I would think that Republicans, Democrats, Independents alike could agree on our Founding Principle, our common bond. Much of their platforms have to do with personal Liberty and personal responsibility. The essence of our Founding Principle encompasses both. We all have equal Liberty. We all have equal responsibility. The varied degrees of balance between Liberty and responsibility being the only sticking points between them.
We know, if applied, “…all men are created equal…” bestows Liberty to the individual. You will not be judged by your race, religion, nationality or creed. You are free to make your own way. Unshackled from prejudice, with equal opportunity for all.
This Principle, if applied, also bestows responsibility to that same individual. Now, only you take the credit or the blame for your success or failure. Your ancestry, now is no measure of you. Your actions, the only gauge of character. The responsibility of your own life, in your hands.
With our equal Liberty. Comes our equal responsibility.
I believe most Americans can agree on this foundational premise. The Liberty part we acknowledge to all people. The responsibility part to all is required. Each of us has to employ both parts. One gear, by itself, can do nothing but spin.
When we don’t apply both parts in our lives, these two gears unmeshed, nothing will move. One side disengaged with, “How can I be held responsible when my Liberty is not acknowledged?” Another spinning with, “How can this respect and regard be acknowledged when responsibility is not taken?” It’s the “chicken and the egg” thing. Which comes first, the Liberty or the responsibility?
My take is the chicken comes first. The chicken has choice, already breathes free. But both must have the other for chickens to survive.
I think that the belief in, the Hope for, and the reality of Liberty must come first. Liberty already breathes free. Liberty has more choice. Liberty for all must become a given. No longer any doubt. Our Creed truly ingrained. Pre-judging recognized and controlled. Until this is proclaimed and adhered to throughout the land, the resulting responsibility cannot be expected. We must acknowledge the lack of diversity in private construction companies, board rooms, higher public office, just to name a few. Jobs and status, opportunities granted, based on who you know or the color of your skin, is Liberty denied. Jobs and status, opportunities denied because of the color of your skin, or your nationality, gender or creed, is indeed, Liberty denied. Face this. Fix this. The boss already breathes free. The boss has more choice. This responsibility, right next to Liberty, required in our Founding Principle.
But for those, the victims of Liberty denied, we must concede the responsibility required for Liberty to exist. My welfare, now in my hands. The excuse of “nothing I can do about it” has at least, been fading, compared to past generations. The Liberty of the vote, our most powerful Right, is here, right now. But the responsibility of the vote is not. I know because I have voted in North St. Louis County for over twenty years. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Besides the boom in 2008 and the lighter pop in 2012, the voting booths are quite empty. When the turnout for every election before, in between and after, are all disgraceful, when we disregard our most important responsibility, our vote, then all of us who hope for the fruition of our Founding Principle lose. For it wasn’t the Russians stealing the elections, it wasn’t the Tea Party or “the man” who took these elections. It was those who stayed home, those who just gave it away. They should all be ashamed. This Freedom is now a given, but respect and regard still must be earned.
Get out and vote, our first responsibility. Realize how much America and the world needs our voice. Our vote is that important, worth all the trouble or inconvenience. Voting is easy compared to the cost. Trump-like in power throughout most the land, because we’ve stayed home. Our health care now in doubt, safety nets disappearing, our entire environment deregulated, our very Founding Principle tossed aside, because we stayed home. Our vote, our responsibility deserted. This blame now, all ours. We weren’t cheated out of voting. We weren’t denied the Right. We just stayed home.
Liberty and responsibility, neither can exist without the other.
I would think 80% of Americans could agree on this, the essence of our Founding Principle. Of course, as we all know, there are folks who still would be Loyalists or separatists or master racers, but I think the stars and stripes have flown high long enough to prove that most of us Americans hold true to the goal of treating people equal and fairly, of justice being blind, of our Founding Principle as our guiding beacon. That this is the source of our American pride. All equal in Liberty and responsibility. That they must be “hand in glove”.
Maybe we can realize and agree we’re not there yet. Maybe come to the realization that we all share the blame. Maybe we can see the Liberty we have not granted and the responsibility we have not shouldered.
All sides have to concede this Liberty and responsibility and apply this in our actions. Acknowledge this Liberty to all. Recognize and control our pre-judging.
Accept the responsibility for all. We must take action. We can’t just stay home. Know that we have to move towards the Promised Land, it doesn’t come to us.
Our Founding Principle, if applied, its two gears meshed and together, can move a whole world, if we all do our parts.