There is nowhere to turn but talk radio, and you can’t live in talk radio.

Make no mistake, we are engaged in an epic struggle. We are in fact engaged in a mythic struggle. I believe that Prof. Joseph Campbell, student of human nature and author of The Hero with a Thousand Faces, can give us a road map to what happens next.

Life imitates art? Yes, I think so. The struggle between those who want to be left alone and those who won’t leave you alone is as old as humanity itself. For those skeptical about how this plays out, just run with me for a moment. Deep psychological truths about human behavior don’t outdate very easily.

Let’s take a look at Campbell’s breakdown of the Hero’s Journey. There are twelve steps, starting with the Hero’s ordinary world, which is about to be disrupted. Step two has been called, “stunning surprise number one.” It changes the Hero’s destiny. Let’s just draw a line and start here with the events of 9/11.

The next step, number three, is fear �" of the unknown, and of the fallout that came of 9/11.

Step four is the teacher. Many teachers came into the fray after 9/11 �" some good, others twisted by fear into antagonists of freedom.

Step five is the doorway of no return: The Patriot Act. Clearly, there were lots of unconstitutional executive orders that issued from Bill Clinton, but it was the Patriot Act that really killed the Bill of Rights.

Step six is tests, allies, and enemies. In this phase, we’re being severely tested �" and finding more enemies than allies. Keep your friends close. You need them and they need you.

Step seven is approach to the inmost cave. Remember when the tractor beam pulled the Millennium Falcon into the Death Star? Does that sound like where we are now? Yeah. That leaves five more steps ahead of us.

Step eight is the ordeal. The Hero’s fortunes hit bottom. He faces death and a dark night of the soul. The Hero is transformed by the struggle, maybe so much so that he appears to die and be born again. Remember when Luke Skywalker and his friends are trapped in the garbage compacter on the Death Star and Luke was dragged underwater? Every ordeal has many scenes, but this one is a good example.

Step nine is seizing the sword, which is the reward of the life-or-death struggle.

Step ten, the road back, is when the bad guys chase after the Hero.

Step eleven is resurrection, also known as “stunning surprise number two, the Hero’s darkest hour.” The bad guys get in one final shot, which is a doozy, destroying the Hero’s plan for victory. However, the Hero has developed inner strength and resources from his ordeal, and is able to call upon those to win.

Step twelve is victory, which must be brought home and shared as freedom returns to our world.

May the Force be with you. And watch out for stunning surprise number two.