First of all, let’s get this out of the way — The United States of America is not a Democracy. A democracy operates upon popular vote, or mob rule. A democracy does not protect the rights of the minority; it follows the will of the majority.
“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.”
Although there is some question as to whether or not this quote which is often attributed to Benjamin Franklin was really written by the founder, it is a unique description of the difference between our republic and a democracy.
“A republic, if you can keep it.”
We do know, however, this quote from Franklin was in a response to a question posed by Elizabeth Willing Powel. She asked him, “Well Doctor what have we got? A republic or a monarchy?”
Cancel culture is a dangerous thing. Taking actions and words out of the context of time recklessly damages the value of the individual and their overall contribution to both society and history. Some of the very cancel culture leaders, judged 200 years in the future may find themselves as enemies of the people, as the scourge of future society, and their names erased from view or mention. Our founders, however vilified in our present age, sought to protect the rights of the minority; to give ALL people the opportunity to share in the decisions of the country. They knew a true democracy, one which was ruled by the fickle, often emotional, will of the populace, would ravage the individual and that a central powered government would feed upon the fuel which populated areas would offer. Yes, I am well aware the mere mention of a minority elicits visions of those who were left behind at the founding of our republic, and that it took the Fifteenth Amendment and the Nineteenth Amendment to our constitution to actually offer protection to the rights of those individuals most attributed to a minority. Yet, a minority can’t simply be relegated to the concepts of racial, ethnic, gender, or orientation. Minorities exist any time the populace works in one direction, and it was this reference to which Franklin, and our founders were responding when they chose a constitutional republic over a democracy.
Yet, it is because of this failure to recognize the minority in those representative categories, that our founders are so often painted with the a critical and disparaging brush in society today. Because they failed to bring women, blacks, and those outside the white male dominated society into the folds of the constitutional rights they were establishing, the documents they wrote, the concept of government they were developing, and the idea of a republic for all, that our birth has been forever tarnished; its ideals increasingly cast aside by an enlightened and vocal element of society . As we reflect from the vantage point of today – some two-hundred and forty-four years past the birth of this great nation, most of us can see this as more than unfortunate. However, history cannot be judged in a vacuum.
All history – of a nation, of a society, and even of a man or a woman, must be examined within the period in which it takes place. The taking of lands from what has been considered indigenous peoples has clearly been a blight upon the foundations of our country; made worse by the violation of treaties offered. Yet, the very history of the victim group is filled with the same ‘conquer and take’ which prevailed throughout world history. In the old world, and even among the tribes here in the new world, the growth and perseverance of society, from Native American tribes to Scottish Clans and great world empires, regarded the taking of land, slaves, and treasures to be essential in survival. It is actually because of our founders’ ideals that this conquer and take blight has become so relevant to our history. It is because the principles they stated and the government they designed held to such lofty ideals that what was normal throughout world history now looks so savage and disappointing in our enlightened eyes. Yet, this way in which the world once worked has to be taken into context when viewing and judging both the world and the history of America.
Without the backdrop of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln might possibly have made different decisions and may not have offered the support he did to the Thirteenth Amendment. Without the devastation of Pearl Harbor, Roosevelt might not have found reason to put the country in war alongside Europe. Without his struggles against oppression and discrimination, Martin Luther King Jr. may not have become the leader we know him to be. Context, while not an excuse, is important for any judgement of history. And when judging the actions and intent of our founders, one line from the Preamble of the Constitution is extremely telling and important:
“…in Order to form a more perfect Union“
In this portion of the Preamble our founders recognized, indeed they admitted, that we ARE NOT perfect. A ‘more perfect Union’ was the goal. Our founding was not the end of the journey, but the beginning. I know these words will not sway those who have determined our founders to be nothing less than ruthless bigots, but I hold these thoughts to be true. And I believe context is important whether in speaking of them or any other figure or action within history. I believe many of these men, were they alive today and blessed with the view of history which we have to look back upon, would embrace the banner of equality for all, rather than choose the path of bigotry, discrimination, and chauvinism. They were, after all, the first liberators — the first revolutionaries — of our country.
Moving beyond the discussion of whether or not our founders were sexist, discriminatory bigots, there is no question the Republic which they established is being shaken. Calls for the elimination of the electoral college, movement toward popular vote, embracing elements of socialism, or even out right anarchy are being displayed on our streets, pronounced in our government institutions, broadcast in our media, and painted upon our buildings.
