How To Be An American
american
By Alfred Brock
Introduction
This
book was inspired by incidents I have directly witnessed or read about from
family and friends.
One incident
involved a young child at school being accused by others for not being
‘American’.
I know
I’m American.
I was
brought up to be an American.
At times
I would be instructed in what it means to be an American and what was required
of one not only to be an American but to be an honorable American.
As I
grew older it became obvious to me that what my family and culture had taught
me about being an American is synonymous, that is, the same, as being a good
human being.
I
defended the child mentioned above from her classmates.
I was
surprised that many of them had not heard before the few simple things I said.
In this
book I have included some of these items, and, sometimes succinctly and
sometimes clumsily, been able to encapsulate just a small portion of what I
feel is necessary to know about how to be an American.
In
today’s national climate immigration causes heated feelings and confusion and
sometimes anger.
Obviously,
in the past, the way that immigration was dealt with, ultimately, after
inspections, isolation, quarantine or other processes was simply that someone
put their mark on or signed a piece of paper indicating that they accepted the
national government after which they ‘officially’ declared American.
The
reality of it all – that is, the idea of being American, is summed up by this
statement :
‘I know of no other prerequisites
for being American than being alive and being here.’
Welcome to America!
Contents
Chapter 3 - Good Will and
Kindness
Chapter 9 - Appreciation of Education, Learning and
Wisdom
Chapter 12 - Reaching for
Freedom
Chapter 13 - In Closing :
How To Be An American
Chapter 1 – Justice
A lot
of people do not believe in Justice in the United States today. There are stories every day of
injustice. Some of them are true and
some of them are the result of irresponsible news writers and reporters trying
to fill some space on a page or a minute on national television.
Some
politicians cry out against injustice so that they can draw attention away from
other things they may be doing – like trying to get reelected or not doing –
like their job.
The
Justice I am writing of here is American Justice. That can rightly defined as “the quality of
being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness”. In today’s America the word ‘moral’ can start
an argument at the drop of a hat. The
truth is that in today’s America moral education has been neglected because
religion has been under attack. It can
also be said that in many places religion has been attacking the government as
well.
The
problem that resulted is that moral education is not imparted in an official
manner. It is not a regular part of most
school curriculums because religious education used to provide this support and
framework. In modern America often
decisions regarding right and wrong, whether to steal or not, whether to kill
or not are either avoided completely or given the same sort of light touch that
goes along with finger painting.
American Justice is still strong, however, and has a long history. At the core of it is the inner desire of the
individual to be just, righteous, equitable and morally right – in short – to
be human. Without Justice of this kind
many abuses take place. The society and
government at large become unequal to any task put before them because their
response to the task has been set in such a way that is wrong at the beginning
– and so – excluding some miracle of judgment – the result will be wrong.
President Abraham Lincoln had this to say and I think it somehow
describes the idea of American Justice I want to impart to you, “If some men
will kill, or beat, or constrain others, or despoil them of property, by force,
fraud, or noncompliance with contracts, it is a common object with peaceful and
just men to prevent it.”
I
prefer this supporting definition by Abraham Lincoln in this case because it
makes it clear that peaceful and just people themselves are responsible to
ensure that justice is done. In this
case – what is justice or American Justice?
It is to ensure, of course, that men and women disposed to killing,
beating or restraining others who take the property of others for force, fraud
or lying will not prosper.
In that
case, then, is not American Justice a good thing and something to advocate for
and work towards? It is not enough to
listen to some reporter or politician talk about the lack of American Justice –
each American – you and I included – need to ensure that what is being said is
true and has substance. If so – then the
wrong must be righted and swiftly too.
If it
turns out that the story we have been told in this instance is false then it is
with American Justice we must deal with the reporter or politician that told
the lie and tried to influence circumstances for their own selfish ends. You see – if they had done that – lied to us
– then they are the brutish, ignorant people that American Justice is set
against.
Here is
what President George Washington had to say about American Justice and how it
was to be administered and imparted through the government, “Impressed with a
conviction that the due administration of justice is the firmest pillar of good
Government, I have considered the first arrangement of the Judicial department
as essential to the happiness of our Country, and to the stability of its
political system; hence the selection of the fittest characters to expound the
law, and dispense justice, has been an invariable object of my anxious
concern.”—George Washington, in a letter to Attorney General Edmund Randolph
concerning the selection and qualification of U.S. attorneys and judges (1789)
Mainly
what he was saying there was that he was paying close attention to the persons
being selected as United States Attorneys and Judges. Obviously, if bad persons or persons inclined
to killing, beating or restraining others who take the property of others for
force, fraud or lying were appointed to these posts then they would be
dangerous to American citizens as well as to the national interest. In the first place they could hurt good, law
abiding citizens by their actions and inactions. In the second place should they come in
contact with foreign embassies or agents their own bad behavior might be taken
as the norm and rule of American society and all sorts of evils would descend
from that – not the least of which would be corruption and war.
President Thomas Jefferson had this to say about American Justice, “I
tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot
sleep forever.”
Now
what could Thomas Jefferson have possibly meant by that?
At the
time of the creation of our nation there was a great controversy about
slavery. The unfortunate outcome of the
controversy was that slavery was not set aside and the stage was set for
corruption and war. His worry about the
United States being subject to God’s Justice is pertinent today. It is a religious subject some might say but
considering that the course of human events is tied so closely to so many
mysteries and immense power of the cosmos around us it is not a foolish comment.
Many
enemies of the United States today call for their god or gods to administer
their own justice against the United States – and for what reason? In some cases it may be argued that the
behavior of the United States has been such that is not in line with American
Justice. In those cases then good
people, good Americans like you and I, need to take a hand in correcting the injustice. In other cases the attacks on American
behavior are totally without merit and again it is the responsibility of good
persons to say so and act on those statements.
American Justice is not something carved in marble that we can go visit
every once in a while or point at.
American Justice is part of the American Way. To see it and understand it is to be able to
wield it and partake in it.
“If
there is no Justice in your heart then there is no Justice in the land.”
President Andrew Jackson had this to say about American Justice, “Any
man worth his salt will stick up for what he believes right, but it takes a
slightly better man to acknowledge instantly and without reservation that he is
in error.”
It is a
common idea in the world that the proper way for a person to conduct their
affairs in accord with what they believe to be right. It is peculiarly American to expect that same
person to perform a review of these affairs and ideas and ideals with which
they are carried out to ensure that they are up to date and can truly still be
called ‘right’. It is wrong for an American
to go along as if everything is right if they have detected an error either in
thinking or behavior that no longer allows for the present activities to
continue under a spirit of injustice.
The
overwhelming tide of American Justice was what led to the abolition of slavery,
the emancipation of women and the tempering of the execution of some wars and
in the case of Vietnam the cessation of hostilities.
It
remains to be seen that if in today’s world American Justice will overcome the
evils that lap at our shores. It is
difficult to do or see what is right when the airwaves and newspapers are
filled with what is wrong. When your
neighbor only speaks ill how can you get them to see right? When all that is said is bad how can one get
a good word in edgewise?
The
sense of American Justice, however, is lasting and is a force. It is force like a tide that can wash away
iniquities and lies – but only if they are recognized and worked on to correct
– otherwise you may find the bad situations persist. The important thing to keep in mind is that
if you see something wrong – you’re not having a hallucination – you are not
imagining it. You have a right and a
duty to speak up about it. You may be
surprised to know that its not all perfect here in the United States. It’s not easy to have a free country. It is especially hard if no one speaks up for
what is right. It is impossible if justice
is ignored or not expected from the government and society because it is their
duty to provide it just as it is our duty to participate, work and pay taxes.
What do
I mean by your duty?
President Howard Taft said this, "The world is not going to be
saved by legislation."
The
politicians will pass laws. Some will be
enforced and many will not. What is
right and wrong, however, will not change because of that. If there is a bad law then it is our duty to
see it repealed and to inform our Representatives and Senators to do that. If something is right and it is not being
done it is up to us as Americans to make it so.
In this way American society and being American is participatory. It is a social occasion as well as a moral
duty.
I am
using quotes from American Presidents to bring out that you are not alone in
thinking about what is right and what is wrong.
You are not alone in your consideration of American Justice. The most important reason I am bringing out
these quotes from famous Americans is to illustrate to you that your ideas and
ideals belong with them. Some people
hold office but we all hold America.
All of us as Americans have rights and responsibilities and one of them
is to ensure that American Justice is done in an American way. What is the American way for American
Justice?
The
quality of being just.
Righteousness.
Equitableness. Moral rightness.
Now
that you are involved American Justice becomes more than a word with a
dictionary definition. It becomes a
right and a duty – like plowing, working a lathe, doing math figures, writing,
plumbing, carpentry, science, medicine – it is a tool and an object and a
process.
It is
something not be ignored or used selfishly.
It is yours to partake in and ensure that others do not abuse it or use
it for selfish ends.
Maybe
it is like this in all countries and maybe there have always been times like
this in the United States, but it seems lately that a lot of people are losing
their sense of responsibility about Justice.
Some people feel that it carrying out Justice or ensuring that it is
carried out and not delayed is for someone else to deal with. Many people expect politicians or judges to
do it all by themselves. Here in the
United States, however, we need to take care as to how Justice is defined and
carried out. If it is delayed too long
then it is not Justice. If it is too
fierce it is not Justice. Of course, if
it is not carried out at all then it is not Justice either.
When a
person loses their dog or their keys they take great pains to find them. It seems, however, that when some people lose
their sense of responsibility that they don’t care to find it and some don’t
even know it is gone.
It is
enough to say that if you live in the United States and you are a citizen that
being an American carries with it the responsibility to ensure that Justice is
done. It is not enough to watch the news
and wonder aloud what is going on. You
must make the effort to find out the truth and act on it if necessary.
The
best way to understand American Justice and how you can expect it to appear to
you and treat you or how you can use it as a tool if necessary (for a tool is
all it is) is to acknowledge that at first Americans are expected to do the
right thing. If you do that thing which
is right in your heart and which does not harm others or keep them from their
own pursuit of their rightful goals then Justice will be on your side. Some people are not guided by an inner
understanding of the principle of goodness nor do they understand the
underlying motive of cooperation which is Love.
These
people are therefore treated to the formality of American Justice in a court
setting which appeals to their intellect and reason in order to convince them
or compel them to act right. It is this
combination of situations – the personal and internal conviction and knowledge
of right and wrong combined with, when necessary, the formal operation of the
application of right and the knowledge of wrong externally through the courts
that American Justice is done.
When
Justice is ‘served’ so to speak – it is not being worshipped or forced upon
someone, though sometimes the courts need to resort to some sort of force, what
is being expressed is that it has been prepared and presented in such a way
that it will be acceptable. Like a meal
on a menu. If properly prepared and
being nutritious and tasty then the product, Justice, like food, may be
consumed or put into practice and so business and general social intercourse
may continue to the profit of all.
It is
true that sometimes when Justice is served that not everyone agrees on the
taste. It is at this time that
individual involved in the case, in so far as their personal liberty or
property is not at risk, may trust to a higher power or social grace to right
whatever perceived wrong or hurt might still stick to the issue at hand.
The
purpose of American Justice, rather than revenge or oppression, is to set
things right and allow all parties considered to continue on in their dealings
and not waste another moment worrying over a disagreement that will not matter
a whit in the future anyway.
This is the sort of Justice that
Americans aspire to though often it is mocked in the newspapers and general
society. It has its place and is not
intended to be theatre or entertaining but a means of business to free up
abilities and resources to more profitable enterprises.
Sometimes it takes courage to deal
with this sort of Justice. It is not
always clear cut but it usually is sufficient to the situation presented. It is also a painstaking process because the
Wheels of Justice do turn slowly in the United States – but they do turn.
It is the idea and ideals of
courage that are believed in and acted upon by Americans that I am going to
deal with next.
Chapter 2 – Courage
Courage
is not a virtue if it is not exercised for righteous reasons.
