Today is September 11. 2009.  It has been 8 years since our land was scarred by a merciless and hateful organization.  It is hard to comprehend why someone would commit such a violent act, an act which targeted, not soldiers, but unarmed civilians.  Men.  Women.  Children.  Both the rich and the poor.  The Atheist, the Christian, and the Muslim.  All were cut down indriscrimately.  That could have been the end of the story, but it isn’t.  The American people stood beside each other and forgot petty differences.  Many, like the passengers of United Flight 93, showed courage and selflessly gave their lives to help their fellows.  People from all over the country rushed to the aid of those who were hurting.  It’s not what is done when everything is a blessing, but what is done when things are at their worst that shows the measure of a people.  

I believe we should return to the basics.  I believe there a nine principles and twelve great truths which can be our guide and return us to being the people we need to be, the people we were on September 12, 2001.  You do not have to agree with me on all of these, or even with my definitions.  If you can, however, agree with me that we need to get back to the basics, let us work together as allies, as friends, as a family, and make a brighter future.  

The Nine Principles

The Founders created the United States with several ideals in mind.  Among them were the ideas that all mankind is created equal, that all have a right to practice the religion of their choice, that a person is innocent until proven guilty, and that the individual, not the state, knows what is best for the individual.  Most of these ideas had never been fundamental truth of any government prior to the United States. Although we have had our share of dark chapters in history, Americas has always strove to improve itself.  Even in our darkest moments, there have been those who strove to do what is right.  Today, the United States is the freest country on the planet.   In a nutshell, America Is Good. There has never been a nation such as ours in recorded history.  

In the United States, I have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results.  The goal of society is to provide equal justice for all.  To fulfill this aim, everyone must have equality under the law.  We must not have different laws for different classes and races.  Discrimination based on age, creed, disability, race, or sex should not be tolerated and is adverse to a nation which desires equality among its peoples.  Despite equality under the law, there are no two people that are alike.  We have all had different experiences, have made different choices, and have been raised and educated differently.  As a result, we all have different ambitions and motivators that can drive us to fail or to succeed.  It is up to the individual, not the government, to make a success of their life.  

There has been a continual push by some people to separate religion and government.  The intent of the founders was to ensure that no denomination was established by the federal government as the religion of the land.  Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence that people were “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.”  Our nation has a belief in God at its foundation.  The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 said, “Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.”  Many of the members of Congress that passed this ordinance also took part in writing and passing the First Amendment of the Constitution.  It would be a contradiction to the ordinance if the First Amendment was meant to create a wall between religion and government as many profess.  I believe that religion, morality, and knowledge should still be promoted to encourage good government.  When the founders said religion, they did not mean any particular denomination or religious belief; they meant religion in the broad sense.  The dictionary defines religion as “a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.”  Just like the founders, I believe in God and He is the center of my life.  

We are a nation of laws, not of men.  I have benefited from working on both sides of a courtroom because I understand what is going on in the mind of defense attorneys and prosecutors.  The Constitution provides protections in the Fifth, sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Amendments which entitle everyone to a fair trial.  The work of the prosecutor is to fight on behalf of the victims, on behalf of the people, and to ensure that justice is done.  They have an ethical obligation to dismiss charges when it is in the best interest of justice.  The work of defense counsel is to ensure that the government plays by the rules and that the accused is adequately represented.  John Adams said “Council ought to be the very last thing that... an accused person should want in a free country.”  That being said, if you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it.  

One of the oft forgotten or just plain ignored sections of our Constitution is the Ninth and Tenth Amendments.  The former says that “the enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.”  The latter says “the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”  Notice that these Amendments provide that some powers and rights not described in the Constitution are left to the people.  It is in that section that the founders recognized that the family is sacred.  Couples, heads of house, and parents are in charge of their private affairs and will make the decisions regarding themselves, not the government.  This concept seems so simple and undisputed; yet, even it is under attack today.  In 1990 a United Nations treaty known as the Convention on the Rights of the Child was created and during his campaign, President Obama expressed interest in signing on to the treaty.  This should be stopped because it will severely undermine the familial structure in America if ratified.  The treaty serves to disparage the rights and powers left to the people.  This is one of many attacks on the family currently underway; we cannot afford to let any attacks succeed.  

