Hi everyone, I came back to type what is in this photo for those of you who are unable to read the print and for those of you around the world that need to translate.
written by Arvin Michel
[source: The American Experiment]
John Adams said, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." To investigate what he may have meant when he said this, consider a few common words and their definitions as they might apply.
First consider the word "liberty". What is its meaning in this context? Most consider it to be synonymous with the word "freedom" but this isn't entirely correct. Author KrisAnne Hall stated that liberty is freedom with morals. Frederic Bastiat in his book, "The Law", states in question form, "-is not liberty the freedom of every person to make full use of his faculties, so long as he does not harm other persons while doing so?" These two quotations put the word "liberty" in its proper context. Yes, we want freedom, but more so, we want liberty. After all, anyone has the freedom to rob a bank, but we do not have the liberty to do so.
Consider a second word, the word "oath". The first definition in Webster's New World Dictionary is, "A ritualistic declaration, based on an appeal to God or to some revered person or object, that one will speak the truth, keep a promise, remain faithful, etc." Probably based on a definition similar to this, the President is constitutionally required to take the following "Oath or Affirmation". "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." Putting these two definitions together, the President essentially takes an "oath" to protect our "liberty" to the best of his ability.
This leads to a third word which is "plunder". The word "plunder" makes one think of a pirate or an invading army. "Plunder", according to Bastiat, is seizing and consuming the products of the labor of others. He takes several pages in his book, "The Law", to discuss the topic of legal plunder. To quote him, "But how is this legal plunder to be identified?" Quit simply. See if the law takes from some persons what belongs to them, and gives it to other persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at the expense of another by doing what the citizen cannot do without committing a crime." He says if this is taking place, abolish the law without delay. He also says, "Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place." This quotation is basically a direct reference to our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution. It is government's job which is affirmed by their oath of office to protect our liberties and assure us that our property is safe from legal plunder. How are they doing? In 1850 Bastiat foresaw what is being experienced in this generation.
This helps to clarify in one perspective what John Adams may have meant in his statement that "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
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