What
good is the courage of a criminal when conducting criminal activities except
excessive brute force? What good is the
courage of a bad person when doing bad except to make a bad situation worse?
Courage
in order to be a virtue must be exercised in righteous fashion. American courage as an ideal is expressed as
a righteous act often against long odds.
That is – it is an action taken against common sense or realistic
appraisal of the situation in order to achieve a righteous goal.
There
is no shortage of tales of American courage.
I could fill up a book about American courage. In fact, many people have. One book in particular is ‘Profiles in
Courage’. A book by President John F.
Kennedy. That is a book about statesmen
in the government of the United States who took positions on issues that were
unpopular – but which were righteous and ultimately proven to be right.
President Kennedy had this to say, “The true democracy, living and
growing and inspiring, puts its faith in the people – faith that the people
will not simply elect men who will represent their views ably and faithfully,
but also elect men who will exercise their conscientious judgment – faith that
the people will not condemn those whose devotion to principle leads them to
unpopular courses, but will reward courage, respect honor and ultimately recognize
right.”
Of
course there is always the danger that popular opinion will condemn someone no
matter what their virtues or stance. One
of the purposes of this book is to bring your attention to the fact that you,
as an American, may have an opinion but it need not be a ‘popular’
opinion. Consider that old retort used
by parents around the world when a child is asked why they did some foolish
thing. The child says, ‘My friend did
it, that’s why I did it.’ The parent
responds wisely, ‘If your friend jumped off a bridge, would you do that too?’
Obviously the ‘popular’ opinion is not always right and it is never
right if it is accepted merely because it is popular and everyone else thinks
that way. As an American your
independent and individual consideration of the issue at hand is the most
important point. What do YOU think about
the issue at hand? For example, if
everyone else in the country is making a mistake, do you have to make that
mistake too?
The
story of the Emperor’s clothes and how one little boy sees the obvious while
all the adults and other people of ‘quality’ and ‘position’ go along with the
popular view that the Emperor is not naked and they actually believe that he is
clothed. Of course there is a more
ominous and negative aspect of that story and that is that there are many among
the crowds that view the naked Emperor strutting around in ignorance who know
that he is not wearing any clothes but they go along with the popular view for
their own selfish reasons or because they are afraid.
As an
American, first of all, you don’t have to be afraid. Even if you are you are allowed to and
expected to express your views. In the
second case it would be morally wrong to take advantage of the ignorance of
your fellow Americans in order to exploit the situation. These things happen but you should know they
do not last. As we know the wheels of
Justice turn slowly but they do turn because of the living expression of
American Courage.
American Courage is displayed by astronauts, jet fighter pilots,
soldiers, marines, sailors, police officers, firefighters, doctors, lawyers,
teachers… all sorts of people in all sorts of activities across our nation –
across your nation.
What is
American Courage? It is the same courage
you would see in any nation dedicated to freedom, justice, equality and fair
play.
In some
countries it is unpopular or even illegal to take part in the government unless
expressly sanctioned to do so. In the
United States this is not the case.
President Kennedy again, “In a democracy, every citizen, regardless of
his interest in politics, “holds office”; every one of us is in a position of
responsibility; and, in the final analysis, the kind of government we get
depends upon how we fulfill those responsibilities. We, the people, are the
boss, and we will get the kind of political leadership, be it good or bad, that
we demand and deserve.”
This
means that sometimes it will be necessary to go to public meetings to see what
is being discussed. It means expressing
your opinion on things in the public eye.
It means bringing out issues that may be hidden or ignored. These are your responsibility in this nation
and they are expressions of your own American Courage.
Let us
hear from President Kennedy one more time, “Without belittling the courage with
which men have died, we should not forget those acts of courage with which men
have lived.”
“…those
acts of courage with which men have lived.”
After all, isn’t that the reason for good government and a nation
founded on morals and behaving in a righteous manner? American Courage is needed to ensure that
might does not make right and that the popular thing, though it is popular,
does not destroy what is good and right for today and our future.
Who is
to say what is good and right for today and our future? That would be you and the way to express that
would be through own particular type of American Courage.
American Courage cannot be bought.
It is
an expression of good and valor.
Sometimes American Courage requires that all must be risked in order to
gain the greater good, but often that is merely gambling. The true American Courage is expressed when
you, as an American, move to do the right thing even if others do not believe
as you do or even know that it is necessary.
What is required is that you do it because being a free nation there is
a possibility that you may be the only one with the knowledge and ability to do
what is right.
Maybe I
am not expressing this right. I have
talked about the courage of astronauts, soldier, politicians and powerful
people. People we are all accustomed to
expecting to see display courage whether actually or in stories.
The
American Courage I am talking about hope you will take heart in and express
yourself is the human courage of your own spirit. It is the courage of the mother who gets up
every morning in some poor neighborhood and prepares breakfast and sends her
children off to school before going to work herself. It is the courage of a man who dispirited in
his career aspirations or frustrated by some business setback continues to work
hard and strive for something better. It
is the courage of a farmer who faced with drought or other hardship continues
to care for his farm and his family because he rightly knows that things will
improve in time.
It is
the courage of believing in the future and the fruit of your labors. It is believing with the same belief and
expectation of success that your forbears had if you are a native born American
and the same belief and expectation of success that brought you to this nation
in the first place – if you have just arrived.
It
doesn’t matter if you have been here for five minutes or your family has been
here for five hundred or even five thousand years – the courage I am talking
about as American courage is the courage in your own heart to do what is
right. To bear up under hard times. To smile in the rain. To whistle at the wind.
It is
not a cavalier or careless kind of courage.
Any fool can have that sort of courage.
Any fool can risk their life or throw it away. It is the courageous and the brave that honor
life by living it even when it is hard.
When it is hard to do that is when the thing becomes honorable. This is not to say that one should accept
without reservation hard times and always expect them. I do not say that. This is America and being American it is
right that you expect things to change and improve. It is right that you expect that things
improve for your family and friends. It
is necessary that you take a hand yourself in spurring on or causing that
improvement and betterment.
The
courage is in your heart. The way to
express that courage is in your mind.
The means to carry out that courage is in your hands. The will to do it is in your spirit.
The
United States has sometimes been called a melting pot. I have heard it said that we are not melting
so well. I do not believe that. I think we are moving along just fine. There are historical references to it in the
stories that we tell our children right now.
As new people come to the United States and take on the rights and
responsibilities of being American their own stories will blend into these so
that our children’s children will be infused with what is good and right and
will be able to enjoy their own lives through the fruits of their labor by the
expression of their own American Courage.
Pecos
Bill is a good example of the union of good hearted feelings and expressions of
human courage that have become entwined and are now expressed as American
Courage.
Pecos
Bill is the story of a man from the Western States in the United States. Stories told about him are often referred to
as ‘Tall Tales’. Are they true or are
they not? It does not really matter –
though I suppose it would have mattered to Bill. What matters are the topics told about and
the responses Bill had to his difficulties.
Pecos
Bill stories contain a mixture of super human (American) feats of courage and
strength. Like roping and riding a
tornado whirlwind like a wild bronco and using a dangerous rattlesnake for a
lasso.
According to the legend Pecos Bill was born in the Western United
States in the 1830's. As a baby he was being carried in a covered
wagon when he bounced out and into the desert wonderland.
His
family did not notice and luckily Bill was raised by a pack of coyotes.
He became a legendary cowboy and
his horse Lightning was literally as fast as lighting. It was said you could tell Pecos Bill had
gone by if you saw a flash of light and the sound of Lighting’s hooves rang out
like thunder.
In some of the stories Pecos Bill
saddled a mountain lion and rode him through the hills carrying out
extraordinary deeds of strength, speed and courage.
This particular story and many
others like is the result of the ‘melting’ or combination of several cultures,
all of which make up America. There are
the tall tales from Western Spain and Portugal along with the storytelling of
Mexico and the Native American Indians, combined with the Northern European
habits of telling tales and, of course, those tales and beliefs held by
Americans in general.
American Courage is not a
standalone feat.
The ideas combined together in the
legend of Pecos Bill like his riding a cyclone or roping an entire herd of wild
longhorn cattle at one time or using a rattlesnake as a whip and harnessing the
Rio Grande River to water his parched ranch are all tall tales indeed but they
speak about American Courage in a unique way.
They allow us as adults to impart the importance of strong action in the
face of danger or difficulties to our children.
They give us a way to express to people of other nationalities that what
we are doing, though strange to them perhaps, is indeed marvelous and
remarkable.
Each of the feats that is ascribed
to Pecos Bill were repeated over and over again by Americans across the Western
United States. For example : continue to
work a farm ravaged by a tornado.
Putting it back together and making it work. Using the natural resources of the area, even
if it was dangerous to harness them – like a rattlesnake, and benefitting from
them for the good of the family. As for
harnessing the Rio Grande River – why that act has been repeated all across the
United States by Americans intent on gaining the benefits of electricity from
water power and to water croplands and turn barren desert into fruitful fields
and orchards.
This is
the sort of American Courage I am talking about. I can’t make it any more clear than to say
that if you feel it strange to you that all you have to do to correct that is
accept it as your own even though it may have a different name.
What
wild and tall tales do you have to tell us so that we can share in them as much
as we would like to you to share in ours?
Some
tall tales have a direct relation to the American character and history. For example – the State of Delaware is known
as ‘The Blue Hen State’. Why is that?
The
story goes that a Delaware man went to war during the American Revolution and
joined the militia from his state. For entertainment, he brought with him two
fighting cocks.
When asked about the chickens by soldiers from other state
militias and the Continental Army, the soldier is said to have replied,
"Why, they are the chicks of a blue hen I have at home."
It is
said that these game birds could fight like no others! They were so fierce that no other could stand
against them.
The Delaware troops took to
boasting to the troops from the other states that they could out-fight anyone,
just like those famous blue game birds.
"We're the Blue Hen's Chicks.
We will fight to the end!" became their theme and of the bravery of the
Delaware troops stories are told to this day.
Eventually other troops took to
calling the men from Delaware "The Blue Hen's Chicks", and that is
why Delaware is known as the Blue Hen State.
There
are many wonderful stories like this.
Each containing in them fact and fancy.
Each containing some hint of the people that they are told about and
more importantly, about the people that tell them. The ‘Blue Hen’s Chicks’ – the uniform of the
Continental Army was blue – and the fact that the Mother Hen
had sent them on such an errand as to fight for the freedom of their
country shows two things.
First,
that even the mild-mannered hen showed strength and vivacity enough to send her
own brood out to fight the mighty British Lion.
Secondly – that the same mild-manner hen sitting at home was on another
brood and she would send them out too if need be.
A small
story with a funny twist. Of course the
truth is that the Delaware men and women and children all fought for their
freedom and achieved it. The outcome of
the story is the outcome provided by their expression of American Courage –
Delaware Style.
Just as
each segment of the country has their own speciality in food or dress or custom
– they also each express American Courage in their own unique, endearing,
fierce and lasting way.
American Courage is expressed
quietly and with vigor. It is sometimes
performed in a day’s work or expressed in spoken words at a public meeting or
in the words of a letter written to support or defy some notion taken up by
government or society that is unseemly and harsh. American Courage is the type of thing that
does not surrender easily.
In the event I have not properly
expressed what American Courage is by telling you what I believe it to be let
me also tell you what I feel it is not and you can arrange it in your mind for
yourself what rightly is American Courage.
American Courage is not thrill-seeking.
American Courage is not a violent
act to satiate some blood lust.
American Courage is not bullying.
As Ralph Waldo Emerson, the great
American poet has written :
‘I think no virtue
goes with size;
The reason of all cowardice
Is, that men are
overgrown,
And, to be
valiant, must come down
To the titmouse
dimension’
American Courage is not expended
for a trifling or trivial matter because once engaged it will be seen through
to the end.
Lastly – American Courage is not
something held by just one person or type of person. It is not kept in just one Church or Temple
or Synagogue or in the heart and brain of just one kind of reasoning man or
woman. It is not locked away for special
use by special superhuman people.
