All men are created equal! Our founders arrived at this belief through a studied understanding of the writings of Aristotle, Cicero, Locke and others. They understood the value of reason arrived at by these philosophers. They labored with a profound insight into the laws of nature and nature’s God. The God of the Old Testament. That is the Judeo- Christian principle. Providence guided our Founders to uncover the principle which proclaims the essential value of the individual. In Jefferson’s words it was to be the,” Expression of the American mind.” It is our national identity and it is being savagely attacked by the radical left.
Our America is facing an identity crisis that is changing the direction of the country. Our generation is forgetting or perhaps ignoring a very basic and singularly American principle. It is, all men are created equal. With this divinely inspired concept, the Founding Fathers laid the foundation for their great experiment, a constitutional republic. They established our national identity and our political creed. They declared this irrespective of race, religion or wealth. It was their understanding that much was yet to be accomplished to secure freedom for all in this fledgling nation. They charged future generations to keep and nurture their vision.
Even before the day of its ratification, our unique constitution has been under assault. Mostly, the wounding has been accomplished by subversive enemies within. Now once again this progressive thinking enemy is attempting to eradicate our government of the people, by the people and for the people. Engaging in usurpation of powers, they are creating possible fatal cracks in our political foundation. This they will tell you is being done for the “greater good”. Their myopic vision is an age-old dogma that has never proved fruitful and never will.
We the people are and always have been charged with the responsibility of keeping our government limited and our future free. We must not be the first generation to fail to live the vision, and heed the warnings our founders had pledged their lives, their fortunes and their scared honor to secure for us. I quote Thomas Jefferson, "We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt till the bulk of society is to be mere automation's of misery." And,” I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.” Again, Jefferson, “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in the state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” In addition, “What is true of every member of the society individually is true of them all collectively. The right of the whole can be no more than the sum of the rights of the individual."
The social and governing system the Founding Fathers established, firstly with the Declaration of Independence and secondly with the Constitution was definitely based on the value of the individual and the intrinsic rights therein. That is our national identity, the value of the individual and that is what is being attacked today.
What I have discussed in the first portion of this article concerns the basic values embodied in our Constitution. It is the bedrock that secures the laws governing our nation. Consider the following quotes and how they contrast to those of Mr. Jefferson’s. “Our entire country is banding together and facing down individualism…..and searching for the greater good.” Ted Kennedy 2003. "Our individual salvation depends on collective salvation." Barrack Obama 2008. “We must stop thinking about the individual and start considering what is best for society.” Hillary Clinton 1993. “There is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the greatest creed.” Woodrow Wilson early 20th Century. “America is not anything if it consists of each of us. It is something only if it consists of all of us.” Woodrow Wilson early 20th Century. “It is necessary that the individual should come to realize that his own ego is of no importance in comparison with the existence of his nation.” Adolph Hitler 1933.
Volumes could be written displaying the contrasting thoughts of those who wish to continue our great nation against those who wish to alter it. It is time for all of us to seek out this information and decide where we stand and with whom we stand. Reason, intellect and divine guidance allowed our founders to envision and establish a society that would enable an individual to seek its highest potential. The two sets of quotes you have just compared are diametrical opposites. The latter devalues and tramples the sanctity of the individual. The former elevates the individual and allows him the ability to seek exceptionalism. No advocate of freedom can believe it is their right to enslave the minds of others and destroy our national identity.
In America, prosperity and personal freedom are firmly entwined. This is what sets capitalism apart from all other economies. It is what allowed America to become a great super power. It is why Americans were always ready to come to the aid of the less fortunate among us. As Americans we are not innately better people, many of us were welcomed to these shores by the Lady in the Harbor. We are simply individuals who, because of our unique national identity, were afforded the ability to pursue our dreams.
We now more than ever before must stand together as citizens of a free nation with absolute understanding of the source of our freedom. We must do this to secure the future for our children. Talk to your friends and neighbors, get informed and involved. Do not hand the future to the radical left. It is imperative to know our history so we may direct our future.
Once while Mr. Jefferson was addressing the evils of slavery he said, “If God is just, I tremble for my country.” The intentional negation of our national identity by those who have the power to “fundamentally change our country,” and to tax us into oblivion is a frightful indication of where we are being taken. This downward spiral is chilling and I too tremble for my country!
Author: MaryAnn Harris
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