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For what avail though plow or sail, or land or life, if freedom fail?
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Enjoy a journal entry from my father this week. He makes me think and I often find myself corrected every time I read his writings. I encourage you, read slowly and pay close attention.
A subtle change has happened in our country, and I fear that much of our nation has not noticed. Once pointed out, you will see it played out on newscasts and articles from those who are supposed to be “In the know.” The subject? The word “Republic” is missing from almost every newscast. In its place, you hear the word “Democracy.” It’s rare indeed to hear anyone speak of our republic, even politicians.
America, we don’t live in a democracy. We live in a republic.
The words are not synonymous, although politicians and news anchors would like you to think they are. The “woke” crowd would like to erase the increasingly unpopular constitution and Bill of Rights, which grants us our privileges and freedoms. It is a privilege to live in a country such as the USA. It is not a human right to live in the USA unless you were born a citizen or legally emigrated.
Every person should pursue human rights (i.e., the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, and the right to work and education.) The right to live in the United States is not one of them. It’s still a privilege. Did you ever say “The Pledge of Allegiance” in the following manner, “…and to the democracy for which it stands?” Or do you remember it this way? “…And to the republic for which it stands.”
The United States of America is not a democracy. It is a republic with a democratic form of government.
The difference is a constitution that protects the rights of everyone, regardless of race, religion, or creed. In a republic, your rights are protected by a constitution. While a democracy may have a constitution, it is only in force as long as the majority wants it to be. In a democracy, you might find Rosa Parks still at the back of the bus and whites having private bathrooms and water fountains.
But because we live in a republic, the constitution protected Rosa’s rights when push came to shove. In a democracy, the majority wins. In a republic, even if the majority votes to move Rosa to the back of the bus, she wins because we are a republic. Her rights are protected and not erased by a majority vote. They are upheld because of a constitution that protects them, even in the face of unpopularity and majorities.
Re-read the constitution. Did you know the word “Democracy” is not found in it? The framers of our constitution knew to survive in a new world, the aristocracy of nobles and privilege had to be eradicated from the government it was building. Therefore, a Republic (notice the ending “public”) was formed with a three-tier structure that would preclude any one branch from rising to power and either by popular vote or military might prevail upon the people to follow them with absolute resolve.
We live in a republic because being so is the guarantor of freedoms sought by the constitution’s framers.
Every chance you get to correct people about our “Democracy,” you should do so, for they are uninformed about our form of government.
We must push back against those who would transform us into a social society of nobles and entitlements vs. people with dignity and protected freedoms.
In American History, I was required to read the book Animal Farm in high school. By the end of the book, as the majority of the ruling class gradually took control of the farm and their creed was continuously changed, it read, “All are equal, some are just more equal than others.”
The loss of these inalienable rights begins with the eroding of the language. It is difficult to fight for and protect that which you don’t know you have.
As the word democracy slowly creeps into our language and replaces the word republic, more and more people will be swept into the delusion that there is no more extended protection for the governing truths that our forefathers fought and died for.
There is, it’s called The Constitution of the United States of America.
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all.“
Welcome Home
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.” Isaiah 61:1
For more reads from Jim and Pam Stockdale click here
BOOK TWO IN THE HOME SWEET HOME SERIES COMING JULY 2022!
