The reason why American History, particularly our Founding and its Founders, is longer a subject for learning since it’s possible that too many of its reference points would discount today’s revisionist beliefs. What then would be next; the return of law and order and limited governing?
The basic question this would ask is what our adversary fears the most; it worked back then, so why not now? In addition, the chances for a fact-based discourse on our Founding Era are taboo since such studies would also invoke a religious venue.
Instead of the normal curiosity arising from being informed, today’s rebuke strengthens this engrained ignorance and numbs our curious instincts. Another variant of what was stems from the debt incurred by our oversized government. Economists agree that with any economic example, tax revenues are limited from a ‘money in, money out’ scenario. Therefore, today’s debt-ridden budgeting is due to the miscreant’s reckless spending.
The bottom line with this economic reality is that many Americans were either complacent or had their hands extended for enrichment. This is the norm when electing a lesser caliber of what formally were ‘public servants!
Another factor in unwarranted governing is this ‘careerism’ notion that salary enrichments nurture and also belittles and/or corrupt the previous unselfish volunteerism of ‘public service. ‘ Therefore, today’s economic time bomb of debt is proportional to the irresponsible squandering of tax revenues, which now invest in and solidify re-elections!
Compare this blatant disregard to the earlier concerns of our Founders, whose original sacrifice, based upon a belief of living freely, carried their cause of our American experiment. Their sole concern was directed to their country’s free establishment and her lasting future.
Consider General George Washington’s words of commitment, “The fate of unborn Millions will now depend, under God, on the Courage and Conduct of this army – We have therefore to resolve to conquer or die…” This sealed America to whatever fate, or God, had in store. The fact that this rag-tag force would do combat with the world’s mightiest military should even astound today’s modern thinking, regarding a great generation.
Our second President, John Adams, ironically summed up today’s public quandary when stating, “Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people.” This is now validated with the current degradations of information. This recent ‘fake news’ tagline is a mild rendering of the depths to which our people, of whom many are devoid of any fundamental learning, have been and are being subjected.
Consequently, Thomas Jefferson added, “If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed.” ‘Responsibility,’ is the weight which freedom places upon every American citizen. This denounces reading the hogwash of fakery by upping the effort for being properly informed with the soundness of what is being read. Such preemptive measures merely bolster one’s citizenship.
This truth-based content with our information is critically important, which is why our adversaries are so intent on reinventing what was our past and distorting our present. This was foreseen by James Madison when stating, “popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy, or perhaps both.”
Patrick Henry also warned about the need to, “Guard with jealous attention the public liberty.” This “jealous” protection is also particular to Thomas Paine’s warning that, “When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon.”
This last point from so long ago, “the privilege of thinking,” connects with curiosity, questioning, and relying upon one’s personal instincts, which we all know at times act as a cautionary inner voice. Similar to today’s disappearance of public service, independent thoughts that counter the mainstream are becoming rare. Too many Americans have become so insecure and sensitive that seeking acceptance is now one’s priority!
We all would be better served by stepping back into history and giving thought to the words of those who demonstrated their own independent thought. Their service and sacrifice became their paid dues for those beliefs! We, at least, owe those gentlemen our thanks, but more importantly, we owe our children an equal effort to ensure their lives will not be as slaves!
