“Hillary Clinton Adopts Alien Baby”
“We have met the enemy and he is us.” – Walt Kelly
Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. These are the unalienable, natural rights the Founding Fathers specifically identified in the Declaration of Independence as “endowed by their Creator” and self-evident to a nation dedicated to the proposition that all men/women were created and should be treated in equality as one nation, under God (or perhaps not) indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
These are the foundations on which the America tried to fulfill the promise of the Age of Enlightenment, namely, that every person has the freedom to think for themselves and to act accordingly thereafter.
As for the US Constitution, as important as it is to the American form of democracy, the main reason for its existence is to protect our natural rights. It is a document limited in scope to the workings and machination of government, and to those who would act on the government’s behalf. Except for the 13th Amendment, the Constitution does not apply to the actions of private citizens.
Yet, times change and as We, the People try to make sense of thoughts and words first written as part of an 18th Century untested and untried, “social experiment” in the possibility of a nation where government was ultimately responsible to reflect the will of the people.
We are a democratic republic. The voters elect their representatives to honor, protect and advance their natural rights, in equality. In most instances, the majority does rule, but in what can only be described as genius, even the majority must at times first and foremost ensure the rights of an individual, all individuals, their rights to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
One way of expressing this directive is governments should not be involved in picking “winners and losers” and the best way for the government to practice neutrality and protect our rights to equality is to refrain from discriminating against individuals as well as classifications of individuals as a single group.
When referring to individuals, we demand the government act with fundamental fairness, with all persons entitled to notice and the right to be heard as part of our right to due process.
With identified groups, some often singled out for disparate treatment under the law for no reason that who they are, their race, customs or point of origin, the 5th and 14th Amendments both offer protection from discrimination as our right to Equal Protection under both Federal and State law.
In addition to its economic obligations to create, expand and defend our open market system, We, the People identified the need to eliminate poverty in the interest of preserving our natural rights and commitment to equality. This is both logical and necessary to the process of allowing persons to live their lives in a manner they see fit, free from unwanted government interference while pursuing, with no guarantees of obtaining, Happiness.
What is Happiness? To your average Founding Father, it was mainly the right to own private property. To take as much of the unused land to live on and then reasonably make beneficial use of. In a mostly agrarian society where farming was the main occupation of the people, the right to own your land made quite a bit of sense.
In addition to avoiding the pitfalls of the master/servant feudal society and the exclusionary political influence gained through the ownership of land, all persons were entitled and encouraged to seek their own “little slice of heaven” and let their hard work and ambition take them as far as their vision and efforts would allow. Today, we call this the American Dream. So far, so good.
Yet the problems with democracy are many. First and foremost, we must have an educated, if not intelligent and engaged electorate to cast their vote for the representatives of their choice. For in a democracy, everyone for us can literally “vote out” democracy in favor of say, if not fascist, at lease despotic form of government run by an authoritarian, where his will is representative of the hopes, goals and desires of the people.
In this manner, the insight and responsibility of the individual is subsumed, if not rendered completely obsolete, perhaps considered a hindrance, to the now singular and highly subjective guiding force of government conduct.
We rejected this paradigm once by freeing ourselves from a tyrannical king. In 1776, we decided we did not wish to be ruled by a monarch or any other archaic construct of government. We chose to be a people best described as in a partnership with our representatives.
In exchange for following and facilitating the will of the people, we consent to be governed, but never ruled by any single individual or institution. This is what freedom means. If the pact is broken, then We, the People reserve the right to protest, and if necessary revolt against any power that seeks to alienate us from our natural, unalienable rights.
Is it true that since day one in America there have always been persons who do not see the value in self-rule? Yes, for even at the time of the American Revolution it was widely perceived and agreed that nearly 50% of the colonists preferred to remain as citizens of the British Empire. They were called Loyalists, while those who sought to leave the Commonwealth, Patriots.
At this juncture, may I ask the following questions? Have we, as a society so confused the meaning of patriot, that it now includes persons who openly discriminate against their fellow Americans? That approves of poverty as the natural result of those who are lazy? Who believe corporate welfare is fine, yet helping individuals through so-called “government assistance”, including welfare for those who need it, unemployment insurance and unbelievably social security, is virtually a sin?
When did it become patriotic to reject the right to free speech, to the free to practice one’s own religion in peace and to avoid unnecessary entanglements between the secular and sectarian in place of the right to petition for one’s grievances and the separation of church and state?
When did selfishness and greed in the name of religious “prosperity” take the place of good works in the name of our Lord? In doing unto others as we would have done, loving our neighbor and welcoming the stranger into our land? Are we our brother’s keeper? Cain wasn’t and look where that got him.
When we refer to ourselves as the land of the free, and the home of the brave, the two are not mutually exclusive to one another. It takes time, commitment, faith, belief and bravery to maintain freedom.
Furthermore, my definition of freedom does not include the right to let someone less fortunate than yourself die. This is the opposite of right to life, isn’t it? My definition of liberty does not include government condoned practices whereby one religion forces its view upon those who have chosen a different set of values and path.
I believe the highest expression of strength is not by using brute force, but of having and applying kindness, understanding, and empathy by showing mercy before judgment and always in the spirit of making the world a better place, not just for a handful of “I’ve got mine” or “That doesn’t apply to me or my immediate family”.
So, go out and get your own, on your own, by whatever means you feel necessary. Just as my father, my father’s father and yes, I did. And as frightening as it is when applied to the wealthy or at least well off, it is far more terrifying a code of proper conduct when utilized by those who literally have nothing except a shared, delusional philosophy based upon nothing more than lies, rumors, misdirection, deception, propaganda and outright fraud.
A little fear, a little hellfire, and you have the makings for a flock of sheep afraid of their own shadow putting all their faith and hopes in anyone who will save or absolve them of their sins. Even if that person is a crook, a conman, philanderer, and yes, a madman.
Now, we face the perfect storm. To put it mildly, about a third of our population is crazy. Uneducated, sick and poor, they turn to the nearest helping hand, any promise for assistance both spiritually and materially is gladly accepted as a life preserver from providence. Then, the crazy seeped its way into mainstream politics and managed to take over what once was a proud political party, indeed the part of Lincoln.
What we have is a quasi-political, metaphysical, pseudo religious, cult of personality based upon the notion that what is good for the individual in power, whatever the actions, laws, grandstanding, photo stunts, along with all negative consequences being of little to no import, will help the individual to maintain or expand their ability to raise funds while siphoning a bit off the top is the ultimate expression of democracy at work.
Often, I find myself asking what is the solution to a problem that doesn’t exist? That has no basis in the real world and hence no legal, logical, practical or discernible, sane answer? Why, it’s what whatever the original propagator of the fallacy says it is.
And when does the current catastrophe in a long line of catastrophic, unreal events end? I imagine it is when the greedy are finally sated in their evil lusts and desires for money, power, and depravity. In other words, never.
What can we do? We can stand tall, fight, and of course since we are the actual patriots, vote with caring and kindness in our hearts in the name of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. All the things that make us the greatest nation this world has ever known. Starting with the midterms. I am your keeper and you will be mine and together, we will be theirs, for such is the way of the heart. I’m committed. You?
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