The theme for this year will be the ideals and principles stated so clearly in the Declaration of Independence, and how the Constitution is an attempt to make of those ideals a working system of governance for the people.
This is something that had never and HAS never been done before – or since. Countries are founded by conquest; conquest of land, vanquishing of a foe or foes. Countries are founded by expansion; we have more people we’ll just scoot over and include this bit. Countries are founded by secession or revolution; usually in anger but sometimes (as in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada) by mutual agreement.
The United States did have to rebel and then fight a war – but unlike other countries we started from IDEALS. These ideals grew out of the religious principles that originally brought Englishmen to this land, that they be able worship according to conscience and religious ideals.
Ideals are odd things. We see them up ahead and above us. We want to achieve them. Yet reaching them is ALWAYS beyond our ability. However, by striving we get much farther than ever we could by an admission that “this is too far; let’s not try.”
And still as a country we are roundly castigated in any area where we fail to meet those ideals. Those are supposedly “proof” that we didn’t really mean them (and therefore are the most vile and despicable of people), or that we are hypocrites, or that they are a cover for hateful and racist acts behind a veneer of self-righteous pseudo-sanctity. Always, to cure these “abject failures of our evil system” all that is “needed” is to overthrow that system and substitute a system off someone else’s shelf and all will be well; we will achieve these Utopian goals and butterflies and unicorns will grace our cities.
What ideals are in the Declaration of Independence?
In future posts during 2016 – perhaps a new section of this web site – we will explore those ideals and principles further.
In liberty, wishing you always to have ideals of your own to strive towards: Happy New Year!
This is something that had never and HAS never been done before – or since. Countries are founded by conquest; conquest of land, vanquishing of a foe or foes. Countries are founded by expansion; we have more people we’ll just scoot over and include this bit. Countries are founded by secession or revolution; usually in anger but sometimes (as in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada) by mutual agreement.
The United States did have to rebel and then fight a war – but unlike other countries we started from IDEALS. These ideals grew out of the religious principles that originally brought Englishmen to this land, that they be able worship according to conscience and religious ideals.
Ideals are odd things. We see them up ahead and above us. We want to achieve them. Yet reaching them is ALWAYS beyond our ability. However, by striving we get much farther than ever we could by an admission that “this is too far; let’s not try.”
And still as a country we are roundly castigated in any area where we fail to meet those ideals. Those are supposedly “proof” that we didn’t really mean them (and therefore are the most vile and despicable of people), or that we are hypocrites, or that they are a cover for hateful and racist acts behind a veneer of self-righteous pseudo-sanctity. Always, to cure these “abject failures of our evil system” all that is “needed” is to overthrow that system and substitute a system off someone else’s shelf and all will be well; we will achieve these Utopian goals and butterflies and unicorns will grace our cities.
What ideals are in the Declaration of Independence?
- That all humans are created equal in rights; equal in inherent worth; to be treated equally under the Rule of Law; equally worthy of the respect of every other human for our shared origin as creations of God. (You are an atheist? –That’s fine; the writers of the Declaration were not. Put on your big kid pants and deal with that historical fact.)
- That all humans were endowed by God with Rights. Those rights are inherent in us, and because they are inherent in us those rights pre-date, transcend, and supersede ALL government.
- That the true and correct purpose of government is to secure (defend, protect, guard from danger, make certain, hold inviolate, put beyond hazard) those rights.
- That the people may (perhaps must?) change any government which becomes destructive of the very rights it is its job is to protect.
In future posts during 2016 – perhaps a new section of this web site – we will explore those ideals and principles further.
In liberty, wishing you always to have ideals of your own to strive towards: Happy New Year!
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