Call me radical, but ...
It appears to me that our nation was founded upon the pursuit of three unalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We established in class that these three categories are almost, if not entirely, encompassing of the “natural rights” set forth by our common “conscience” (or inherent morality, whichever you choose to call it). And I believe that mankind will naturally go to unreasonable ends to obtain their rights. In fact, the French stormed the Bastille, freed the prisoners and overthrew the government - all in the name of natural rights.
So today, though we as a nation claim to be “free”, are we truly?
-More than a million babies a year are aborted by their mothers.
And that rate is “low” compared to years past.
Because defending natural rights requires defending the rights of those who cannot defend themselves;
I’ll storm that Bastille.
-Instances of bribery and corruption are still practiced -and sometimes discovered - among the representatives of our government.
Because there is a difference between representing selfishness and defending the natural rights of the constituents;
I’ll storm that Bastille.
-8 years ago, our natural rights were violated by a group of people attempting to impose their perception of necessity.
Because they were misguided and the threat to our freedom was not extinguished that day in NYC;
We stormed that Bastille.
You can choose to get behind it or passively stay in your comfort, deserting those who are fighting for your freedom.
And though I am not a proponent of violent reconciliation if other options are available, I am aware that there are casualties to freedom. But selfishness is not a casualty - it is an imposition, a threat, a problem.
And we, as a people who have been graciously granted the freedoms of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” must defend it on behalf of our own and on behalf of those who do not have the option.
Natural rights are a big deal. And we must not passively stand by and wait for someone else to speak up. We are the ‘Third Estate,’ granted the right to be ‘The National Assembly,’ and though we may not need to literally storm D.C., releasing prisoners and overthrowing a government, we must not take our voice for granted.
Soli Deo Gloria.
Well, I'm in agreement. But there is a problem -- a big one that most everyone knows at heart, whether admitted or not.
ReplyDeleteMore than likely, nothing is going to change. Nobody is going to speak up enough to make a difference.
The majority of us, those who understand the issue at stake with our current 'freedom' here in the United States, know that we as citizens hold a power within one of our unalienable rights, liberty specifically, and that power is the freedom of speech. We can no doubt make a difference through debate with those in the government, through letters and phone calls, through the internet, and through any means of sensible communication. After all, the people within the government are "one of us", because we have a system where anyone with the proper education, either payed for or self-educated, can work their way into such a position of national power. There's certainly not anything seperating 'us' from 'them'.
... right?
Well now, evidence may show otherwise. There have been several issues in the recent past that have been debated, where a majority spoke in one direction, but a decision was made in opposition. In the end, 'they', the government, really is in charge. Even the President is only given so many abilites; as a whole, our nation's power is withheld by those in all forms of politics: those in Congress, those in Senate, those who push papers behind a desk in the Pentagon or even your local courthouse.
It's a nice sounding system, and it's where we wanted to get -- to make sure no one person would be in total power. But there's still a very real issue within that system: corruption; something that more often than not comes from being allowed certain power and control over things, and the line that blurs the line of communication we have with them.
Summary of all that mess:
If we're going to speak out, us as Christians, then we'll have to do it unanimously; hand-in-hand, voice-for-voice, with a clear and concise message that shows no fervent aggression, lest we repel the few ears that may still listen to us.
I believe that nothing is going to change, but I'm more than willing to make a sound, if everyone is willing to as well. Blips and peeps won't work in this day in age, and I do believe that God is going to intervene before anything supremely beneficial could be accomplished. So, I do have a bit of a pessimistic outlook.
But Haley Williams couldn't have put it better: "For a Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic."
Amy....if this blog was a speach....and you had given it to a large crowd....maybe with some inspirational music playing in the background, slowly building....I'd totally be in tears. And then I'd be the first to run and get me a pitchfork.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing that since this comment isn't very conversational...it doesn't count as my weekly comment....but I made it anyway.