Thucydides, ancient Greet poet and
philosopher wrote, “The secret to happiness is freedom. The secret to freedom is courage.”
Harper Lee wrote about courage in
‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ - "I wanted you to see what real courage is,
instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's
when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see
it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do."
To finish on a positive note –
American Courage is your courage. The
courage that you express as you face difficulties in your life or help people
you love or know to face theirs.
American Courage is a good thing
and it belongs to you.
Expressing American Courage is done
in many ways – not just in ways of war.
It is these other ways that American Courage is expressed that I will
address next as we talk about American Goodwill and Kindness.
Chapter 3 - Good Will and Kindness
American good will. What is good
will?
Let us
hear from Ralph Waldo Emerson, American poet, once again :
'T is
good will makes intelligence’
Good
will is often equated with Charity in the United States these days. It stands for someone with something giving
something to someone else who does not have it.
In some places good will and Charity have a bad reputation. It is often believed that if one helps out
someone else that the person being helped will become dependent upon you.
So goes
the saying, ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a
lifetime.’
Some
people use this as an excuse to keep all the fish for themselves. More importantly – it is often used in an
incorrect sense. Let us for example
imagine someone in poverty or even someone well off – able to feed their family
and getting along. Then – through some
calamity – maybe a mistake or a horrible storm or the financial ruin of the
company the person was working for – their income is not only suspended but
entirely removed.
The
State governments and Federal government have relief programs designed to aid
people so they do not die but is that enough?
Are airy ideas about economy and ensuring cash flow enough to ensure
that your neighbor and his family do not lose their ability to pursue the
American dream? Often that is the
case. These ruinous events can lead to
the demise of a person, a couple or even an entire family even here in the Land
of Plenty.
What is
it to you?
Why
should you care if your neighbor is prosperous?
Besides
the fact that desperate persons do desperate things the reason why you as an
American should be concerned in a positive fashion about the prosperity of your
neighbor is that your prosperity is tied to theirs. It is your tax money the State and Federal
governments spend to ensure that those people do not die. That state of affairs will not change for
those people until they are gainfully employed again in the private
sector. Every opportunity given to keep
them away from falling into real dependence upon government programs designed
to keep themselves in business is better and more profitable for you.
In many
cases ‘common’ beliefs about relief and food assistance are just plain
wrong. Most people, when they go for
food assistance or other financial relief, to avoid starvation or financial
ruin, do not continually take it or receive it for the rest of their
lives. That is a rare occurrence and it
those persons that do that without good reason that have brought a bad reputation
to the practice.
In fact
most families that take food assistance rely on the material for not much more
than a year and a half on average. That
is amazing but is not widely known.
How do
Americans act with Good Will and Kindness?
Some
people donate to charities. Some share
goods that they no longer need. The
‘sharing’ can be as simple as dropping things off at a good will store or
selling it at a garage sale on their own property or at community even
‘rummage’ sales.
In the
United States, and most of the world, Kindness is often mistaken for weakness.
Let us
use for example a scene on a battlefield.
Two soldiers are in combat and facing the enemy. One runs out of ammunition to defend himself
and his friend. What does the soldier
with ammunition do? Teach the one that
ran out of ammunition how to make bullets?
Does he empty his pockets and hope that the other soldier can find
something useful there?
Obviously – the best thing to do in a case like that is split the
ammunition so they can defend themselves and live another day.
Make no
mistake – the world of international finance and business is not a friendly
place. Even internally in the United
States business is conducted in a cut throat way. So unions have had to rise up and some
lawyers make a very good business protecting people or securing the rights of
people that were working for companies that do not honor their duties to the
nation as much as individuals do.
It is
good sense to help our neighbor. It is
actually wise to ensure they are not pushed to extremes. There are many examples in American history
where towns have come apart because the people themselves, after losing some
major income, like a mining interest, can no longer continue on in their work
and must shift for themselves.
During
the Great Depression the communities that exited that horrible time with
Good-Will and Kindness intact were able to recover quicker than those
communities that settled into bickering and selfishness. In those locations where the ‘well-off’
ensure that everyone in their community is treated fairly - by access to schooling, sanitation, clean
water and safety – they benefit more than in communities where ‘Good-Will’ has
broken down and anarchy threatens.
Any new
Americans just arriving from nations that are being ravaged by those forces
will be able to identify with this. It
is one reason that some people leave the nation of their birth to come to the
United States and be Americans. To lose
sight of Good-Will and Kindness is to abandon an important part of the
experience of being American.
‘Good-Will’ is so important in American society that is actually has a
price tag associated with it. It is an
idea representing value of an asset owned that is intangible but has a
measurable "prudent value".
For example - a reputation the firm enjoys with its clients. To an American, having a good reputation
means, essentially, being good, being approachable, being dependable and being
counted on to right wrongs and assist when someone is in distress – because –
the same thing is expected to be returned if the shoe is on the other foot.
American Good-Will and Kindness are at the same time virtues and prudent
defense against personal loss. It is a
kind of insurance no one wants to collect on.
Love,
affection for others, sympathy and empathy are all known as human virtues.
An
ancient Chinese philosopher, Confucius, wrote, “Let but a prince cultivate
virtue, people will flock to him. With
people will come to him lands. Lands
will bring forth for him wealth. Wealth
will give him the benefits of right uses.
Virtue is the root. Wealth is the
outcome.”
Knowing
this we can see that the benefits of American Good-Will and Kindness greatly
outweigh the imagined benefits of greed and selfishness.
So we
see national actions to feed and assist other nations have roots in American
Good-Will and Kindness.
In case
weakness or the idea that Good-Will and Kindness are not strong responses to a
harsh world environment let us recall another old saying, “The bravest are
the tenderest, the loving are the
daring.”
American Good-Will and Kindness are actions of Adventure.
Their
results are clear and easy to see. Their
effects and impact easy to discern. Just
as well planted seeds yield rich harvests of fruits and vegetables so goes it
with Good-Will and Kindness properly dispersed and cared for.
The
lack or absence of these American virtues are seen where poverty grows or
persists.
Their
absence is marked by disease, loss and want.
What
should an American do if appealed to for these virtues?
Well,
“It becomes not the fowler to slay the bird which has taken refuge in his
bosom.”
Here is
a sample of what the great American Poet Walt Whitman suggests as becoming not
only to an American but to any human being, “"This is what you shall do;
Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to every one
that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to
others…”
During
times of distress often there is not much for the well off or well positioned
to do. All the fun seemingly taken out
of life. Even as they prosper all around
are suffering. To be plain – what good
is that? To express it selfishly as some
will have it – what fun is there in that?
It is a
good time when times are bad to do good.
If a
child does not have enough to eat they will not be able to concentrate on their
studies. This can lead to delinquency
and crime. Ultimately they will get
caught and go to prison should they turn bad.
If they pay the ultimate price with their lives it is no gain for
American society. It is a loss all
around. All those years of productive
service wasted and all the horror and ruin they themselves might have brought
to the world simply because they did not have enough to eat.
I am
making no plea on your charity here. It
is common knowledge that in the United States each year we destroy much food
either because it can’t get to market or because the market is unwilling to pay
what is asked for it. That may be a
crime in some eyes and certainly is in many hearts but it is plain fact. How can it be changed so that more people
benefit – producer and consumer alike?
That is
a question that may well be answered by you because that question still begs an
answer these many years after which the United States has practically insured
that there will be a bumper crop.
Questions of work and fairness in labor are also included in American
Good-Will and Kindness for who would work for a bad boss or poor task master
and be happy about it? Because of
Unions, Labor Relations and expert management and owners there are seeds of a
cooperative effort that when expressed on both sides with American Good-Will
and Kindness profits grow and work is assured.
American Good-Will and Kindness are something which need to be demanded
sometimes because all too often people feel that they are either entitled to
get what is coming to them or they refuse to produce the materials expected of
them when they are doing well.
As a
popular cartoon character, Sally, sister of Charlie Brown, says, ‘All I want is
what is coming to me. All I want is my
fair share.’
That is
not a good expression of American Good-Will or Kindness. That is a parody of it.
In
times of need it is right for people to ask for assistance. During the Great Depression and other times
in American history this was either not done or the people asking for
assistance were treated badly. The
result was starvation to death and illness and misery for men, women and
children alike. The elderly were treated
poorly.
These
things and actions have repercussions.
They create memories of pain and anger.
It is best to avoid situations like this simply by doing the right
thing. In this way American Good-Will
and Kindness become more than a profitable business action, they are more than
charitable acts taken by the strong in a gesture to the weak. When American Good-Will and Kindness are
expressed when needed they are like mortar being added to a weakened wall. They are like leaven in bread. They are like a new finish on a fine piece of
furniture.
Everyone, as you know, in the United States, has a right to life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It
is written in the Declaration of Independence.
It is
not a dream. It is not a figment of the
imagination. It is a set of ideals that
are eternal and lasting. They are human
needs expressed in human words. Human
actions have all too often failed. They
failed on such a monumental scale that an entire nation – our nation – your
nation – was founded on principles to ensure that these failures were conquered
with the success of hard work, labor, cooperation and love.
Some
people decry the Welfare system, likening it to similar systems in oppressive
countries where a dole is established and generations of people are trapped in
a cycle of poverty and ill-use. In the
United States there have been plenty of examples of this happening in some
cities and a few states. Each one has
worked to try and reverse or eliminate the mistakes of that system.
I
mention that before I talk about welfare in another sense – a greater
sense. We are a nation of individuals
but we are a nation of individuals working together to establish and run a
nation. In this case if I am doing well
you are likely to be doing well also. If
we work together or compete fairly – then again we will prosper.
There
are many things we need to do together – defense, international trade and other
things.
The
Constitution of the United States contains these ideas and delineates them very
well :
“We the
People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish
Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote
the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our
Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of
America.”
As for
American Good-Will and Kindness – these are the actions taken to ‘…promote the
general welfare…’ by the national government, the state government, local
government and most of all and above all others – by individual Americans.
Why
would any American believe that promoting the general welfare is a good
thing? Again – if I am doing well you
are likely doing well. If there is a
slum or poverty or crime right across the street from your house or you need to
deal with such social ills just to go to work and come back to your home – your
Pursuit of Happiness is going to be harder than it should be and you might
spend your life trying not to be miserable rather than just being happy.
If
there is disease – and there used to be a lot of it in the United States – is
rampant, it is wise to express American Good-Will and Kindness by promoting the
general welfare. What is an example of
that? Polio was a very good example of
that.
Polio
is a ravaging disease. It was at one
time frighteningly common in the United States and the world. President Franklin Roosevelt had contracted
polio and his valiant efforts to overcome the limitations put on him are
legendary. He was a lucky man born into
a family of wealth – the outcome for poorer children was often much more harsh
and dark.
When
the Salk Vaccine was first invented Doctor Salk could have become an enormously
wealthy man but this American is quoted as saying when asked if he would patent
he vaccine, "There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?"
He was
honored by President Dwight D. Eisenhower as a benefactor to mankind.
Eisenhower himself worked tirelessly to ensure that the Polio Vaccine
was made available widely. To this day
it is an important and potent weapon in the fight for world health.
What I
am describing here is a set of circumstances that are not small in
stature. They are not soft-handed or
flabby. This is the stuff of great
things and honest things and good things.
Things
done by Americans for human good.
I need
to mention here, because this is a book about ‘How To Be An American’ – that
Doctor Salk was the child of immigrants from Russia who moved into New York
City and adopted our nation as their own.
Each person has their own way and understanding of what means to be an
American but what actions to take – these are clear when you happen upon them.
Their
children were sent to school and learned how to work and they as a family
participated in and used the ideal of promoting the general welfare in their
lives just as they contributed to defense.
They played a part in securing the Blessings of Liberty for ourselves
and our posterity.
There
is for me no argument here. Just plain,
simple fact.
Doctor
Salk could have held the patent for himself and garnered fame and fortune for
himself.
Instead
– with an open hand he demonstrated quite simply and mightily the ideas I have
come to understand as American Good-Will and Kindness.