Once upon a time, it was believed that hard work would reap financial benefits.  Today, winning the lottery or suing someone are a few of the preferred methods for obtaining wealth.  Despite the precedence being set by our government, fiscal irresponsibility should not be rewarded.  In the United States we have the freedom to dream, try, and, if all doesn’t go well, to fail.  It is not the responsibility of the government to decide what companies are “too big to fail” and are worthy of our tax dollars.  No one is too big to fail, and to create a system of bailing out failing companies will cause far more harm than good.  The federal government has few enumerated powers, doling out money from the public treasury for the purpose of charity is not one of those powers.  I work hard for what I have and I will share it with whom I please. Government cannot force me to be charitable through complicated schemes for redistribution of wealth.  

O what a wicked web we weave when our plan is to deceive.  I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday.  Honesty truly is the best policy.  Lying always hurts someone.  You may not know it or believe it, but it does.  From the dawn of time, politicians have told the people what they wanted to hear rather than the truth.  Telling the truth could cost an election, so why would they want to do that?  We’ve become contented with these slick talking politicians because they make us feel comfortable and happy because the truth is too scary.  We need honest people in Washington who will say what they intend to do and actually intend to do it.  We cannot afford lying, dishonest politicians any longer.  The stakes are too high.  

The First Amendment of our constitution orders Congress to not abridge the freedom of speech.  It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinions.  Expressing our views is a very basic right and doing so is probably the most American thing we can do.  It gives us an opportunity to let our representatives know what we think and gives them fair warning that failure to heed the people could have consequences for them during the next election.  After all, the government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me.  

The Twelve Values

Honesty – The opposite of lying.  Say what you mean and mean what you say.  Jesus said in Matthew 5:37 “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’  “I don’t know” is an acceptable answer if you do not know the answer to a question.  People have more respect for people when they are honest than when they make something up which may or may not be correct.  

Reverence – Have respect for your neighbor, your God, and your country.  

Hope – When things are falling apart around you, remember that it is not over until it is over.  

Thrift – Be frugal.  Be responsible when making purchases and do not waste, you never know when you might need that quarter.  

Humility – Will Rogers was quoted once in the New York Times for saying “You know everybody is ignorant, just in different subjects.”  Keep that in mind when you speak with someone, they will more than likely tell you something you do not already know.  Everyone has something to offer, and I am only one person out of many.  

Charity – Charity is self sacrifice.  It is doing something for someone else despite personal loss of time, energy, or money.  Charity is a personal decision and it cannot be imposed upon someone.  At the point the giving is forced, it ceases to be charity and becomes plundering.  Charity is good, it not only helps someone with whatever their issue may be, but also lets them know that someone else cares enough about them to sacrifice on their behalf.  

Sincerity – Sincerity and honesty go hand in hand.  Be frank, although flowery words are appealing to some, most would rather hear honesty.  If you do not mean it, do not say it.

Moderation – There is a saying, “too much of a good thing.”  Sometimes people act hastily because they believe what they are doing is for the best.  It would be great to not have to work, to have all of my health issues taken care of, and to have everything given to me that I desire.  But, as Thomas Jefferson said, “government big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take all you have.”  Slow down; make sure it is good and that there are no hidden dangers before you act.  It is far easier to build a house correctly the first time than to have to tear down and rebuild.  

Hard Work – The best things in life are worth fighting for, and the fight is usually a tough slog and a lot of hard work.  When you work for something, it means that much more when you accomplish your goal.  There is something to be said for doing something yourself and not having it given to you.  

Courage – Despite overwhelming odds, you fight on.  Sometimes it is not the popular position and sometimes it is something we fear but we keep on keeping on.  That takes courage.  

Personal Responsibility – The Preamble states that the purpose of government it to establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.  The People are the government and therefore it is our responsibility to do these things.  We must provide for the common defense and establish justice.  We must secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and to our posterity.  If we want a nation of freedom left for our children, it is our responsibility to provide for it.   

Gratitude – Nothing comes without a price.  From the food we eat to the fact that we can sleep in peace at night with the knowledge that there are people guarding our borders to keep the wolves out, we have plenty to be grateful for.  Show your gratitude often, it will make the world a better place.