Becoming Who You Were Meant To Be

America is one of the greatest countries our world has ever known. The people who live in a country so great need to be willing to protect everything it stands for, Liberty, virtue, sacrifice, and so much more.

There have been several great Americans who have done just that and protected and provided for this country but, generation after generation those people seem to fade away. They’re still out there, as we discussed before, but they’re hidden. One responsibility we have as Americans is to step up and become those people. Let us not be those who “ought only to follow those who can inflict the greatest punishments, or give the greatest rewards”.

In Ancient Rome, the people were so caught up in what the government was giving them that they didn’t pay much attention to what it was taking. Much of us are like this today. Thomas Jefferson said “A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take it away”. This country was developed and earned by those who worked hard their whole lives to accomplish it. If they could do that, then we can live without the government unconstitutionally giving everybody what they desire. A government who gives too much is a government who takes even more.

Work hard, and become the virtuous people we were meant to be!

Yours truly,
Publius

Except for the Love of Their Country

“This convention [Constitutional Convention] is composed of men who posses the confidence of the people, and many of whom had become highly distinguished by their patriotism, virtue, and wisdom. Without having been awed power, or influenced by any passions except the love of their country” -John Jay
Our last few blog entries have been teaching about tyrants. You’ve learned what a tyrant is, how to recognize it, and how to avoid it. We’ve missed, however, one crucial detail. What kind of people should be leading our country? John Jay knew the answer, as stated in the above quote.
George Washington was our first president. This is a man who gave everything for his country. He sacrificed his life, his time, and his money so we could be free. He was truly and incredible man who deserved to lead this country but the only thing is, he didn’t want to. What he wanted to do after years of leading an army was to quietly live out the rest of his life at his house on Mt. Vernon. But, he accepted the position not because he wanted power, but because he loved his country and everyone in it.
That was just one example. All of the Founding Fathers and many other Patriots and leaders had very similar qualities and the very same motives. The love of their country and Liberty. They were all humble, kind, and virtuous people who knew what they had to do and actually went out and did it. We know people like this have not gone extinct. Why then, do we settle for tyrants who don’t know what needs to be done, who don’t care for their country but only for power? It is our duty to search for the people who live among us that care for and love their country. Let us not settle for those who promise to give us stuff only to distract us from their tyranny. Let us stand up and seek out the virtuous and educated that this country was meant to be ruled by! “The best way to get something done, is to begin!”
Yours Truly,
Publius

Changing America

“The only foundation of a free Constitution is pure Virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our people…they may change their rulers and the forms of Government, but they will not obtain   a lasting liberty.”
-John Adams, 28 August, 1811

Change. A common enough word, true. You hear it everywhere. You here it in the songs on the radio, as they cry about the fear or resistance to it. You hear it in the movies, “Then everything changed when I saw him, when they left, when I closed my eyes, etc.” You hear it in politics. It was a campaign slogan. Every politician claims they’re ability in changing the world to be the best. I agree, we need to change, but how? Is there a thing as too much change? Or, can a change be for the worst?

Amend. Close enough to change, right? The government has the ability to amend the constitution, and they have taken full advantage of that. But in that, can they change the constitution if it doesn’t fit us?

The United States has changed a lot since the Constitution was created. We’ve gone through 43 presidents and are about to choose another. Our rulers are completely different to the originals. Our level of virtue is also different, unfortunately. That’s not hard to see when you look around. If we change our government, our constitution, our founding principles, will we really change? They say it’s for the better, but how can it be? Will a new constitution inspire a new sense of virtue and purity in the public?

No, it won’t. It’ll legalize corruption. It’s a hard truth, but it’s obvious. We can’t become magically free if we sacrifice freedoms for personal gain. If we were as virtuous as they original body of americans was, then the restrictions put forth in the constitution wouldn’t seem unfit. We can not be free, uneducated, and virtuous. Not anymore.

If we want a fitting government, we must change ourselves, not the predetermined guidelines. We must restore virtue to restore liberty and in turn restore america. Before we can do this, however, we must inspire the people. Even before that we must ourselves become inspired. Change your knowledge. Change your wants. Change your goal. Rise up and become the virtuous spark of inspiration we need. Otherwise, who will?

I can’t be the only voice out there,

Publius