Just as
Pecos Bill is an example of what Americans dream about and express themselves
as a participant in a grand adventure of spirit – Doctor Salk demonstrated in
real life what American Good-Will and Kindness can be. I hope it is clear even at this early stage
in this book that your actions or inactions will influence your child’s
participation in the grand adventure of America. Your attitudes and desires will effect how
they view themselves as Americans – or if they participate at all.
In some
countries they say that not everyone can be great. Here in the United States – that is not
true. Which do you prefer to
believe? Every one of us can be great
and each one is wonderful. Each American
may achieve their own expression of their own highest ideals. Two American ideals are Good-Will and
Kindness. How will you express
them? How will you teach your children
that these things belong to them and are just as important as the chance of
becoming a famous sports figure or rich businessman?
Chapter 4 – Politeness
Politeness. American Politeness
matches a standard dictionary definition of the word politeness.
That is
: showing good manners toward others, as in behavior, speech, being courteous,
being civil or to reply politely.
Many
Americans as children are taught not to speak until spoken to. So, in many cases, you might find it hard to
get a word out of them if you don’t speak to them first. A polite ‘Hello’ or ‘How are you?’ can do
quite well to start a conversation.
It is
often said in the United States that some citizens in certain cities or states
are unfriendly or lack politeness. In
fact there is an explanation for this.
New
York City is a big and famous city. It
is often one of those locales in the United States that people hint that the
inhabitants are not very polite. The
reality is that they are polite – only they are polite, sometimes, very
quickly.
New
York City is a very big city. The
people there are often busy at many different things at once. It is difficult sometimes to get around in
such a crowded and urban environment.
The people of New York have not lost their sense of refinement nor
society – it is just that in a crowded rush when making one’s way to a train or
a bus or into a crowded elevator or store – exchanges are made at a very fast
pace.
‘Pardon
me.’, ‘Excuse me.’ or other such phrases might be heard, if you listen above
the din, thousands of times as you make your way through your day.
People
are jostled and hurried sometimes but the same rules and regulations regarding
careful crossing of streets, driving of cars, buying and selling things and
laws in general – are all held in esteem and carefully adhered to by the
majority of New Yorkers. As you make
your way through such a crowded atmosphere someone might think it is good to
develop a ‘thick skin’ and just plow right through but the result of such
brutish behavior is immediately apparent as anyone behaving in an openly anti-social
behavior soon finds themselves in hot water.
Suffice
it to say that the phrase, ‘Keep on one’s toes.’ is a good one to keep in mind
while visiting New York. It is
entertaining and informative to watch two people from New York who have a long
acquaintance and are engaged in business having an exchange with each other.
In some
parts of the country the people in the city think the people outside the city
have no manners – but this is not the case.
Their manners may be more refined or carried out more slowly than the
actions of a person from Chicago, New York, Houston or San Francisco. They get to the same place but may work at a
different rhythm. This difference in
tempo can be the reason some people believe that some other citizens are not
polite.
I could
go on at length and tell you of all the idiosyncrasies of behavior that might
be considered polite in one part of the country only to put you at a
disadvantage if you travel to another part of the nation.
Americans are from many lands and many cultures. It is always best to be aware of your
surroundings and ask questions if you are not clear on something or how to behave. Do not be insulted if someone gives you
unbidden guidance. Of course, it is
another story if they do so with a bad attitude in which case you can be
assured they are not expressing American Politeness.
Many
Americans consider it polite and sincere to look each other directly in the eye
from time to time when having. It can be
considered rude and may be interpreted as threatening to look continuously at
someone or stare at someone unless you are talking with them.
Sincerity is very important American trait.
Now
that we are talking about Politeness I will bring forth the opinion of one of
America’s greatest writers, Mark Twain.
He wrote, “The highest perfection of politeness is only a beautiful
edifice, built, from the base to the dome, of ungraceful and gilded forms of
charitable and unselfish lying.”
At
times politeness may be used to hide ugly feelings but if that is the case then
you will know it. The proper response in
such occasions is to respond politely until you can exit the interaction.
Mark
Twain had a lot to say, not all of which I agree with, but as you watch
American entertainment, whether on television or in the movies you may see many
examples of comic episodes where politeness is masking some other emotion or
meaning.
In
general, however, in America, politeness is intended to grease the wheels of
commerce on the one hand and to ease and make more pleasant human relations on
the other. After all, as it has been
said often, we are all in this together.
In the
book ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, Harper Lee gives an excellent example of American
Politeness. A young boy is invited to
stay for dinner and not having much at his own home excitedly eats what is
offered to him. After eating hungrily
his young friend nearly says something rude to him at the table but the girl is
told by the housekeeper, “There are some folks who don't eat like us, but you
ain't called on to contradict 'em at the table when they don't. That boy's yo'
comp'ny and if he wants to eat up the tablecloth you let him, you hear?"
The
idea of American Politeness is most best understood and expressed by an
American when they are offering you hospitality whether at their table or in
their home. As you become used to the
idea of being an American you may find yourself behaving in this way. Of course – you probably do already. America is made up of the best from all
places and times – or should be anyway.
American politeness can be used to disarm an unpleasant situation or
increase the joy from a pleasant one.
Offering a chair to someone advanced in years or to a pregnant
woman. Holding a door open for someone
else. Passing the salt. Passing the butter. Asking please for the jelly to be passed.
Using
words like ‘Please’, ‘Thank you’, ‘You’re welcome’, ‘After you’, ‘Much obliged’
– whether in a slow style or with much rush – shows that the person speaking
these words has an understanding of society and the need for civil cooperation
even among those not already acquainted.
There
is a difference that can be seen at a shopping mall full of holiday shoppers or
thousands of fans at a sports event that is different from that of a riotous
mob or drunken revelry.
Notwithstanding the gruff, standalone attitude one may encounter around
the nation it has long been recognized that politeness has its place in
American commerce and society. If a car
breaks down there will be someone to help which is only polite as the same may
be needed for themselves someday.
This is
not a matter of selfishness, but rather, common sense.
If a
stranger asks how to get to a certain destination wherever they happen to be in
the United States they are likely to get a polite set of instructions to set
them on their way safely to their destination.
If a
woman or a weaker person is bullied or bothered there will often be someone or
several to speak up for them. A rude
action being balanced by a polite response.
American Politeness has always been a matter of manners and the way in
which people conduct themselves. To
borrow from Emily Post – a writer about etiquette and manners we can draw these
things out.
An
education that limits the mind is an obviously limited education. The best man puts himself in touch with
whomever he happens to be. It follows
that the more subjects he is acquainted with the more people he will be able to
communicate with. Therefore the more
customers, associates or constituents he will have.
Here we
have seen more than a hint of selfishness in the idea of American
Politeness. Just as sometimes the heart
or the soul does not prod someone on to right action in many different arenas –
right reason can be brought to bear to help them along.
The
more individuals that are successful at this sort of American Politeness, you
see, ensures that the society they move in will have more opportunity and gain
than a closed society of ill-manner people.
The real measure of American Politeness is how an individual
develops their interest in people, things, and events so as to be a stimulating
and supporting influence on the people he has occasion to meet.
By
expressing American Politeness it is possible to work through and even enjoy a
wide variety of social occasions, work situations and sporting events because
such a person, whether at a work bench, controlling a machine, performing
accountancy, playing sports or taking leisure gives an impression of such ease
as to make his accomplishment seemingly require no skill.
It is
more than a social grace. It is
necessary in a world of violence and vice.
Though someone may pretend to it in the end it is clear if the person
expression American Politeness is doing it as extension of their own good self
for your benefit as a fellow citizen or as the act of a puppet.
A man
by the name of Samuel Wells wrote that politeness is something more than
pretense and I have to agree with him.
He continues, “It is the result of the combined action of all the moral
and social feelings, guided by judgment and refined by taste. It requires the
exercise of benevolence, veneration (in its human aspect), adhesiveness, and
ideality, as well as of conscientiousness. It is the spontaneous recognition of
human solidarity—the flowering of philanthropy—the fine art of the social
passions. It is to the heart what music is to the ear, and painting and
sculpture to the eye.”
That
may be a bit too detailed of a description but I thank Mr. Wells for his
expression of American Politeness.
The
points I would like to indicate as being most important about American
Politeness in our society is that is a tie that binds. It is a display of benevolence whenever
expressed. It shows veneration,
admiration and appreciation in the human aspect by recognizing in others the
same light and life that burns within ourselves. A religious person might equate it with God
and the admonition that we are to love others as we love ourselves. A person of stout heart who does not believe
in God might see that American Politeness is acknowledgement of the ideal that
we are all created equal in this nation and due the respect that we give unto
others.
Mr.
Wells gives us even more to go on.
He
agrees that there is no greater mistake in society and human relations than to
believe that politeness is a “matter of arbitrary forms”. What he is saying there that politeness,
American Politeness is not just a series of learned actions to go along with a
certain situation – like the correct placing of a fork or knife on a table.
He goes on to assure us, and again, I agree that it has as
real foundation in the nature and relations of men and women. Just as we have government and common law we
have a structure of American Politeness that allows us to traverse social
occasions and business activities.
Without American Politeness we would have an even harder
time among ourselves. Our nation is so
diverse and scattered at times that when two cultures meet American Politeness
allows us to interact in positive fashions – or at least avoid unfortunate
circumstances and any clash that might have occurred otherwise.
We do not hear much about the particulars of individual
crimes or personal errors through the media.
We hear or see only the outrageous results. It is common, however, that when the tales of
the actual event are told that without a doubt that the recounting of the
entire horrid set of affairs – whatever they may be – clearly lack human
empathy and to put it simply the actions that accompany or that are seen when
American Politeness is expressed.
I am not trying to say that this is the answer to crime and
violence. Clearly, however, just as we
can see that when social mores and empathy are removed also go the arts of
civility known as politeness. We can
detect that they are in our social interactions and are important by noting
where they are lacking which is in situation which are diametrically opposed to
the smooth and orderly relations we are concerned with.
American Politeness is a code of civility. It is how we get along daily as we pass
through our social and business functions.
Consider again the great metropolis of New York. It is no exception. Without roots in politeness and that
particular international kind we are talking about, American Politeness, New
York would not last long.
C. P.
Bronson, “originally listed as a Deacon and Missionary for the Episcopal
church, by 1829, he was an ordained Episcopalian minister, serving at St.
Paul's Church in Norwalk, Ohio, has been recorded as saying, "In
politeness, as in every thing else connected with the formation of character,
we are too apt to begin on the outside, instead of the inside; instead of
beginning with the heart, and trusting to that to form the manners, many begin
with the manners, and leave the heart to chance and influences. The golden rule
contains the very life and soul of politeness: 'Do unto others as you would
they should do unto you.'”
American Politeness is based on sincerity, good-will, self-control and a
habitual ingrained regard for the rights of others.
We can
see that in its root politeness is akin to polity. Polity is a particular form or system of
government. Politeness, or American
Politeness in this case, is a loose system of behavior with very tightly
defined results. The looseness is not to
indicate baseness but a wide sourcing.
As we know Americans are descended from and come from many different
cultures, backgrounds and religions.
Each one of them has their own set of social systems expressed in
politeness. American Politeness comes
into play when the barriers of language, culture and habit need to be cleared
away for a social or business occasion.
As it is used more often American Politeness can come to reveal a love
and respect for others that truly expresses a person’s own inner worth. It is this individual participation that is
the bedrock and supporting cloth of American society.
Inazo
Nitobe wrote in ‘BUSHIDO THE SOUL OF JAPAN ‘ “Politeness is a poor virtue, if
it is actuated only by a fear of offending good taste, whereas it should be the
outward manifestation of a sympathetic regard for the feelings of others.”
This is
the same for American Politeness. It is
a poor thing, indeed, if it is only done out of fear. To be properly addressed and expressed and
experienced, American Politeness should be grounded in concern for the feelings
of others and the situation at hand. If
all things are the same it is behavior of a heartfelt quality that will ring
true.
