I have been thinking a lot about deep conservative values lately. Not just big government is bad and debt will kill us. That reaches across the isle (at least part way across a wide isle). But more deeply about (to use Mark Levine’s terms) Liberty and Tyranny. About how and what our founders were thinking.
One thing struck me today: Individual rights. These words (which I hope you have heard)…”We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. ”
The natural rights that this country was formed upon are not really between us and the government but more so between each other as individuals. No one would question personal injury, theft or vandalism as a violation of these rights by one individual against another. And every jurisdiction would see all of these as crimes on this basis.
Which brings me to the words that many may have forgotten. Note that they follow without break and separated by a hyphen. “— That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” Governments are created to secure these rights, they do not create them, they only help us manage society as a whole when is becomes too much for one individual. This, making police forces, judiciaries, schools and the like an obvious extension to secure these rights.
But when the government created by these individuals is used to steal from one individual to give to another, to change the playing field in favor of one group or another; is it not violating these rights as well? It becomes a mob mentality and simple majority rules. If we want to “take” your rights, we can because we are bigger. This is the opposite of “securing” and 180 degrees from the original intent.
This is where we are today and the administration thrives on it. Pitting masses against banks, insurance companies, etc in the hopes of expanding its authority to take away more individual rights. It is wrong, I felt it, I knew it. If those men have committed crimes, violated contracts, etc. Then bring them up on charges. But mob rule is a violation of their individual rights.
I do not know how we back up, but moving forward along this path is not an option. The best course of action is a change in course, to veer from this path in the hopes of finding our way back some where down the road.
