Being secure

  Groups, communities and countries are created for security. There's safety in numbers is an old adage. It's that way in nature also, animals often form packs, clans or whatever we humans choose to call that. It's for the same reason, safety. In all of those groups there is always a leader. The authority of the leader is enforced by those following that leader, be it human or animals. In some cases the leader leads through sheer physical dominance. The bull of the herd! With humans the leader may lead in much the same way when he enjoys the support of those with the means to suppress any opposition. On the opposite end of that is the leader that has been freely elected, by the people. He leads by mutual consent. Of course, all of that is in an ideal world. It is what we described as a "more perfect union" where everyone is protected, secure from government interference. Well, that's the idea anyway.

 Thinking about that I arrived at this conclusion; people today in America are possibly the most insecure they have ever been since the formation of the nation. Insecurity is a word we hear a great deal concerning food, housing and medical care. The people are suffering from insecurity! We created a "more perfect union" to ensure our independence from government interference in our affairs. Now, we are crying about insecurity because the government isn't providing that security. Independence isn't dependence upon government! It's a lesson many just seem to not quite grasp. We even had a president proclaiming, you didn't do that on your own! What he was saying is, you are dependent. Dependent upon what is the question to be answered. The government or your own initiative? 

 What is a hot topic right now? Mental health, we all need to take care of our mental health. It's a movement. Even Drew Carey urges you to take care of your mental health at the end of the Price is Right game show, along with have your animals spayed or neutered to control the pet population. We are being told to seek help for our feelings. Now that really is being insecure in my opinion. Small children will often talk to mommy or daddy when they have some social issues. Today parents are just medicating those children, demanding the government provide special services and accommodations when they act out. The parents are seeking that mental health as well, they are seeking reassurance. That's how I see all that. Oh, my feelings are hurt I need to seek help.

  It just seems to me we have legislated ourselves into dependence. 250 years ago we fought for our independence. We still proudly proclaim our independence. Yes, we are independent from Great Britain. That government, the King, has no authority over us anymore because we refused to allow that. In reality by 1776 the monarchy in England was more of a symbolic position than one with absolute power. We did blame the King but parliament was running the show. But we declared our independence. George Washington resigned his commission in the Army, rejected the idea that he should become a King and our constitutional republic was formed. Independence had been secured! Much of the founding documents state our rights and responsibilities in plain English. We all know about free speech and the right to bear arms. Still, over the last 250 years those words have been debated and legislation created to further "clarify" what they mean. It is all that clarification that has legislated us into dependence. It is that dependence that is creating all this insecurity. 

  It's strange. Today when someone acts independently they are often accused of being a supremist. In those founding documents for our nation the "supreme" judge of the world is mentioned. That is the independent authority for individuals to act according to their moral and ethical values. It was recognized that those moral and ethical values vary slightly according to the religious text being used. That was the reason for the separation of church and state. The supremacy clause of the constitution establishes the federal government as the ultimate authority. That authority is derived from "we the people."  We the people are supposed to be independent from the government! We are the government! Security is established when you are free to act independently. But independence is dependent upon one thing. You must accept that responsibility. “If money is your hope for independence, you will never have it. The only real security that a man can have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience and ability.”

( Henry Ford )