American Politeness is no display of weakness. It is a display of power and certitude that
everything will come out all right. It
is through manners that American Politeness can be expressed. It is taught to the children with the caution
to ‘mind your manners’. It is taught
through business interactions that allow business arrangements to be made
conveniently and to the advantage of both or several parties with a minimum of
disruption.
American Politeness developed over a great deal of time. It originated from its roots in America and
from the influx of peoples from Europe and Asia and Africa. Each group of people bringing their own
special ways of communicating and each one measuring the other until the best
have settled over the nation. The
openness of American Politeness means that it is easy to engage it.
Used in
private social situations it allows us to wish each other ‘Happy Birthday’ or
ask someone if they need help with something or to offer something to them they
might like without their having to ask.
In
business situations it allows for introductions to be made smoothly and for
business relations to be carried out in an easy and honest manner.
Ralph
Waldo Emerson had this to say about manners, though I take it, like the quote
by Mark Twain, with a grain of salt, because as Mark Twain was showing a modest
disrespect of false manners or politeness Ralph Waldo Emerson here is painting
it with a high flourish and intended it to be reflective of a certain ‘class’
of society while I believe it is today indicative of the general use and
expression of American Politeness, “The association of these masters with each
other, and with men intelligent of their merits, is mutually agreeable and
stimulating. The good forms, the happiest expressions of each, are repeated and
adopted. By swift consent, everything superfluous is dropped, everything
graceful is renewed.”
What I
see he has written here I explain this way for our modern selves and the
American Politeness that has developed.
Like sign language it is a universal language that we can all agree on
as common ground. So when we see two or
more practitioners of American Politeness actually interacting in this way we
can all appreciate it intellectually and personally that this is such and such
a way to do such and such a thing. The
best ways, of course, survive and are repeated and themselves develop into new
and more exciting and easy to understand methods of communication that we can
all use as Americans in our daily social and business interactions.
How can
you learn how to do it? Watch and
learn. Be. See. Do.
Sincerity, however, I feel is absolutely important and necessary when
expressing American Politeness. It is
the sincerity that raises it above mere politeness to get things done to
American Politeness which is part of our adventure. That is why I am going to discuss Sincerity –
American Sincerity next.
Chapter 5 – Sincerity
How to
be sincere as an American?
Be
truthful, honest and trustworthy.
If you
are these things within then expressing American Sincerity is a natural
consequence.
The
word ‘Sincere’ is defined as ‘not hypocritical or deceitful, open, genuine.
It is
the idea of being genuine that is at the heart of American Sincerity.
Mark
Twain has said, “Any emotion, if it is sincere, is involuntary.” It is a quality of American Sincerity that it
be involuntary. It is a learned and
appreciated value.
It is
not only a kind act or a selfish act performed for business reasons. Sincerity – American Sincerity – is
absolutely essential to the American way of life and the proper operation of
our government – if that operation is to “…form a more perfect union, establish
justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote
the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our
posterity…”
Walt Whitman, a great American poet
wrote, “Have you learned the lessons only of those who admired you, and were
tender with you, and stood aside for you? Have you not learned great lessons
from those who braced themselves against you, and disputed passage with you?”
Who hasn’t heard that the rebuke of
the parents is for the good of the children?
Who has not seen in it in action?
These are sincere actions and the same kind of sincerity only outwardly
expressed to our elected representatives and fellow citizens in order to ensure
that our government is doing right and not running wrong.
If you do not take a sincere hand
in the running of this government and express yourself with your own brand of
American Sincerity – the results will likely not be what you expect and more
importantly could be things detrimental to you, your family or your friends –
if not all three.
President John F. Kennedy said,
‘Sincerity is always subject to proof.’
What that means to me is that if you are sincere in your convictions and
they are true then, when examined they will be proven so and you will be
vindicated. If in the observation of
your convictions or the positions you assert it becomes obvious they might be
wrong or need to be changed or corrected – it will be your sincerity that
allows for forgiveness and understanding so that progress can continue.
Just because the majority believes
something is right does not make it so.
You may know something that everyone else does not and if you do not
share it they may continue on in their ignorance to their own destruction and
even harm you as they pass. We must all
take a hand in our affairs and the best way to do it is with a sincere heart,
clear mind and attention. It is well and
good to have elected ‘representation’ but sometimes even our representatives
may not be representing us as we wish.
What do Americans do then?
If you believe sincerely that
something should be done differently then it follows that by expressing
yourself you will be expressing American Sincerity. It is not always easy or convenient but it is
a duty and when done should be done well, I am sure you will agree.
Emily Dickinson, a great American
poet, wrote this :
Judgement is
justest
Judgment is justest
When the Judged,
His action laid
away,
Divested is of
every Disk
But his
sincerity.
Honor
is then the safest hue
In a posthumous
Sun --
Not any color
will endure
That scrutiny can
burn.
This
poem may be interpreted many ways but considering she is an American poet and
talking about sincerity I will interpret it at this time along those
lines. It is important to be sincere and
express your own kind of American Sincerity because in the end, should the
whole affair become public or you, yourself wish to share your wisdom with
others – whether they be your friends, family or children – it is the sincerity
that will tell you apart and your actions will have a light thrown upon them.
By
sincerely striving for liberty, freedom and keeping in mind equality and
kindness – the sincere person can perform their civic duty, if not easily, at
least with a clean conscience. The end
does not justify the means. The way you
play the game really does matter.
Whether you win or lose is of little consequence in the long term
unless, of course, you had not tried your best and had been insincere.
Socrates, an ancient philosopher tells us, “The way to gain a good
reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.”
If you
desire to be a good person and a fair dealing person and a successful person
then it is best to begin with sincere intentions of reaching those goals. If you intend to succeed in business, care
for your family and be a good citizen then it would be best, again, to be
sincere in those intentions as your inner sincerity will make it easier for you
to attain those goals because they will be easy to see in the light of your
sincerity to achieve them.
American Sincerity is an individual thing. It is proven in the fire of action. An insincere act will fall apart of its own structure
while sincerity will follow through. If
the action fails or is incomplete – the sincere American will repeat it and
expand on it or improve it in order to make it better so that they can succeed
the next time.
Henry
Ford, great American inventor said, “It’s your thinking that decides whether
you’re going to succeed or fail.“
If you
are sincere in your efforts and reasoning you will likely succeed or come to
see what you need to correct in a much more focused manner than if you
half-heartedly attempt anything.
People
can detect your sincerity. Eventually it
will out just like the truth because American Sincerity is the source of the
truth that you know and discover and share with others.
Sincerity, of course, especially American Sincerity, does not operate in
a vacuum. It is itself an expression of
truth, trustworthiness, honesty and integrity.
If you are a sincere person and this has been proven over time and
through circumstances the weight of your words and the sound of your voice will
be heard and accorded attention. Do not
feel that in the United States your voice will not be heard. If you speak up people will listen to
you. If you are sincere then your words
will carry weight with them. Your
potential for good in public and private situations is very great.
This
brings with it responsibility but American Sincerity, when expressed, helps a
person understand that responsibility.
A
philosopher by the name of Immanuel Kant wrote, “Sincerity is the indispensable
ground of all conscientiousness, and by consequence of all heartfelt religion.”
I won’t
go as far to say that American Sincerity is the basis of some sort of American
religion – it is just true that sincerity is the base of all heartfelt
religion. It is also the base of all
heartfelt fact and reason too. It is
with sincere devotion and understanding of facts that we can work through the
problems presented by a modern mechanical society with all of its contrivances,
chemicals and difficulties. We can
understand and take a position in a nation where sometimes corporations or
businesses are treated like individual humans.
There must be sincerity in order to pierce the bizarre media
presentations we are daily exposed to in order to understand the truth of what
is behind the exciting story we are being told.
For
example – is that society story really exciting or is it just interesting or is
it just some human tragedy being played upon for profit? Is there something else going on behind the
assertions made to us about the necessity of some armed conflict with another
nation, armed intervention or international trade agreement we heard about but
never seem able to participate in ourselves?
It is with sincerity that we as American citizens can participate in the
sometimes confusing flood of issues and conflicting viewpoints we are exposed
to.
Honestly speaking American Sincerity is that tool which you can use to
sort the information you are receiving into workable and understandable
pieces. Participation then in the
governing of our nation becomes more than that of a spectator, innocent
bystander or witness. You can express
American Sincerity by getting involved or merely letting others know where you
stand and what you think.
American Sincerity has a special qualification to it and that is
trust. In order for American Sincerity
to be used as the tool that it is in civil affairs others must trust you. That is where the issue of proof noted by
President John F. Kennedy and is the same thing alluded by Emily Dickinson as
scrutiny.
It is
important to see the proof of the actions of your elected representatives and
to scrutinize them or the evidence against them so that you can express your
own opinions with sincerity.
It is
an ongoing process that builds on itself but is very simple at its core as it
is built on honesty and integrity and expressed as American Sincerity.
In the
United States of late it seems a common conception that ‘everyone is out to get
you’ – that is – everyone or seemingly everyone – is taking steps and actions
that are self-centered and may not be in your best interests in the best of
circumstances and may actually injure you in the worst.
It is
sad commentary that this state of affairs is oft-repeated but even worse that
it sometimes seems to be true.
This is
why it is so important for each American to express their sincerity and get to
the heart of the matter – no matter what is being discussed. This is not a closed society. This is not a secret society. This is an open society by and for the
people. If you do not yourself
participate then you truly will be alone and that is a shame and would make a
sham of our government and nation.
If you
are sincere in your ideas and desires and they are of a positive nature and
useful then you can expect that they will heard and perhaps acted upon. Insincere people in the United States are
often found out and they suffer the mighty consequences associated with trials,
public humiliation or other such things.
It is
unfortunate that many people believe the majority of people in public life are
bad people because of the few that take advantage and do not act sincerely.
This is
not a negative book. It is a positive
book. It is about how to be an
American. Be. See.
Do.
Confucius, an ancient Chinese philosopher said, “To practice five things
under all circumstances constitutes perfect virtue; these five are gravity,
generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness.”
These
are not just empty words when combined with action. The action can either be the spoken word, a
letter, participation at a public meeting or just taking the time to check the
facts for yourself so you know where you stand.
These
simple actions are an expression of American Sincerity. It is okay to take someone’s word but if you
do not trust them then it is time to scrutinize the facts and gain the proof
for yourself. If you find the thing to
be in the right – then they are vindicated.
If you find a thing that is wrong and then talk about it then you are expressing
your own American Sincerity by not just going along with the pack but by
participating with your heart, mind and soul.
The
American Journey and American Adventure is not a spectator sport. If you are here and you are alive then you
are an American – it follows then that you have responsibilities associated
with that. Whether or not you act on
those responsibilities or leave the work to others is your choice.
What
choice will you make?
Tacitus, a historian from the times of the Roman Empire, had this to
say, “Fear is not in the habit of speaking truth; when perfect sincerity is
expected, perfect freedom must be allowed; nor has anyone who is apt to be
angry when he hears the truth any cause to wonder that he does not hear it. “
You as
an American have perfect freedom. You
have perfect freedom of movement, of thought, of speech, of religion (or not),
of action and responsibility. The
nation, each one of us, expects you to be sincere in your criticism or praise
of what is going on around you. We have
no one person to answer to and there is no emperor or tyrant who will correct
or make worse some situation that you are aware of.
The
person most responsible for the things in your environment (and by that I mean
the place where you live) and life is you.
You have nothing to fear. In
point of fact, there are people in our society that are here to ensure that
your ability to express yourself is protected.
The
First Amendment in the Constitution of the United States reads, “Congress shall
make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the
right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a
redress of grievances.”
It also
means that no private person can set up a situation that interferes with
religion, freedom of speech, the press or the right of Americans to assemble or
work together to correct a wrong.
These
are not empty words. They are a call to
action and a prohibition against those persons that would put you in a state of
slavery and servitude.
In fact as to slavery, the thirteenth amendment to the
Constitution of the United States reads,
“Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude,
except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly
convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their
jurisdiction.