We’ve seen deviations of our society which justify burning, pillaging, destroying, threatening, bullying, killing, and disrupting our cities, citizens, and country act out in our streets, our neighborhoods, and our public institutions. They cast off country, law, order, and any of the hundreds of particles which hold a society and a nation together. They’ve been allowed to subvert the governments of major cities, run afoul in our institutions; destroy public and private property with no recompense; and gather in angry, unruly, unrestrained mobs with little to no judgement from city officials, state and national politicians, or the media. They conceal their identities to prevent law enforcement and society from holding them accountable for their actions. Ideologies run amuck descend into chaos. Anarchy knows no side, knows no party, and knows no end but the destruction of order and structure.
While all these things happen, the average American citizen is watching our economy as is torn to shreds, locked down in our homes away from work and worship by the very people who should be upholding our civil rights. Under the guise of COVID-19 prevention, we’ve handed over our freedoms and our country, while being flooded with fear mongering, often unsubstantiated claims, and power grabbing officials who chastise us for not being grateful that they are doing what is in our best interest. That’s not how America was designed to work. It is not government who decides what is best for you; it is YOU who decides these things. By looking back at the glorious documents which they used to establish our country and our rights, all of our rights, we can clearly see that it is personal responsibility which looks out for my health, your health, and the health of a country. It isn’t the dictum of an out of control republic.
Amendment I
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press, or the right of the people peacefully to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
So, what would allow this right of worship, speech, and peaceable assembly to be suspended? When does the desire or need of the masses trump the rights of the individual? When are the rights granted by our constitution allowed to be taken away, halted, or put on pause? Or can they? According to noted civil rights activist, Carl Snowden, they can’t. Yet we see it happening.
New York issues $15,000 fines to Orthodox Jewish institutions over COVID violations
VIDEO: Woman apparently tased for refusing to wear mask at football game in Ohio
https://twitter.com/i/status/1319705840119668736
Article 1: Section 9: Clause 2
The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.
This clause clearly states that the Writ of Habeas Corpus can only be suspended in emergency situations. But this is specifically speaking to our rights toward imprisonment or detention and our ability to petition the court against the state. This doesn’t suspend our rights to the First Amendment. Federally, it appears that actual suspension of rights would only be possible under Martial Law (which is, itself, questionable), since this would be the only way to remove those decisions from the courts. It appears, States would be the most likely place in which suspension of rights might find the most fertile ground, as is evident in an article by Harvard Law Review.
Many of us feel these things can’t continue without having a permanent impact upon our rights and the power of government. Constitutional attorney and Libertarian, John W. Whitehead, believes we have nearly reached a point of no return on the loss of constitutional freedoms.
So, if we can’t answer these questions, how can we answer the others? Can I be “forced” to protect my own health? Lock down orders, limits on sizes of group gatherings, mask orders, and other orders which appear to demand that we must protect others by protecting ourselves are questionable. Do masks work? If they do, do they protect the wearer or those around them? Which is the intent of the order? If they work and they protect the wearer, then what is the purpose of the mandate, other than to force an individual to protect themselves? How is that constitutional? Limiting gatherings of people who willing choose to gather hardly seems to be a strong basis for the state to mandate against religious gatherings. Protests of thousands which have largely been lauded by media, appear to present a much greater threat of public spread than the assembly of a couple hundred parishioners.
All in all, it would appear that the restrictions which have been imposed upon society, would have been best served as suggested protections to the most vulnerable or those who hold fear for the virus, rather than a mandate for the general public. Clearly, there are those who should be isolated, and protected, but a society cannot survive if it shuts down. Societies can only be sustained with a large productive element. It costs money to provide resources for those who cannot work or are vulnerable to the illness. Government cannot continue to borrow its way into oblivion. We hear ridiculous calls from politicians who seem to have no regard for how we pay for this endless lack of work, wealth, and tax revenue. Suggestions we should pay the country for not going to work, as if we merely print enough bills to do so. That’s like writing checks from your bank account with no money in the bank to cover them.
Additionally, the fear which captures the republic has to be abated. COVID-19 is just one of many ways in which we will die. Mask, sanitize everything around you, self-isolate, and divorce yourself from all elements of human interaction, and die in a car accident on the way to pick up your Walmart order. There is always another lion in the jungle. We are all sentenced to death. You cannot escape. You can only live until your time comes. Some will fair better than others with this news. Those who only claim this world as their reason for living will take the news the hardest. Those who have faith in a greater purpose will find it easier to move beyond the fear.
The slide toward the relinquishment of freedom which seems to have come so easily to most Americans by the fevered pitch and frenzied fear, is a warning call. What will be the next reason, the next emergency, the next call to be quiet and follow?
“A Republic, if you can keep it. Can you keep it?”
