Dear Friends,
It seems to me, our Constitutional Rights are only as robust, as the ethics of those tasked with protecting them. Otherwise they’re only ink on paper. Even the ideas it contains, the American societal myth, is only as marshaling as they’re taken seriously by the elite. Civilizations are founded on a societal myth. That “myth” is the founding ethos, way of life and right action in that civilization. All civilizations have them, and as they maintain them they rise, and once they abandon them, they fall. Sparta was unconquerable as long as they followed the perverted laws of Lycurgus. Once they coined money in gold instead of iron, and gained an eye for luxury, they were lost. Therefore, requiring ethical action and attitude from the elite is paramount in preserving our civilization.
The Constitution is merely pretty prose printed on friable paper. No matter how profound or sublime the ideas, someone has to believe and enforce them, even if only upon themselves. A law that’s not enforced isn’t even a suggestion. The US Constitution both limits and allows. It limits by the fact it only allows what it allows. Which is why Madison argued against the Bill Of Rights. Saying, if the Constitution doesn’t explicitly give the power to regulate playing jacks, then government is barred from regulating playing jacks. A sound argument, as long as the enforcers follow the rules, but they don’t. As in Wickard v Filburn where SCOTUS said, all human actions effect “interstate commerce,” and so the federal government can tax and regulate anything and everything… without limit.
The American societal myth is also called, “The American Way.” It’s an ethos of self reliance, humility, honesty, thrift and entrepreneurship. So armed, a society can become wealthy beyond imagination. In government the American way is, honest and fair laws, adjudication and enforcement. The American founding ethos can be discerned by reading Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanac. Every nation has a societal myth. Not being British it’s not my place to describe the British Societal Myth. You can rest assured they have one. Just as does Russia, France, India, China, Japan and every other nation. Each society has it’s own societal myth. Moreover, as long as they maintain that societal myth, that society thrives. Once they abandon their societal myth, that society flounders, and dies.
When confronted with the constitutionality of a law or bill, a politician’s reaction is telling of their attitude towards our Constitution, and our Societal Myth itself. If the question is taken seriously, then we can presume that politician or elite, takes our founding ethos and Constitution seriously. If however, they scoff and laugh, as if asked if moon maidens are real, then we can be pretty sure they consider our societal myth and Constitution, as profound as moon maidens. This is of terrific concern to anyone who wishes to preserve their civilization. Because the elite are the ones tasked with maintaining our Constitutional Rights and the societal myth itself. If they despise them, then the elite will work to undermine them, and our civilization will falter and die.
The elite aren’t the elite because they deserve to be. They are the elite because they rose through the ranks of mankind by hook or by crook. As dross floats to the top. Like dross, they’re useless at anything but floating around. Which is fine since that’s their only ability. If however, they don’t believe and hold dear our foundational ethos, and Constitution, then they’re dangerous. We’re just as guilty as the elite when we tolerate such people. Because we’re too lazy to write a letter to our representative, senator, courts, and the executive. Our silence is tantamount to acceptance. The elite take their orders from someone, if not us, then malevolent forces have their way. Speak up. Our civilization depends on us forcing the elite to follow our Constitution, and at least pretending to believe in our Societal Myth.
Sincerely,
John Pepin
