Emery McClendon: America is Declining in Morality and Virtue
Our society has become overwhelmed by people who have no values, low expectations, or who wish to take no personal responsibility.In order for our nation to survive, we must remain true to our Founding Principles and be involved in our civic responsibility. That is what our Founders intended for us to do, to make sure that we would keep our Republic strong.
People with evil intent or lack of morals must be kept in check by those of us who believe in sound ethics and principles. Our Founders drove home those points repeatedly.
Listen to the words of Benjamin Franklin from April 17, 1787:
Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nation’s become more corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.
And June 20, 1788, James Madison also stated: “To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtures in the people is a chimerical (imaginary) idea.”
So we see that virtue is a trait that keeps a people and a nation strong, it also saves us from tyrannical leaders, by keeping them in check.
Civics is based on both virtue and personal responsibility. Both should be taught in the home by families, and then reenforced in secondary surrounding, such as churches and schools.
These traits should be dominate in a society, and they should be the norm. Lawlessness and bad behavior should not be the dominant traits of a society.
These qualities should trickle upward and be held accountable in the decisions of those who represent us, and serve on our behalf.
We must never forget that our virtue’s are based on natural law, and come from our Creator, not from the government. They are written in our hearts, but they must be taught to us from an early age and reenforced throughout our lifetimes.
It is also our duty to stay engaged in our community affairs, and in government. We have a representative government and our voices play an important part in the process.
Recently we have seen a decline in participation by our citizens who hold to the notion of good values, and we see a rise in violent behavior and values that do not reflect our Founding Principals. Unfortunately that brings us to a point of moral decline, and a lowering of good community standards, which causes a greater degree of loss of respect for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Instead of seeking the American Dream, many in our society have drifted toward government dependency and Socialism. As a result, freedom and liberty is diminished for security.
Freedom lost can never be regained, and freedom should never be sacrificed for false security.
We must get back to the basics in America. We must remember that Freedom isn’t free. It requires a constant safeguarding or we will lose what we cherish most, our ability to live as Free human beings as God intended us to live.
Because we are flawed we tend to increase our own power at the expense of others. However, our Founders believed that it was important to preserve the principle of limited government, through shared powers and checks and balances.
They knew that it wouldn’t be easy, but that flawed individuals would find it difficult to live productively with one another. They knew however, that sound principles and a strong Constitution would go a long way in helping the American experiment succeed along with personal and civic virtues.
Are we willing to continue to work to that end?
It’s time for us to look at the big picture and resecure our destiny as a nation.
It begins with the family and spreads to our communities, and then nationwide. It takes education and constant enforcement. We must instill virtue and civics into our children’s minds so that they can carry on our legacy.
It’s time to get back to basics America, because our future depends on it.
“Freedom And Liberty/Use Them Or Lose Them” EWM