Section
2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate
legislation.”
It is
illegal in the United States for you to sign yourself into slavery or even
agree to enter into such a contract by word of mouth.
It
follows that no one can put you in that state.
It is
by the expression of American Sincerity in your life that you ensure that this
state of affairs remains the same and that your family and friends, as well as
yourself, remain free as you are intended to be by your own voluntary act of
participating in the national, state and local governments.
Benjamin Franklin, great American statesman, considered Sincerity to be
a virtue. He defined it in this way :
SINCERITY.
Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and
justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
By not using hurtful deceit
Benjamin Franklin is reminding us that no good fortune or fortune worthy of
goodness, will come from using hateful, untruthful words against someone. He also encourages us to think innocently,
and so, be in that free state of mind as that of a child or that of a person
who has just encountered the situation they are in, for truly, one does not
know everything and this is why it is important to scrutinize and to seek proof
of sincerity through truth. As for
thinking justly – we are constantly reminded that it is unfair to be prejudiced
or to act on incomplete or unfair ideas.
To think justly is to consider both sides of the question and choose
that one closer to right and that will provide for the greatest good. As you can see – great questions and
consequences in America begin with you and what you say, what you are and what
you decide to do. Finally – to speak
accordingly – when responding and adding to the adventure – be just,
open-minded and fair. No one can ask
more and no one does.
You are an American and you are
free. If you choose not to be sincere
then you are undermining everything good that you could use to your own
advantage.
The
expression of American Sincerity requires honesty and that is what we shall
discuss next.
Chapter 6 – Honesty
American Honesty.
‘Honesty is the best policy.’
This
contains within it the idea that honesty is good business tactic. It implies that by being honest you will earn
more because you are honest than if you are dishonest.
This
virtue – honesty – is sometimes likened to being its own reward. It is not a selfish thing, however, to be
honest. Even though it is the simplest
form of interaction to take – because you will not need to remember lies or
deceitful plans – by being honest you can continue on your way in a clear
direct path.
Some
people may take advantage of honest people.
These are dishonest people. If
you are honest and proceed with honesty then the deceptions of dishonest people
will be clear to those around you who are also following in an honest
path. You are likely to be alerted to
dishonesty by your fellows in this case because they have an interest in seeing
that the dishonest do not prosper.
If, in
the event, that sometimes they do, the dishonest person does prosper, then that
is the time for American Justice to intervene.
American Honesty is simple and straightforward.
We have
the story of President George Washington, as a child, chopping down a cherry
tree.
I quote
:
“When
George Washington was near eight years old, he was given a hatchet. He went about chopping everything that came
his way.
One day he came across a newly planted cherry tree which his
father had just put in. He cut down the cherry tree with a few blows.
Shortly after, his father saw what had happened to his tree.
He demanded to know who had cut down his cherry tree.
Little George Washington said, “I cannot tell a lie, father,
you know I cannot tell a lie! I did cut it with my little hatchet.''
His
father was more pleased with his son having told the truth than concerned with
the loss of the cherry tree.”
Of late
there has been ‘intellectual’ disagreements about whether or not George
Washington actually chopped down the cherry tree. For myself, I believe the story. The fact is, however, that it matters not
whether the story actually took place or is a fabrication designed to impart a
moral – in this case the moral of American Honesty. The question is not whether or not this is a
factual story but whether or not you would want your children to tell the
truth. The question becomes one of a societal
nature. Would you want your neighbors to
tell you the truth or a lie? The
question is a political one. Would you
want your representatives to tell you the truth or a lie? The question is a national one. Would you want to live in a nation based on
lies or truth?
American Honesty demands that we live in a nation based on truth.
It is
by your watchful eye and the things you teach and the way you act that will
ensure that this is the case. American
Honesty is also an individual act.
If you
are given wrong change at a counter and it is in your favor – have you made a
gain? Is it not right to return the
extra given to you in error in the event that in the future you are shorted and
you can rightfully demand that the correction be made?
There
is a story told by the famous American Benjamin Franklin concerning honesty
during his youth.
Benjamin Franklin wrote about taking stones not belonging to him, for
work, and how his father responded.
“There
was a salt-marsh that bounded part of the mill-pond, on the edge of which, at
high water, we used to stand to fish for minnows. By much trampling, we had
made it a mere quagmire. My proposal was to build a wharf there fit for us to
stand upon, and I showed my comrades a large heap of stones, which were
intended for a new house near the marsh, and which would very well suit our
purpose. Accordingly, in the evening, when the workmen were gone, I assembled a
number of my playfellows, and working with them diligently like so many emmets,
sometimes two or three to a stone, we brought them all away and built our
little wharf. The next morning the workmen were surprised at missing the
stones, which were found in our wharf. Inquiry was made after the removers; we
were discovered and complained of; several of us were corrected by our fathers;
and, though I pleaded the usefulness of the work, mine convinced me that
nothing was useful which was not honest.”
The
most important part of this story that I can reflect on or bring attention to
from the point of view of American honesty is that Benjamin Franklin’s father
convinced him that ‘nothing was useful which was not honest’.
It is
true that liar, cheaters, turncoats and traitors may make money and gain wealth
through their activities – but have they done anything useful? Even for themselves? The answer is clear to me.
American Honesty will have it no other way than to be honest. It is a personal thing and it is brings
personal satisfaction, ease of business arrangements and makes for a more
social and better operating system of government. It is a relief to do business with an honest
person. Trust is engendered and greater
and better things can come of it.
President Abraham Lincoln had a reputation for honesty. It is said that when he was working as a
clerk at a country story that he mistakenly charged customer a little too much
for the purchase. He closed the store
down and walked miles to make the correct change.
Because
of his honesty he was awarded more and more cases and causes during his life to
work with – as a lawyer and then as a politician.
Dishonesty can not only slow society down – it can bring it to a
screeching halt. Honesty in the home is honesty in public. There is no shade of difference between the
two, I think you might agree.
Honesty
is defined as : truthfulness, sincerity, or frankness.
So we
see that American Honesty is closely tied to some other issues we have already
discussed.
American Honesty is a duty which, it is true, is its own reward, but
what of it? Is it surprising that doing
the right thing leads to right results?
Not to me and I suppose not to you either as you are here in America and
participating as an American however you see fit.
Thomas
Paine, great American author, wrote : “Of more worth is one honest man to
society and in the sight of God, than all the crowned ruffians that ever
lived.”
In the
United States honest is a tool and responsibility. Each citizen’s honesty determines whether or
not the social and business interactions around them will go on in a sensible
and reasonable manner or whether they will not.
American Honesty is a very personal thing. No one can reasonably check up on the
thoughts of another as they are being thought out. An honest person will consider what
information they have an attempt to be objective within reason.
In business it is important to keep
an honest accounting.
Honesty is its own reward in that
if you are an honest merchant, businessman or craftsman, others will trust you
and you can expect to see more custom as a result of it.
In today’s America too often we
hear people saying that you can’t trust anyone.
Well – I ask – can you trust yourself?
Are you an honest person? If so –
it would follow you would be able to determine for yourself if someone else is
worthy to be trusted.
Sometimes those we trust may turn
out to be untrustworthy – in which case – they must be made to set accounts
right and suffer whatever consequences come about because of their own
actions. The act of trusting someone who
fails to be trustworthy does not warrant distrusting everyone and everything.
American Honesty is not lazy. It investigates, inquires and assures that
the dealings and beliefs being considered and acted up on are worthy.
Mark Twain, celebrated American
Author wrote, ““Honesty: The best of all the lost arts”.
American Honesty is an effort to
ensure that your word is good and that your actions, as you have predicted they
will be, will match your word.
Keeping one’s word has always been
an important part of the American Journey and Adventure.
In today’s media and all throughout
American history the best way to ruin your reputation is to not be honest. It is possible it has been shown to prosper
dishonestly – but I do not think it is worth it. The majority of Americans appear to think it
is not worth it. It is better to live an
honest life than a dishonest one which may be taken apart at any moment. Dishonesty is just not worth it.
American Honesty is working hard,
making sacrifice, participating in society and striving to do the very best in
every situation.
Marcus Aurelius, Roman Statesman,
wrote : “If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it.”
I
cannot think of any better definition of American Honesty. If it is not right – don’t do it. If it is not true – don’t say it.
This is
because American Action and Inaction are based on truth. If you are honest and set in motion a chain
of events you can be reasonably assured that good may come of them – and if not
– they can be stopped in time before wreaking too much havoc. Events begun, however, in falsehood and lies
are impossible to control and usually harm many more people than the few who
believe they may gain advantage.
John F.
Dodge, one of the founders of the Dodge Motor Company, once said, “There is no
twilight zone of honesty in business. A thing is right or it's wrong. It's
black or it's white.”
The
reason American Honesty is so important in business is the same reason it is
important in politics, peace or war. The
decisions and actions of many good people lie in the balance. Their very lives can depend upon the honesty
of the people involved.
Some
people claim that contracts are made to be broken but contracts are written to
ensure that certain work is done at certain times. Anyone making and breaking contracts on a
regular basis can expect to be out of business at best and in jail at worst.
Some
people believe publicly that honesty is a sham and something to be laughed
at. Consider though, what would happen
in your home if it were filled with dishonest people and you could not count on
anyone for their word or action. What
sort of home would that be? So the same
goes for the nation. Without a proper
accounting not only of cash and goods but of actions we cannot be sure of any
actions. The American Journey and
Adventure would become nothing more than a howling circus. Yet it is not that.
The
Unites States of America and the behavior of most Americans, both public and
private, is sterling and to be admired and imitated.
If
dishonesty were the patent way of doing business and living lives – how would
the children be taught? What sorts of
trickery and knavery could they be schooled in that would last? What tricks would be taught to counter
tricks? That way is confusion and error.
‘So shines a good deed in a weary world.’
That is a quote from the popular movie ‘Willy Wonka and the
Chocolate Factory’. A children’s story
with overtones for adults.
The
honest action of one person – done without thought because the thing is right
to do is something that is prized in children and honored in adults.
It is a
state of affairs with which we cannot do without. There are oaths taken to assure that it is
understood by all involved that shades of meaning and hiding facts and truths
will not be acceptable in courts of law, when signing up for service to our
country and for many other offices and positions.
These
ceremonies are put in place to make it absolutely evident that there is a
necessity for honesty.
The
person elected to the Office of President of the United States must make the
following statement before officially taking up the duties of that office:
“I do
solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of
President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve,
protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
The
reason this is done and done publicly is to ensure that everyone understands,
especially the person being so sworn in, that they are assuming a position of
trust. We the people shall check on them
but we should not have to look in on them every hour of every day because they
are being entrusted with this special office and we expect them to carry out
their duties with American Honesty.
All
Civil Servants and Military Personnel must swear or affirm a similar oath :
“I do
solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of
the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear
true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely,
without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and
faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So
help me God.”
We must
assume and then subject to periodic tests that American Honesty has been
achieved in this case. American Honesty
is necessary because we have so much to do as individuals and as a nation that
we cannot be expected to check up on everyone all the time.
Suffice
it to say, as we have seen, honesty is its own reward in that others will know
whether you are honest or not by your reputation. If your reputation is that of dishonesty then
that too will become known.
American Honesty is doing the right thing even in the face of danger.
American Honesty is doing the right thing even though doing the wrong
thing might bring fame, fortune and seeming success – because those things will
be fleeting and worthless if not made of the real thing.
American Honesty is dealing fairly in business.
American Honesty is sometimes not easy to express. Sometimes it takes courage.
American Honesty is doing the right thing even if it is hard to do.
American Honesty is doing the right thing even if it is not popular.
American Honesty is doing the right thing even if others feel it really
does not matter.
Around
the world and in the United States Scientists are normally trained to achieve
great accuracy in their thinking and actions. It is tantamount that in the
circles of science that intellectual honesty is held high and important.
