Opus 2023-146: Consider the Mold

There are many documents that molded American history from the Mayflower Compact to the latest nonsense coming out of Washington.  You might consider it from the sublime to the ridiculous.  Out of them all there are three that stand out in our founding as a nation.

The Declaration of Independence was the first.  It was the result of present and ongoing abuses that the colonies were facing.  If you take the time to read through it you will find a lot of issues that sound contemporary.

Then you come to the Constitution itself.  This was like a term paper in government.  It is the result of deep study and debate.  Rome, Greece, the Bible and anything else they could find that talked about government.  What worked?  What failed?  Why?  They rejected pure democracy out the starting gate.  They learned a lot from the Greek attempts and crashes.  Rome had its lessons.  The English Parliament showed them things they like and aspects they rejected.  The result was an inspired work that, if followed, provided liberty and prosperity for the masses of common people.

The Bill of Rights followed because it was demanded.  One of the big blanks in the Constitution was a lack of reference to God.  Many delegates voted for the Constitution only because they were promised a Bill of Rights.  The first thing that was addressed was religious freedom.  As you read through the first two amendments you need to keep in mind that it is the result of experience in English attempts to push the state church.  Freedom to worship as you please requires freedom of assembly, freedom of speech and freedom to print.  Even the second amendment reflects the way in which the throne restricted weapons to members of the church in power.

Appreciate what we have, or at least used to have.  Read them over.  Think about them.  Stand up and advocate for them.  The future is still not set in concrete.

homo unius libri