"I never submitted the whole system of my
opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever, in religion, in
philosophy, in politics or in anything else, where I was capable of
thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a
free and moral agent. If I could not go to Heaven but with a party,
I would not go there at all."
While reflecting on recent political events, I have come to spend
time pondering how our founding fathers would feel about the
directions that the candidates are planning to lead us. How
would these men feel about these candidates, and about the
political process of today in general?
Obviously, from the opening quotation here, it is clear that Thomas
Jefferson would neither consider himself a hard-line Democrat or
Republican. Many voters in our country, however, vote
strictly party line ballots. Personally, I have never voted
such a ballot, including in this election. To vote strict
party line ballots is an excercise in showcasing one's own
ignorance of candidates individuality and political
positions. There are just as many differences to be
found when comparing candidates intraparty as there are
interparty. To vote for a Democrat or Republican only because
you have historically voted for those candidates is
ludicrous. Be educated. Which brings me to my second
founding father.
"Knowledge will forever govern ignorance;
and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves
with the power which knowledge gives."
In this age of the internet and mass information available at
almost everyone's fingertips, why do so many people submit to the
opinions of a handful of news anchors, hollywood celebrities, or
relatives and vote according to how others vote? Why adopt
views rather than develop your own? Its easier. Its due
to lazyness.
"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish,
therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think,
speak, and write."
"That government is best which governs
the least, because its people discipline themselves."
Paine and Jefferson, obiviously, favored smaller government, with
fewer regulations.
But it is not my purpose here to put on display the opinions of the
men who set up this country for 200+ years of success, but rather
to say that you, individually, should care enough to google a few
things and find out who you are voting for, not only on a national
level, but a local level as well. DO NOT rely on talking
heads to tell you who to vote for, or to shape your opinions of
candidates. Those talking heads all have their own agendas,
whether we they are on MSNBC or FOXNEWS.
"The man who reads nothing at all is
better educated than the man who reads nothing but
newspapers."
"Enlighten the people, generally, and
tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like spirits
at the dawn of day."
Or don't. Just let the ignorant vote for whoever is cutest,
or is the best public speaker, or whoever has the most support from
celebraties or preachers or rabbis or rednecks or
treehuggers. Just be a sheep. Follow those who follow
others. What could possibly be the harm in that?
"Remember, democracy never lasts long. It
soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a
democracy yet that did not commit suicide."
Are we on the brink now of what Adams feared so long ago?
Maybe our forefathers did have some foresight.
"I believe that banking institutions are
more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies."
You don't say?
