A Warning

A WARNING

I believe we face a different political crisis than the media and politicians tell us. America is not falling apart nor declining morally in the way the religious right would have us believe. However, we are in moral decline if we give in to the reactionary demands of a fearful and hateful right-wing. This current reactionary politics is a symptom of a social/mental illness. Until we recognize that bigotry and overt forms of prejudice, including genocide, are mass mental aberations that must be quarantined and perhaps forcefully cured, if possible, then we have little hope of creating a sane and stable society.

Our history has been one of finding more rights and creating greater opportunities for all people. That was our greatest moral triumph, the fulfillment of an American Dream. The ways we have attempted to put our ideals into practice have sometimes failed miserably and at great cost, but that is no reason to disparage the ideals themselves. That is where we are losing our unique morality.

We need to work toward creating a civil society, one that cares for its citizens. This need not be socialism or a paternalistic government. How we do this many be accomplished in many ways, some perhaps as ineffective as the Great Society. America is sufficiently wealthy to do this. Only fear of each other and selfishess can thwart it.

I don't like either incumbent political party, or even the Libertarians, although they are closer to an American ideal of individual freedom than the other two have ever been. The Democrats have always been spenders on social programs and somewhat socially liberal on lifestyle choices. The Republicans have been conservative on social issues, traditional on moral issues and promoting of freedom for businesses and a rich, powerful elite. Each wants to control and restrict a different sector of our society. And each party is willing to spend our taxes on their particular agendas, whether on social programs or military buildup. All the parties have some good ideas and many very bad ones.

Liberal and conservative have become terms of derision. Few people understand their meaning anymore. Classical liberalism and conservatism no longer exist in our society. These ideals were not at odds with each other, but different ways of viewing the role of government in relation to the citizen. Classical liberalism taught that government might be of help to improve society. Classical conservatism supported the right of the individual to be free of unnecessary governmental intrusion. Both support individual freedom. Neither the Democrats or Republicans support either.

Our nation was founded on the principle of individual freedom. That must mean freedom of lifestyle, behavior, beliefs and economic freedom. That is voluntary choice of association. All reasons for the existence and actions of government and laws should arise from that premise of individual freedom. Any kind of group should not have precedence over individuals.

Governments do not have rights, but they do have power and responsibilities to their citizens: Administering a system of impartial justice and protecting the nation. Politicians should not have rights as officeholders, only duties and responsibilities. Other groups, whether a business or any other social organization should not have rights. Only individuals can have rights. The government that consists of "We the People" cannot have rights other than the collective result of individuals acting on their beliefs. Following this reasoning, that political representation is one individual citizen to each elected representative, lobbying should be declared illegal as a breach of fairness and undue influence on the political process.

Should a government or the collective people be able to recognize any special interest groups as having rights and conversely, being discriminated against in law? The people should not have that right. Government should be blind to all groups because it protects equality under the law. It should see only equal individuals. Therefore no laws supporting special rights and/or priviledges or discrimination could be allowed. Only individuals should be allowed to discriminate, which they do. The government should not. This would solve the crisis of civil rights law in America, but it would not end discrimination. That cannot be legislated away.