As we approach the 250th celebration of our nation’s birth, it is important to ponder the late President Emeritus of The John Birch Society’s brilliant appraisal of why Americans have been blessed with unparalleled liberty. John F. McManus said, “America has become great not because of what the government did for us; America has become great because of what the government was prevented from doing by the Constitution.” Our history has been a miraculous attainment of overcoming the fallen nature of men in seats of power obsessed with ruling other men.
Just as DNA passes on human faculties, the political DNA poured into the birth of our nation needs to pass the DNA of liberty. Two and a half centuries of gradual failure to follow the Framers’ original blueprint demand that we understand the source of their wisdom that has blessed us so long. After more than a month of no progress, in that hot Philadelphia summer, 81-year-old Ben Franklin got up to speak:
“Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understandings? In the beginning of the Contest with G. Britain, when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the divine protection. ”Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. … the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that “except the Lord build the House they labour in vain that build it.”
Read that again carefully; the source of the DNA for liberty is in Franklin’s words. It can be found in no other source, nor can it be restored from any other source. Imagine the least religious of the Founders, divinely inspired, prevailing and silencing each colonial state’s religious jealousy (or opinion). For they followed his suggestion to turn to the Father of Lights each morning for prayerful guidance. Since then, history has overcome a world of tyranny for centuries. How do we reimplement the system created at Philadelphia? We the people must submit to the blueprint of our Founders to silence the hateful dividers, to restore justice and righteousness. I remember how we sang the last verse of My Country Tis of Thee: “Our father’s God to Thee, Author of Liberty, to thee we sing. Long may our land be bright with Freedom’s holy light. Protect us by the might. Great God our King.”
As a people, we make New Year’s resolutions perennially. This 4th of July, let us make an Independence Day Resolution: To learn why the Constitution has kept us free. Why one document protects our God-given, inherent rights of life, liberty, property, and self-defense to defend these blessings. Fulfill this 4th of July Resolution by contacting Mathew Rhodes to view the Constitutional seminar called BLUEPRINT FOR LIBERTY at mrhodes@jbs.org.
Authors’ and Speakers’ opinions are their own and may not represent those of Grok Media, LLC, GraniteGrok.com, its sponsors, readers, authors, or advertisers.
Disagree, agree, Got Something to say? We want to Hear It. Comment or submit Op-Eds to steve@granitegrok.com
