Newsletter, February 2012
Lately, there has been uproar by some that we are destroying the memory of the founding fathers by discussing the role of the government in our everyday lives.
They claim we are throwing away everything they and that generation worked and fought for, and the generations of Americans since, for some cheap form of socialism. These people will quote some passage of a speech or letter as justification for their actions and beliefs, pulling a quote which does nothing but propagate the view that the founding fathers were a mystical group of men whose accomplishments can never be matched again in the course of history.
But that is just it: they were men. They were not perfect, and by no means should they ever be viewed as such. Perhaps we can do no greater disservice to the memories of the founding fathers and what they fought for, than by surrounding them in a mystique, and believing that the accomplishments made by them can never be matched again. This disservice arises from the belief that we are literally limited to what they accomplished in their time. This was not their intention at all. They knew future generations of Americans would have to fix their failings. They did take steps in the direction of fixing these failings, but ultimately they expected us to fulfill the promises they made to all Americans.
Different beliefs about the role of the government arise from whether or not we view the Constitution as a limitation or a foundation for accomplishments. If we view the Constitution as a limitation—although an easier appeal to most Americans—we will soon find that the government is not meeting the needs of the people. If we view the Constitution as a foundation for accomplishments, then the government will be able to meet the needs of today’s people. This is a government of the people, and we cannot forget that. If the perpetrators of the mystical lie accomplish their goals, they will break the bond between a people and their government. Once that bond is broken we would be hard pressed to become reacquainted with it.
But that is just it: they were men. They were not perfect, and by no means should they ever be viewed as such. Perhaps we can do no greater disservice to the memories of the founding fathers and what they fought for, than by surrounding them in a mystique, and believing that the accomplishments made by them can never be matched again. This disservice arises from the belief that we are literally limited to what they accomplished in their time. This was not their intention at all. They knew future generations of Americans would have to fix their failings. They did take steps in the direction of fixing these failings, but ultimately they expected us to fulfill the promises they made to all Americans.
Different beliefs about the role of the government arise from whether or not we view the Constitution as a limitation or a foundation for accomplishments. If we view the Constitution as a limitation—although an easier appeal to most Americans—we will soon find that the government is not meeting the needs of the people. If we view the Constitution as a foundation for accomplishments, then the government will be able to meet the needs of today’s people. This is a government of the people, and we cannot forget that. If the perpetrators of the mystical lie accomplish their goals, they will break the bond between a people and their government. Once that bond is broken we would be hard pressed to become reacquainted with it.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|