Self-governance. That is the great American experiment. It is the radical idea that the founding fathers had and fought a revolution to create. A government of the people, by the people, and for the people. A constitution made only for a moral and religious people, wholly inadequate to any other. Each word, each phrase, each concept carefully chosen. The Constitution, it contains four thousand four hundred and fifty three words. That includes the signatures. There are thirty nine signers, two would later become Presidents. From the first draft to the final document, it took five years and seven months to compose. Ratified in 1788, the bill of rights were added and ratified in 1791. Their purpose is to grant civil rights to the people, in fact, limiting the power of government. That is best understood with this phrase: "the enumeration in the constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people." Self governance. Interesting to note sixteen more amendments have been added to the constitution granting more power to the government. But you say, seventeen have been added. True but the repeal of prohibition removed power from the government. Not the power to tax it, just the power to prohibit its' sale or manufacture.
So how is this experiment of self governance going? I'd say the wheels are starting to fall off the whole deal. Well, at least they are getting pretty wobbly! And that begins with the idea of self. Self governance begins with yourself! That's what individual freedom is all about. In a government of the people, the people must self govern their actions. I know, that is also known as being "responsible." Yes, you have to assume the responsibility for your choices. Given the prevalence of suing each other, corporations and the government, I'd say we are failing in that regard. But, let's look at self governance.
We all know the constitution, really the first amendment, prohibited the government from the establishment of a state church. The reason for that is easy enough to understand. Each "church" contains unique "wrongs" that your god may punish you for. A government of the people cannot adopt any one religion and therefore provide penalties for non-compliance with the state religion. Again, not hard to understand. You are expected to be a moral and religious person. The government does not establish what is moral! It isn't supposed too anyway. If we allow that, we surrender self governance. No different than the reasoning, everyone else was doing it. Morality is not something that can be litigated. Religion is not something that can be litigated. That is the reason the Constitution does not attempt to do that. A Constitution of the people! An individual constitution! Your constitution is supposed to be moral and religious.
In the United States of America it was decided and agreed upon. There would be no monarchs, no King, Queens, Czars, or any of that. The power was in the hands of the people. We would elect representatives! Each citizen was to bear the responsibility of governance. Our representatives would simply codify our wishes. They are public "servants" not "rulers." The only caveat being, the people must be a moral and religious people. What does that mean? It means not self centered, but concerned with the greater good. Like good parents we are expected to do what is best for our family first and foremost. Our family being the United States of America. Its' my feeling that today we are failing in that endeavor. We are setting aside what is best, for what we want.
We have become neglectful parents. By simply allowing behaviors instead of correcting them we are producing a generation of immoral people that lack any religious convictions at all, indeed the new mantra is becoming, trust the science. When I say "generation" I don't mean one specific generation, rather a series of generations, each moving further from the concept of self governance. Generations becoming dependent upon the council of government, instead of their own moral and religious convictions. Yes, the children love us when we give them whatever they desire, when we forgive whatever wrong they do. Soon the reasoning becomes, everyone is doing it. That translates to, it's right. True independence isn't the ability to do whatever you want; it is the responsibility to do what is correct. To deny yourself is self governance!
“...our children must learn...to face full responsibility for their actions, to make their own choices and cope with the results...the whole democratic system...depends upon it. For our system is founded on self-government, which is untenable if the individuals who make up the system are unable to govern themselves.”
― I'm not the first to think about this. I think Eleanor would be shocked at what is happening today. I know I am.
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