The decision to put down my republican badge came with great turmoil. I did not take it lightly nor was the decision made snap snap. From where I thought I stood – on the political right; I finally came to the painful realization that where I was standing no longer stood for individual rights, limited and enumerated government and free enterprise. I was standing amongst a platform that cloaked itself in those beliefs but acted in ways that expanded the welfare state, increased the government reach into my private affairs, and shamed me into believing that self-reliance, independence and ultimately responsibility and productiveness were better when shared. They completely bought into the “village” concept. Suddenly making everyone equal became the moral thing to do. My lack of education made way for the guilt and shame and I bought into the rhetoric - for a season.
Our great Republic was warned against the “drifting toward collectivism”. There are a number of temptations which lurk every single day around every corner that lure us to abandon our freedoms and our liberties and in return subject us to a strong federal administration.
The warnings from our Founding Fathers were strongly and clearly stated. The welfare state was one area, “If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people, under the pretense of taking care of them, they must become happy”. (Writings of Thomas Jefferson)
Confiscatory taxation and deficit spending was another warning, “… we shall all consider ourselves unauthorized to saddle posterity with our debts, and morally bound to pay them ourselves; and consequently within what may be deemed the period of a generation, or the life of the majority”. (Jefferson) It is immoral for a generation of citizens to pass on the results of extravagant living in the form of debt to the next generation of citizens.
Another warning came with the understanding that the only way for our nation to prosper was to have equal protection of “rights” and to never allow the government to become involved or in the business of providing equal distribution of “things”. With this warning came the clear call against the pooling of property as this was advocated by the proponents of communism. Samuel Adams told us that the Founders had done everything possible to make even the mere idea of socialism and communism UNconstitutional. “The utopian schemes of leveling (redistribution of wealth) and a community of goods (central ownership of the means of production and distribution), are as visionary and impractical as those which vest all property in the Crown. [These ideas] are arbitrary, despotic and in our government unconstitutional. (William Wells, The Life and Public Services of Samuel Adams)
To prevent our Republic from sliding into tyranny or anarchy, our Founders consistently advocated a strong plan of education. Education that was far reaching and could maintain an intelligent informed electorate. A system of educational communication rooted in the transference of our great body of fundamental beliefs which are based on self-evident truths. Our Founders may have “pushed and pulled” on the implementation of said fundamental beliefs but rarely (if ever even one dispute can be found), rarely disputed the final objectives or the most basic of convictions.
Benjamin Franklin stressed, “… I think with you, that nothing is of more importance for the public weal, than to form and train up youth in wisdom and virtue. Wise and good men are, in my opinion, the strength of the state; more so than riches or arms…” (Adrienne Koch, The American Enlightment). The remarkable intention of our Founders was to have all children taught reading, writing and arithmetic so that they could go on to become well informed citizens through their own consistent and diligent self-study. The fundamentals will be enough to get them started and through self-learning, individuals will become informed in a wide variety of areas.
We must educate in order to not be handed some distorted view of life and of our importance in it. Suddenly we find our views are not just our own private opinions; they become part of the public record. Alas, we have become “important”.
Without education, we believe that a daytime talk show host who goes public with her sexual preference, is brave. Without education, we believe that drugs, adultery, alcoholism or deviant behavior can all be washed away with our tearful confession on some daytime talk show. Without education, we believe that the taking away of our freedoms for “compassionate” callings is noble and moral. Without education, we believe that private ownership of business or property with a government body – any government body is a free-market protection. Without education, we see no connection between what we do and the results of what we do.
We are this country. We are its future. It may look dark and unsolvable at times but WITH education we will form an unbreakable bond of unity. The power is here with each one of us. In our communities and in our families when we commit to education and learning – the truth becomes vested in us and through that vesting we become whole. Our unalienable rights become clear and so does tyranny.
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