Freedom.
The word is loaded with so many meanings depending on who you talk to and what weighs heaviest on their minds. For me, as
I reflect on this Independence Day, I think about what our founding fathers meant when they thought about freedom and if our
definition of it jives with theirs.
I
know that the biggies on their minds were: a) a life free from tyranny; b) no taxation without representation; and, c) freedom
of religion. Let’s chat about each of these.
A Life Free From Tyranny: When this countries founding fathers drafted the
constitution, it was their desire to give each citizen a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
They also intended that one citizen did not intrude on the liberty of another. But, more than that,
they most definitely intended for the government not to intrude on the liberties of its citizens.
Patrick Henry said, “The Constitution is not an instrument
for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government.” How can anyone
be unclear as to what Mr. Henry meant? We would be wise to remember this as we vote for politicians and
watch what they attempt to enact into law. Too much precious blood has been spilled to take that responsibility
lightly.
No Taxation Without
Representation: Our founding fathers were quite angry with the Royal Crown in England as it imposed onerous taxes on the colonies
without the colonies being duly represented in London. The crown was imposing taxes on many things, including
the staple of English life: tea. Thus, the Boston Tea Party.
Today, our country faces a severe fiscal crisis that threatens to be the worst
we’ve ever faced. Tough decisions will have to be made at all levels of government. At
this time, this country simply can’t afford many of the demands either placed on it or that it has volunteered.
It sucks but it is what it is. Some companies will have to fail without help. Some
local and state governments may have to default on loans. I don’t know. I do know that the American
people and it’s economy is groaning under the severe wait of the tax burden placed on it. To make
matters worse, our governments are promising more of a burden. This is tyranny of the worst kind and it’s being practiced
by both sides of the aisle.
Freedom of Religion:
The creators and signers of the Constitution new that one of the biggest reasons why people were coming
to the comings was for the hope of worshipping their god in their way and not in the way dictated by the state.
Today, there seems to be lots of debate as to whether or not the founding fathers were Christians. I’m
not God so I don’t know what their relationship with Him was. However, we I do have an idea of what their intentions
were regarding religious freedom in this country.
Since
lots of people in the press and government like to quote Thomas Jefferson’s line about “separation of church and
state” to support their opinion that religion has no place in politics, I would like to quote Mr. Jefferson regarding
where the framers of the Constitution were thinking regarding freedom of religion.
In 1819, in the Virginia Board of Visitors minutes, Jefferson stated that,
“The constitutional freedom of religion [is] the most inalienable and sacred of all human rights.”
In a letter to John Thomas twelve years earlier, he wrote, “Among the most inestimable of our blessings, also,
is that . . . of liberty to worship our Creator in the way we think most agreeable to His will; a liberty deemed in other
countries incompatible with good government and yet proved by our experience to be its best support. “ The following
year, Thomas Jefferson told the Baltimore Baptists, “In our early struggles for liberty, religious freedom could not
fail to become a primary object.”
My
point is not to say that the United States should be a theocracy. Ain’t gonna happen. I am saying
that, according to the history I’ve read, this country was founded on the principal of an individual having the freedom
and liberty to peacefully worship their god and practice their faith without persecution. I believe that also implies that
one sect cannot and should not impose or restrict another sect from peacefully practicing it’s faith within the confines
of their institutions and in the hearts and homes of its followers.
Thinking about all of this drives home the a couple points into my feeble mind.
First, the Constitution is an incredible document that has withstood the test of time. It really
is profoundly simple and simply profound. Second, the founding fathers were pretty smart dudes.
If only we had leaders (men or women) with the same kind of wisdom serving in our federal, state and local governments
today – especially on both sides of the aisle in Congress.
