Freedom to Change
The founders of the United States of America got many things wrong, including allowing slavery, not allowing women or property-less men to vote, as well as violently revolting in the first place. Violent revolution is never a good outcome for the majority of people alive at the time and the American Revolution was most certainly no exception.
But one thing they got exceptionally and most unusual historically right, is that the Constitution they drafted allows for the freedom of amendment. This was rare in history before the founding of the United States. And while the Second Amendment has caused nothing but suffering, sorrow, death, heartache and division, the First Amendment is a stroke of genius, again historically rare.
Some contend today that what came to be known as the “Bill of Rights” cannot be amended, but this is an incorrect view. If the founders had intended the first ten amendments to be secure forever from change, they would have drafted them as a separate single Bill of Rights and noted that they cannot be altered. What allows we the people to be free, at least in theory, is the ability to change our governing document if and when with enough of a majority, we desire to do so.
The mature citizen is one who rather than voting for a particular “side”, considers each candidate and issue separately and then votes according to what they think is best for our nation. If the United States had more mature citizens, votes would be cast based on what is best for the people, rather than cast from a partisan view. The mature view is that we should vote, not only as it applies to our own interests, but rather, in consideration for what is best for all of our citizens, our nation and the world at large.
As difficult as it may be for the majority of us to admit that we are wrong, harder still perhaps, is it to convince most of us of the necessity of compromise for the sake of positive progress. Nevertheless, possibly the most advanced form of maturity is demonstrated when we as individuals are willing to compromise a harsh stance that we personally would prefer for the greater good of our community or society as a whole.
The art of effective compromise, not to be mistaken with overt willingness to give in, represents one of the highest forms of human kindness and dignity, for it takes a strong and emotionally secure individual to sacrifice what they perceive to be correct for the ultimate good of the whole. It is most fortunate for us that the framers of the Constitution were pragmatic enough to bend often very hard-line individual positions in order to achieve a cohesive, workable and most importantly, pliable Constitution.
Jesus, who is rarely listened to today, even by those who call themselves Christians, has left us a very simple and yet very accurate way of viewing what is best for our nation. Jesus teaches that whatever we want people to do to us, we should likewise do to them, even if they don’t act towards us first or even at all. Thus, our vote should be based on what we believe is right and best for our nation and the rest of the world’s population. And, which candidates and policies will best care about we the people of the United States.
Just as it is true that the truth will make us free, conversely, not knowing what is true will continue to insure that we remain slaves to an inherited cultural legacy of lies, fear and superstition. Thus, when we go to the poles next time to vote, let us remember the greatest teaching of all, that we should “love our neighbor as our self.” For this reason, we will not murder, lie, steal or cheat or deliberately do any harm. And we will vote for the best leaders and vote correctly on the issues that matter to us all.
Contact author: www.FreedomTracks.com
