I am humbled and truly impressed that our Founders understood the need to tolerate each other’s differences but united together on a common goal: to build the United States of America on sound principles that work when they are practiced with consistency.
Learning the Basics: From 3-Year-Old Basketball to Nation-Building
As an illustration, have you ever hear of a 3 yr. old’s basketball team? I went to a practice a few years ago. Listen, they dribble, baby, dribble. The kids trip a few times while retrieving runaway basketballs. They take no shots. It’s just practicing the basics. Point is, even 3 yr. olds can dribble when you give the proper instruction with illustrations, patience, and consistency.
Freedom Under Law: The People’s Balance Between Tyranny and Anarchy
And so it is when building and maintaining a nation. Here are a few sound principles that work in the USA when practiced with consistency:
Do not solely define governments by political parties. Political parties and their platforms shift from one generation to the next. (Wouldn’t you agree)? Our Founders wanted liberty under law, not a police state defined by political parties.
Author W. Cleon Skousen said that political power defines governments. For example, draw a line. On one end of the line, write the word, “tyranny” and on the other end, “anarchy.” Tyrannical governments are established by conquest with the people being subservient to the Ruler. Anarchies are lawless governments. Our Founders saw this dichotomy throughout world history. Their challenge was to form a government that provided freedom for the people, that is, a government of the people, by the people, for the people. You would place “The People’s Law” right in the center of the line you have drawn.
The Founders looked to Anglo-Saxon Common Law and the People’s Law of ancient Israel to help formulate the American government. That is, they looked to examples from history and the Bible that reinforced self-government by the people’s consent. There was to be no concentration of earthly power in any one person or group. This is demonstrated by the structure of our three branches of government-legislative, executive, and judicial, and the fact that we don’t have royalty in this country.
One thing our Founders clearly understood: humans’ inclination to run from anarchy to tyranny. History shows that statement to be true, even today.
Unity Through Principles: What We Can Learn from the Founders’ Collaboration
Our Founders didn’t always like each other. (That’s to be expected in a room full of strong personalities). They had disagreements about the small things but they were united in principles and objectives. Our Founders shared a broad knowledge base of sound reading from both ancient and contemporary literature. They all basically “sang from the same songbook” when it came to nation-building fundamentals.
What would happen if each one of us adopted American principles of our Founders with consistency? What if we stopped being influenced by those who would divide and conquer us? Think of the effect on us, our families, communities, and nation.
This is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. 🇺🇸
Join the Conversation! https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1117039580429714&set=a.507545634712448