This is
the sort of arena that American Honesty takes on its true shape and
importance. Truth in science,
engineering, mathematics, language, machinery, productions, agriculture – these
are the activities and realm within which American Honesty is trained to excel.
The importance of honesty in all
these disciplines mentioned, as well as others, like medicine, education,
astronomy, geology – is obvious to many if not all.
Too many lives are at stake in
modern America. Yours, mine – all of
ours. It is a dangerous world and the
truth can make it safer.
The greatest minds in science, from
Marie Curie to the Wright Brothers to Albert Einstein have been acutely aware
of the importance and necessity of truth.
It is obvious to them and to us that this truth can only be communicated
with a sense of honesty. Honesty for it
to be expressed and honesty for it to be understood and accepted.
Being
that these are professions and skills that many of our children will enter into
and their own actions and words will produce similar if not greater impact on
the societies in which they live – on the lives of their fellow Americans and
others it is all important that we ourselves conduct our affairs with American
Honesty at their core.
It
might be as simple as returning the correct change at a supermarket or it might
be as complicated as detecting an error in a formula designed for a new type of
aircraft or fuel that might hurt many people if it is not corrected.
This is
a very serious issue. It is important
that it be paid proper attention and to understand the way to do that our next
topic will be Honor – American Honor.
Chapter 7 – Honor
American Honor is tied to honesty, sincerity, courage and a desire to do
right.
The
United States Marine Corps has unofficially adopted the slogan, ‘Death Before
Dishonor’. It is not a joke phrase. The men and women that ascribe to that idea
are serious about it and will live and die according to it.
The
phrase ‘Death Before Dishonor’ suggests to us that there is no life without
honor – or what life there would be would be imperfect.
That is
a rather heavy piece of thought but I think you should know that some Americans
feel this way.
Insults
are not taken lightly. We have all seen
the use of American military force around the world or the actions of some
police officers. The application of
persons working under a framework of American Honor can sometimes seem extreme.
American Honor demands that adherence to certain behaviors is carried
out. Again – they include honesty,
sincerity, courage and a desire to do right.
There is also a fervor in it because American Honor is active and the
person expressing it will actively go about demonstrating in some way –
unashamedly.
The
motto of the State of New Hampshire, one of the original 13 colonies, is “Live
Free Or Die”.
That
State mottos is an example of American Honor expressed as an example of the
assertive independence found in American government and the hearts of the
American people.
The phrase comes from a letter
written by General John Stark on the date of July 31, 1809. General Stark had been declining in health
and as New Hampshire's most famous soldier of the American Revolutionary War he
was invited to an anniversary marking the Battle of Bennington.
The entire phrase he wrote was, “
Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils.”
American Honor bristles at the
thought of being held in slavery or even the appearance of such servitude.
Honor is defined as : honesty,
fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions
This is one step beyond ‘Honesty is
the best policy’ and reveals behind it the desired integrity of those persons
expressing American Honor. It has to do
not only with a reputation in business but a reputation in life for the self
and family. To be distinguished. In the United States of America we are not
born into situations of dictated ease and power. Some people, it is true, are born rich, but
even they may find it a hard row to hoe when seeking recognition and personal
integrity beyond the boundaries that they can influence with money.
The United States Medal of Honor is
awarded when someone displays “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the
risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an
action against an enemy of the United States.”
It is important to understand that
in the United States honor, American Honor, is expressed positively. This may be hard to understand considering
that the Medal of Honor is normally awarded posthumously – that is, after
death. Let me be clear. In some countries and cultures defending the
honor of the family means punishing members of the family that do not live up
to some way out definition of honor defined either by that culture or family or
religion.
I am referring to ‘honor killing’.
American Honor and ‘honor killing’
have nothing in common. In fact in light
of American Honor the act of ‘honor killing’ is dishonorable.
American Honor demands sacrifice of
self – not sacrifice of others. American
Honor is a defense and a harbor – it is not judge, jury and executioner.
If there were some situation in a
family which one or more persons might have perpetrated that brought disgrace
on the family it would be the responsibility, according to the unwritten code
of American Honor, for the other members of the family or even those who
committed the violation – to make it up in an honorable fashion. That is the way of redemption beyond
forgiveness which is also virtue in American society but which we will not
discuss here.
Suffice it to say about forgiveness
is that most Americans will ‘forgive but not forget’, so that, they are on
guard for any future difficulty.
The person wishing to express
American Honor is seeking a way to excel.
It could be in academics in mathematics or a spelling bee, it could be
in politics, it could be in the military, it could be in science or manufacturing. The important thing would be that they were
working to excel and create something of worth and goodness not only for
themselves but to share with others.
It is a strong root in the nation
and national honor is tied up in it.
Let me
provide you with a few notes about what American Honor is – and what it is not.
American Honor considers it honorable to tell the truth. It is dishonorable to lie.
American Honor believes it honorable to be honest. It is dishonorable to deceive.
American Honor means that you fulfill your promises to the best of your
ability. It is considered dishonorable
to break your promises in order to make gain for yourself.
Showing
up on time is a good way to express American Honor. It is dishonorable to be repeatedly late.
It is
honorable to care about others and work for the common good. It is dishonorable to treat others with
contempt or to avoid your public duties.
It a
sign of American Honor to be kind and courteous to those that are weaker than
you. It is dishonorable to be a bully.
It is
honorable to help those less intelligent than you are. It is dishonorable to take advantage of
others.
American Honor feels it is meritorious to play by the rules. It is dishonorable to cheat.
It is
honorable to work diligently whether for yourself or someone else. It is dishonorable to slack off or be lazy.
It is
considered American Honor to share. It
is dishonorable to be a miser.
It is
the height of American Honor to be tolerant.
It is dishonorable to be prejudiced or intolerant.
American Honor calls us to persevere and perseverance is considered
honorable. Giving up or surrendering
when things get difficult is considered dishonorable.
This
last one needs clarification because it is not honorable to throw your life
away. Prudence and wisdom are to be used
to determine what the best and wisest course of action is to take. American Honor calls on you to take that
option and if it is difficult to bear up with it. American Honor does not call for death. Wasting life is dishonorable.
In many
ways American Honor is nothing more than ensuring that you have a good
name. It is enough to be recognized as
honest, hard working and considerate.
You will have no end of opportunities if you fulfill just those three
items.
From
the many nations and millions of individuals that have inhabited the United
States we as Americans have collected a wide experience of the world. The best from it seems to be family and
friends and society – in that order.
Society in this case being the local economy which affords for everyone
to make a living and join together in social harmony.
Violence and arrogance, though being displayed often in American society
of late by people in many different roles does not change the fact that
violence and arrogance are dishonorable.
Strength and forbearance are honorable.
Nothing
has changed those facts.
Being
polite, ready to work, humble, courageous and interested – these are American
Honor in action.
American Honor is aware that we cannot tell what will come to us in the
future. We must be prepared for fair or
foul weather. American Honor requires
that if a person meets with success and grows rich or great that they share
what they have gained with others and that they shall assist those in need
without being haughty.
Expressing American honor means when coming into contact with the blind,
lame, deaf, mentally or physically handicapped that they will be treated with
respect because you deserve the same.
American Honor calls for us to put aside mocking and whining talk
against us. It is honorable to prove
them wrong by not allowing patience to fail or work to stop. It is best to keep on going even in the face
of trouble.
American Honor is a work of action and part of the American Journey and
Adventure. It is important not to be
easily offended by the coarse and brutish.
It is important to attempt to fix things if you find that they are not
right.
The
plain fact is if you do not act when you see the need to – it is quite possible
that no one ever will. Keeping this
simple fact in mind can lead you into some very interesting and exciting
adventures.
It is
no small thing to be called to express American Honor. You can examine the lives of many good
American men and women for their actions and see how they willingly subjected
themselves to hardships and trials that they took upon themselves.
It is
because of men and women like John Brown, Susan B. Anthony and others that we
live in a society worthy to be able to have a concept and idea like American
Honor. It is breathtaking to consider
that one day you or one of your children, relatives or friends could, by simply
being an honorable American, help us all on the American Journey by making it
either easier for us or better.
Slavery
is dishonorable for the slave holders.
Freedom is honorable for all.
Keeping
certain rights reserved for one sex is dishonorable. Having the right to vote for all is
honorable.
Allowing people to starve in the streets or wilderness is
dishonorable. Ensuring that all citizens
have access to food is honorable and intelligent.
The
same may be said for medical care. It is
dishonorable to let some die or suffer because they cannot afford a doctor bill
even though they have the same disease that someone with much money might
have. It is honorable to work towards
ensuring that all of us may take comfort and be cared for by the fruits of the
colleges, universities, hospitals and other institutions that have come into
existence in this nation as a direct result of the work and sacrifice all
Americans have made. It is honorable and
wise.
Sometimes American Honor is expressed in a fashion that some people
cannot understand. It is usually enough
that the person doing it thought it worthwhile and so it is matter of
tolerance, if not understanding, to investigate for ourselves if we agree with
them and want to help them. If we decide
to move forward with them and assist them, we, in essence, take on that part of
the American Journey and Adventure for ourselves. It is simple and easy.
There
is a popular song that has the following lines in it and I think it fit to
repeat them here. They are written by
Van Morrison and they go like this :
“You
can’t stop us on the road to freedom
You can’t keep us ’cause our eyes
can see
Men with insight, men in granite
Knights in armor bent on chivalry”
It is so. It can be seen clearly by the history of our
nation that this is one of our songs expressing our soul.
You may feel that you do not have
the ability to make a change or any difference in this world but I tell you
unequivocally that when you act in a positive in a good way, when you express
American Honor in your own way, that you are making a change and that it is far
reaching.
No expected the United States of
America to last very long. Even at its
weakest points, however, the strength of the people never faded. The belief in equality, freedom and reward
for ability rather than position, reawakens daring and ignites adventure in the
soul. It is the song that has brought
millions to our shores not for conquest but to join in and have the opportunity
presented to them.
It is a bright and brilliant
journey and when you express American Honor you are expressing it with every
bit of courage and daring as Daniel Boone, Daniel Webster or anyone ever could.
There is a story told in the United
States about a man called John Henry. He
expressed American Honor in the most extreme way in the story. The story, simply told, is that John Henry
was miner. A mighty and powerful
miner. He could drill right through a
mountain all on his own, it was said.
One day the company brought a steam drill to the work site and told John
Henry that it could do more work than him.
One thing led to another and a contest was laid out where John Henry
would drill through one tunnel and the steam drill through another till both
had crossed the same mountain.
Many people expected John Henry to
fail but he not only kept up with the steam engine he passed it. In fact the steam engine broke down but he
kept on going. He went right through the
mountain and won the contest. However –
he died after collecting his prize as a result of the dire and extreme actions
he had taken.
The story is often told as an
example of the differences the nation faced when steam power swept across the
continent and showed up everywhere from ships to railroads to machines of every
kind – including steam drills.
Whatever the reason for telling the
story whenever I heard it there was always a mention of John Henry’s
honor. I mean, he wouldn’t have done it
simply to beat the machine, right? That
would have been foolish. It was his
humanity that caused him to spring forward.
It was his frailty against iron and coal and steam that caused him to
lose his life but he did not lose his honor.
It would have been a better story,
I always thought, if John Henry did not die.
It wasn’t necessary for him to die – even to express his honor. It was dishonorable for those that set up
the contest to have done that in the first place. It was dishonorable once it commenced not to
stop it. It was dishonorable when the
machine broke down not to tell John Henry that he had completed his task and
could dig at a more reasonable rate and not die.
Given the circumstances, though,
and the fact that the story is likely not altogether true, except for the fact
that many men in real life were spurred on to extraordinary labors and put into
positions where they actually were competing against machines – John Henry did
express American Honor. He did it for
his family, his friends and his way of life.
I think the main point of the story
in light of American Honor is that those persons who had the ability to
humanize the introduction of the machinery while increasing their own profits
and activities – they acted dishonorably by not trying to meld the old and the
new together.
