”
when platforms or powers
demand too much—
to refuse terms that trample dignity,
to stand with those
whose voices are silenced
by force or fraud.

And let my stewardship
of this digital commons
be worthy
of the old cry for liberty—
fierce for the rights of others,
careful with my own power,
and ready, if needed,
to sacrifice comfort
rather than surrender the freedom
you have entrusted
to our care.


AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [Patrick Henry] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [Patrick Henry], and should not be taken as his real views or words.

wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)

Daily (P. T. Barnum–style) Digital Life Litany for Protection, Direction and Stewardship



Caveat emptier: This post was drafted with help from an AI assistant (Perplexity)— but ideated and edited extensively by the human, Bill Acton

Wikipedia

Lord,
there's a now a new
greatest show on Earth—
the internet—
where there’s a clicker born every minute
if we’re not careful.

Teach me to see the banner
behind the banner.

When a page sparkles with promises,
when a stranger offers miracles
for a small fee and a lot of trust,
help me ask, “Who’s the ringmaster here,
and who’s the mark?”

Protect me from turning my own life
into a freak show—
putting every secret on display,
selling every private moment
for a little attention and applause.

Guard my purse and my people
from three‑card‑monte schemes in digital form:
rigged games, fake charities,
“limited time offers”
designed to empty wallets
and vanish into the night.

And grant that my stewardship
of this endless circus
leans toward honest wonder,
not cheap tricks—
so that if I draw a crowd,
it is to delight, inform, and protect,
and not to fleece
the very souls
you’ve asked me to love.


AI‑assisted creative work: This litany is an imaginative parody pastiche using generative AI. It imitates the public persona of [P. T. Barnum] for commentary and devotional reflection. It is not created by or affiliated with [P. T. Barnum], and should not be taken as his real views or words.

wracton@gmail.com
williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (Legalshield and IDshield subscription information and applying for associate positions)