April
29, 2002
Deborah Venable
As far as we know, there is still only one planet that is
habitable by humans. That means we must
all share it. The only way to
accomplish that without constant war is to respect individuals until they
infringe on the rights of others. Now
that is pretty darned simple, but humans have been unable to get it right –
even in the land of the “free” and the home of the “brave.” We were doing okay for a while until we
“brave” folks allowed our freedom to be encroached by philosophies that have
nothing to do with a free country gaining freedom or keeping it.
Any philosophy that sacrifices respect for the individual is
flawed. The founders of the United
States of America certainly realized this and did everything in their power to
ensure future generations would continue to realize it too. They warned us that the government they were
bequeathing to us would require constant vigilance on the part of individuals
to maintain its integrity. Every type
of human characteristic that now exists also existed then, and they warned us
what to look out for in our perseverance of maintaining liberty. They warned us, and we failed them. We turned instead to philosophies that have
enslaved humans since the beginning of our existence.
Our Founders and countless others since offered their lives and
fortunes on the alter of our liberty and we have repaid them by smashing the
alter. The trees of liberty are
languishing in a drought of socialism and flawed politics. We’ve bought into what can never be, in
search of what never was, and discarded what was as near to perfection as we’ll
ever get. Now in plain English that
means, we’ve accepted universal government as benevolent in search of zero
responsibility for ourselves and sacrificed personal freedom. How many more ways can I say it?
As I communicate with more and more people throughout the
country, I find a general sense of desperation about the apathy and ignorance
that abounds in this era of knowledge at your fingertips and immediate
gratification. Many folks have confided
that they do not think there is any hope of fixing what is wrong in
America. I know that feeling well, for
I battle it every day myself. Where
there are problems, though, there are solutions. We each have to determine if we wish to be part of the problem or
part of the solution. That is an old
cliché, but very relevant in today’s America.
We do still have the ballot box – even though many complain that
elections are “fixed” and choices are slim.
We should not complain about the way things are if we are willing to
rationalize not participating in a system of government “by the people” – no
matter how corrupt we think it has become.
Voter registration and turnout in this country is abominable. A “silent majority” can expect to be ruled
by a corrupt few. The ballot box must
be utilized by a wise electorate before a majority can be measured. Silence may be “golden” but corruption is
being cast in concrete because of it.
America is a Representative Republic of individual sovereigns
making up 50 sovereign states combined in a union that is defined by the United
States Constitution. We are represented
in the rest of the world by the Union, which is allowed only those powers
granted to protect us from all enemies, foreign and domestic, and protect our
interests of trade in foreign relations.
It is not the duty, nor should it be, of that Union or those States to
secure our happiness and well-being.
Rather it is our own to insure that those governments stay out of our
way in securing those things for ourselves.
We should all have little patience for individuals and groups that whine and complain and demand that an ever-growing central government should be at the ready to soothe the suffering and ease the pressure of everyday life. If we see that our neighbors are in real need, we should have charity in our hearts and service in our actions to help fill those needs and diminish the justification for government assistance of any kind. If we expect quality representation in government, we must be willing to do what it takes to make wise choices in those representatives and follow through with direction. The job of responsible self-government our Founders intended for us to follow is arduous and ongoing. Freedom is the reward, and it is well worth the effort.
Get involved, stay informed, and send your pessimism on its
way. If there is one thing I am
absolutely sure about, it is that the American Dream is worth saving, and it
cannot be accomplished with a negative attitude or a hopeless spirit!