WHAT PART OF "OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE" DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?
…Our fathers brought forth upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal … this government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from this earth.
Of course, that is part of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. The beginning and end of this speech summed up both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. But it seems that in the 21st century we have forgotten what those words mean.
The fact that our government is “of the people, by the people, and for the people” is apparently lost on many in today’s life, both on the left and right of the political spectrum.
Quite recently a school in Massachusetts had two young men apply to West Point. Against great odds these guys were accepted. (West Point only accepts something like 10% of applicants per year). As is customary, The United States Military Academy at West Point wanted to send a representative to this high school and surprise the men with their letter of acceptance. The high school, at first, refused.
The reasons given by the administration seem disingenuous. It appears much more likely an anti-war political agenda was more to the point.
Similarly, I have heard of an Elementary School Principal ignoring a teacher’s request to let a Marine Corp sergeant address a class of 3rd-graders who had been corresponding with him while he was in Iraq. Actually had the man removed from the campus.
As with the West Point case, the reasons given here do not seem to jive with reality. Ultimately, private citizens and organizations stepped in to make it possible for the students to meet their pen pal.
Then there is the widespread policy among colleges and universities to not have an ROTC program. This has the effect of restricting access to a college education to people based solely on public policy views contrary to those of the university administrations.
But, those are examples of “liberals gone wild”. How ‘bout conservatives? Well, the most basic and easy to describe is the ongoing flack concerning the Confederate Flag, and I’ll get to that in a moment.
In all these cases, plus those concerning things such as the Ten Commandments, prayer at voluntary school events like graduations and football games, etc, it seems as if the government officials involved have neglected to recognize one very important fact. Namely, they serve “of the people, by the people, and for the people”.
All the people.
If your particular political viewpoint is one that runs counter to the current administration and congressional majority, you still do not have the right to impose your beliefs on those you serve as a member of the government. That would include teachers and principals, and the administration and faculty at any state college or university. In the school system, especially, it is encumbered upon the teachers, principals, et al to protect the rights of all students. They are not attending school voluntarily; they are required to be there. If a kid wants to pray, they can pray. If they want to rally for or against any political or social issue (as long as written policy permits it) they can. If they want to pursue the military, they can. And their ability to do any thing of the like cannot, according to the United States Constitution, be taken away.
The same does not apply to teachers and staff because they are there voluntarily. They know the rules and limitations placed on their free speech, and willingly accept those limitations when they accept the position. If they don’t like it, they can go elsewhere. Students do not have the same freedom. Law requires their attendance 180 +/- days a year until at least age 16.
The same principle should be in place as regards prayer at football games or graduations, but from the exact opposite perspective. Those events are not mandatory. You do not have to be at graduation to graduate. No one is being forced to accept the tenets of a particular religion. If you do not like what is being said or done, you don’t have to attend. Life goes on if you miss a football game or school event. And it still goes on if you miss it because some student (or teacher, or preacher) says a prayer.
In the same vein, for a government institution to fly the Confederate Flag is inexcusable. That flag has a very negative meaning for a significant number of people it might fly over on some local or state building. Yes, to many it might be a harmless emblem of heritage such as, “American by birth, Southern by the Grace of God”. But to others, that heritage is not so harmless. And it is “all the people” that governments serve.
Keep in mind as you read that I am talking about government institutions here. Not private citizens or businesses. Totally different circumstances. Private citizens who want to display the Confederate Flag have a Constitutionally protected right to do so. Businesses and civic organizations that want to recognize that flag and make a conscious decision concerning the effect on their business for displaying that flag have every right. If a company wants to mandate prayer, or restrict it, that is their privilege. If a private group, organization, or even country club places restrictions on itself and its members, check out the First Amendment, they have the right. After all, none of us are forced to work for a certain company, support a certain organization, or belong to a particular club. If they have policies contrary to our beliefs, we can go elsewhere. Just like the kid at a school event, football game, or graduation, we don’t have to be there.
However, a politician represents all the people. And they need to do just that; represent all the people. A Democratic or Republican Senator, Congressman, State Representative, County Commissioner, or City Councilman does not just represent the Democrats or Republicans of his or her district. They represent everyone from that district. It is the height of arrogance to assume that, just because one party’s member was elected over the other that only that party’s view needs be represented.
Morally, we know there is Absolute Truth. Some things are just right, and some things are just wrong. But politically, all views are equally valid. If a political entity, which purports to serve all the people, allows voices on one side of an issue, regardless of the issue, then it has a Constitutional obligation to allow the opposing view.
The Constitution of the United States begins with, “We the people”. The Declaration of Independence states in part, “Governments are instituted … deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”. If you serve the people as an agent of the government, whether it be on the federal, state, or local level, would you mind terribly acting like you have read those documents and believe in them? It will help us all.