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"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a
more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic
Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote
the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to
ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this
Constitution for the United States of America."
more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic
Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote
the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to
ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this
Constitution for the United States of America."
Ah, yes... the preamble to the United States Constitution. The words are burned into our collective mind. The sense of freedom they inspire are a birthright to any American. But what is freedom? What does it mean to be an American?
Freedom, at its most basic level, is your ability for you to be you, completely and individually. Leadership does not grow from an aggregate; leadership can only grow from the watering-can of individualism. The founders, who wrote the pristine document which frames our nation, were individuals. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who led a people to claim their right to be free and equal Americans, was an individual. Mohandas Gandhi, who freed an entire nation from the chains of tyranny, was an individual. Few are the examples, but great is their impact.
Why are the examples so few? In a word... courage. It takes courage to be an individual; to stand up for what you believe in. Can you imagine the obstacles the founders of this nation had to overcome or the persecution Dr. King had to endure? Place yourselves in the Mahatma's sandals, with an entire nation to lead to freedom; could you overcome, endure, and lead?
Considering the enormous weight these men had on their shoulders, is it any wonder that America is a little miffed at the weakness shown by the leaders we have elected? No, it is no wonder at all. And how, pray tell, does this weakness manifest itself? In a word... bipartisanship. Bipartisanship is “reaching across the aisle”. Excuse me, but I did not vote for someone so he could reach across the aisle, I voted for someone so he could defend the principles he spoke so eloquently about in the campaign. Bipartisanship, as far as I see it, is the spaghetti-spined, weak-willed defense of ones elected post.
Imagine if General Washington were bipartisan. Imagine if he had run up the white flag and gone over to see General Howe in Boston in February of 1776 and offered a “fair” and “impartial” resolution to this unseemly war. We would not be sitting here, reading this in a separate and free nation.
Imagine if Dr. King had pulled back from his beliefs in and equitable treatment of all Americans. American blacks would still be drinking from separate water fountains and riding in the back of the bus.
Imagine if Gandhi had negotiated with the tyrants in an evenhanded attempt to be fair. India would not currently be recognized as the largest democracy in the world.
Ridiculous notions all.
When I elect a representative, I expect him to represent my ideals, my desires, and my vision. I expect him to lead. I expect him to be an individual.
Individualism is the mother of greatness and greatness can only occur among free people. This is the substance of American exceptionalism; this is the essence of freedom.
Freedom, at its most basic level, is your ability for you to be you, completely and individually. Leadership does not grow from an aggregate; leadership can only grow from the watering-can of individualism. The founders, who wrote the pristine document which frames our nation, were individuals. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who led a people to claim their right to be free and equal Americans, was an individual. Mohandas Gandhi, who freed an entire nation from the chains of tyranny, was an individual. Few are the examples, but great is their impact.
Why are the examples so few? In a word... courage. It takes courage to be an individual; to stand up for what you believe in. Can you imagine the obstacles the founders of this nation had to overcome or the persecution Dr. King had to endure? Place yourselves in the Mahatma's sandals, with an entire nation to lead to freedom; could you overcome, endure, and lead?
Considering the enormous weight these men had on their shoulders, is it any wonder that America is a little miffed at the weakness shown by the leaders we have elected? No, it is no wonder at all. And how, pray tell, does this weakness manifest itself? In a word... bipartisanship. Bipartisanship is “reaching across the aisle”. Excuse me, but I did not vote for someone so he could reach across the aisle, I voted for someone so he could defend the principles he spoke so eloquently about in the campaign. Bipartisanship, as far as I see it, is the spaghetti-spined, weak-willed defense of ones elected post.
Imagine if General Washington were bipartisan. Imagine if he had run up the white flag and gone over to see General Howe in Boston in February of 1776 and offered a “fair” and “impartial” resolution to this unseemly war. We would not be sitting here, reading this in a separate and free nation.
Imagine if Dr. King had pulled back from his beliefs in and equitable treatment of all Americans. American blacks would still be drinking from separate water fountains and riding in the back of the bus.
Imagine if Gandhi had negotiated with the tyrants in an evenhanded attempt to be fair. India would not currently be recognized as the largest democracy in the world.
Ridiculous notions all.
When I elect a representative, I expect him to represent my ideals, my desires, and my vision. I expect him to lead. I expect him to be an individual.
Individualism is the mother of greatness and greatness can only occur among free people. This is the substance of American exceptionalism; this is the essence of freedom.
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