Progress happens. There is not much to do about it. The very nature of American Honor calls out
for improvement, daring, self-sacrifice and hard work. It should be tempered, however, with
understanding, knowledge, forbearance and mercy.
Once you set the things in motion
that you will set in motion or once you join in the wonderful series of events
connected with some enterprise that you believe in or must act you will
perceive the great power that is contained within the phrase American Honor.
The outward expression of American
Honor helps us to protect our shores, care for our friends, sail around the
world, sail to the moon and the bottom of the sea or climb to the top of the
highest mountain.
Honor is different for many
people. In America it is an expression
of good. It is building a bridge to
others as well as into the future. It is
an idea and that idea turned into action not to hurt but to free, liberate and
expand.
When expressing American Honor if
you join with someone or express it yourself – it is best to see it through to
the end no matter what.
To do that requires loyalty.
We will be discussing American
Loyalty next.
Chapter 8 – Loyalty
American Loyalty is narrowly defined.
It is adherence to to commitments or obligations.
In
other nations it might be blind obedience to the government, political party or
some individual in power. That is the
type of loyalty that a dog has for its master.
American Loyalty is fidelity, friendship, family, friends and the
future.
The
sterling quality about American Loyalty is that it must be reviewed from time
to time and scrutinized. In the first
case to ensure that you are adhering to whatever promises you have made to
fulfill it. In the second case to ensure
that thing or person to whom you are being loyal is still worthy of your
loyalty.
This is
not to say you would become a traitor but it must be admitted that just because
you have decided to be loyal to someone or something does not mean you will
receive the same in turn.
Normally these bonds are reciprocal but sometimes people make mistakes.
In some
countries if these mistakes are made – whether in personal life or public
duties – the consequences can be quite severe.
They include death, for example, in the form of executions or
assassinations or so-called ‘honor killing’ all of which are nothing more than
murder.
If
someone makes a mistake or an organization fails in its obligations towards
those it is supposed to serve then it is right that they or it should be called
to account. The loyalty of those most
closely involved is called into account as well as their motives. It is wise to examine the situation for
yourself as an American to determine if this person or cause is worth your
continued loyalty.
If it
turns out that something is amiss then American Loyalty demands that you either
remove yourself from the connection or immediately go about doing whatever it
is that can be done to correct the situation.
By your
strong, positive action in the face of some poisoned circumstance you can
express American Loyalty in a way to show that the intention of what was being
done was good but the result, unfortunately, turned out bad.
When
people turn on others with no plan for correction or concern about their own
involvement up to that point they can plant seeds of cynicism and spoil future
plans of others. Clear and honest action
can avoid that problem.
There
are many stories of loyalty in the world and in the United States. The ones I am most inclined to understand and
agree with are those that allow for free will and logic and understanding as
well as love to enter in. A cause that
is exclusive because it is cause of hatred is not a cause to be loyal to. In the balance of something like that – what
would you choose? The cause of hate or
the cause of your nation, your family and friends? When considered in this light choices become
easy to see.
If it
is not about cooperation and strength – what is it about?
Some
political organizations in the United States operate on a process of
exclusivity. That is – they are
exclusive and allow some people in and keep other people out. For the people that join these units they
may feel it is okay. For people excluded
or negatively impacted by the actions of the exclusive group this is not okay.
Some
people call loyalty to political party very important. They vote one party whether it is right or
wrong. They don’t even review the issues
or the candidates. This is not American
Loyalty. That is the loyalty of a dog
for its master.
American Loyalty demands that you investigate and understand those
things or people to whom you are going to give your loyalty because
participation in the American Nation means that your loyalty belongs first to
yourself, your family, your friends, your nation and then others or other
things.
If
there is any conflict the order of importance helps to work it out.
Worse
than having no loyalty is having misplaced or misapplied loyalty.
Misplaced or misapplied loyalty can lead to tragedy and has done so on
many occasions. We have seen too often
in the course of human events the kind of errors and horror that misplaced or
misapplied loyalty can exact.
Consider the actions of religious fanatics. War, exploitation, murder. The list goes on. History is filled with their excesses.
We are
seeing some of it even today.
Consider political extremists.
Whether Left Wing or Right Wing, Conservative or Liberal, Communist or
Capitalist, the rolls of the dead are long.
Stalin, Lenin, Hitler, the genocide of the Native Americans along with
modern murdering political zealots leaves much to be desired when considering
party loyalty.
Consider the outcome from the behaviors of organized criminals – or even
disorganized or individual criminals.
Acts of violence, the appearance of governments within governments. Al Capone of Chicago infamy is a good example
of this.
Consider the outcomes caused by business interests loyal to each other
and to profits in such a way that their actions lead to starvation, privation,
impeding of progress and death.
Loyalty
to an object is questionable unless the loyalty is expressed to the things
which the object represents are taken into account.
In that
case it is not the flag people die for but the things for which the flag stands
for.
My
country right or wrong is not a statement of loyalty. If there are actions taken by the nation that
are clearly wrong then as Americans the right thing to do is correct them.
All of
these negative aspects of loyalty are often played up by the American press and
entertainment industries. This is not
surprising considering that the American press and entertainment industries are
by and large controlled by the same companies. They have one product and they
push it well.
They
hardly ever touch on American Loyalty except to mock it or try to show how weak
a force it may be.
Actually American Loyalty is what is responsible for children being sent
to school each day, teachers showing up to work, carpenters builds, mechanics
fixing, scientists inventing and the entire array of activities taken up in the
United States each day. They are
powered by loyalty to family, friends and country.
It is
puzzling to note that if everything is so bad then why is everyone still going
along with it? The fact is that is not
that bad if you apply yourself. Even if
you find yourself in a hard situation if you apply yourself you can make it
work out.
Loyalty
to self and your own beliefs is American Loyalty. Belief in the good and right – that is
American Loyalty.
To see
American Loyalty enshrined – visit Washington, DC, or any place where there are
statues of people who have done some thing or another that might be
notable. Take into account that they
were loyal to something – to what? To
themselves, their families, the nation and the future. Loyal to you.
So what
are you loyal to? What would gain your
loyalty or trust over a long period of time?
What do you care about so much that you would keep a close eye on it and
pay attention to it and guard it?
That is
the thing towards which you are expressing American Loyalty.
Who in
the United States would show forth something like American Loyalty?
The
night watchman, fathers and mothers, soldiers, sailors, patriots, teachers, the
scientist – these and many more.
It is
the motives of the loyalty that play an important part in determining if it is
American Loyalty being expressed, private loyalty or extremism.
No less
important than motive – what is actually done?
What actions are taken to express the feeling of loyalty?
If the
actions taken to express this virtue are violent and selfish and destructive
then it is misplaced or misapplied loyalty.
If the
actions taken are personal, productive and the act of a guardian or actively
concerned individual then this is the type of loyalty I am speaking of.
American Loyalty is not something to laugh at.
It is
the raising of the flag – or lowering of it.
It is the placing of the flag at half-staff when someone has died and we
wish to honor that person. More
importantly – so that person would not have died in vain – if it is necessary
to correct whatever caused that death then those actions should be taken by the
person wishing to express American Loyalty.
I am
not talking about revenge.
Today,
in my state, flags were flown at half-staff for a young man sent to
Afghanistan.
He did
what he thought he had to do in order to express his own sense of American
Loyalty.
Now he
is dead.
I
expressed my American Loyalty by mourning for his loss and recognizing the
sacrifice that he made.
But why
did he make it? Am I to say the reason
he made the sacrifice was to make a sacrifice?
That is wrong and forbidden by religion and law. It
puts his life, in that context, at one and the same as a sacrifice made
of a slave. Without my understanding or
response to his sacrifice then all that happened was a sacrifice.
If that
is the case then another will need to be made – and another and another. But what is the thing to which human life is
being sacrificed to? Is it a flag? Many people would react in horror if I
suggested that. Was the life sacrificed
to honor? No. Was the life sacrificed to wealth? Well – now we begin to have an issue arising
out of this.
Is it
American Loyalty to deny that a small number of people, in ratio to the entire
population of the United States, are making an extraordinary amount of money
and as a result of that profit Americans are being killed? Is it American Loyalty to deny that American
military might is being expended to kill people that likely do not make up a
threat to the United States – no matter how despicable and dishonorable they
might be?
These
are questions that you can answer for yourself.
The media and entertainment industry each day takes great pains and
receives great sums to answer those questions for you – or to hide them away.
We are
‘lucky’ to receive the notice that the young man or woman died. The stories that follow are simple and
unadorned. They include reminiscences of
his or her life as a track star or football player. How he or she was popular and might have had
some favorite saying, television show or food.
Teachers, preachers, friends, family members and finally the newscasters
themselves, talking as if they knew the dead warrior personally – talk on at
length.
What is
never discussed or is noted only briefly – is why they died.
The War
in Afghanistan is not being discussed right now. It is a political season. We, as Americans, see more in the newspapers
about the lack of jobs or road building contracts than we see about the
advanced weapons that these warriors are using in a country that is supposedly
not even able to feed its own people.
If we
ask questions we are given misleading or meaningless answers. The question becomes one of who is expressing
loyalty? The politicians are closely
expressing loyalty to their parties. The
news media to their companies. The
friends and relatives of the deceased to the deceased.
Where
in this awful mess was anyone expressing American Loyalty?
It
would have to be the friends and relatives of the deceased.
But is
there more to do? Is it enough that in
this case that I am referring to that the boy is dead or is there something
else that needs to be done?
Do we
as Americans leave it to someone else to work this out?
After
all we are told it is all being done in our name. It is certainly being done with our money.
The
people that are being helped in Afghanistan, if they lived in the United States
and behaved the way they do in Afghanistan, would either end up in jail or
dead.
Yet
they are receiving the protection of this nation.
It is a
thorny issue – but one that clearly delineates the type of loyalty that I
consider American Loyalty.
It
becomes then a question of courage to express this American Loyalty to drive
home the facts and get the answers to the questions that are being unanswered
or lied about.
Some
people would resort to name calling if anyone raised a question about what the
government was doing – but the fact remains this is a government of the people,
for the people and by the people.
Insults
will not change that.
There
are examples in history of people so lost in loyalty that they acted worse than
a dog loyal to its master.
Is
American Loyalty to be expressed as lies or in silence that can be interpreted
as so secret that even the truth will be hidden? Isn’t that lying?
American Loyalty cannot be expressed that way. It has never been expressed that way. It will never be expressed that way.
Lying
is lying.
Cheating is cheating.
Killing
is killing.
Stealing is stealing.
American Loyalty is honesty seeing a situation and commenting on it.
Right
now it seems like the bad guys are in control and that they are running things.
I think
it is more accurate for the good guys to show themselves and their actions a
little more.
If you
want to be one of the good guys, after all, you have to act like a good guy.
If you
take on all the actions and behaviors of a bad guy and still want to consider
yourself a good guy – you are not automatically a good guy – you are just a bad
guy lying to yourself.
American Loyalty is a personal thing.
It is something held and honored and expressed for self, family and
nation even in spite of the actions of them.
It stands up for the good in the self, family and nation and will not
allow it to fall because of laziness, greed or trickery.
Any
good dog may be loyal to its master. For
that it should be rewarded and cared for.
The
expression of American Loyalty, however, might mean rocking the boat or calling
attention to something that should not be done in our name or anyone’s
name. It might mean putting yourself at
odds with the majority or the ones with loud voices. It means perseverance and learning the truth
and sharing it.
American Loyalty is a very involved set of actions and thoughts. It is restless and ever changing but its
roots are in the self, family and nation and so it is a true and good set of
actions and thoughts.
In
order to responsibly express American Loyalty one needs tools to do so. Education can be the tool to do this. We will discuss the Appreciation of Education
and Learning and Wisdom next.
Chapter 9 - Appreciation
of Education, Learning and Wisdom
From
the formation of the United States of America there has been a history of
appreciation of education, learning and wisdom.
Education has always been important in the United States because we are
a free nation. If we do not see to the
education of our children then it is possible that in a very short time every
advantage and ability we have would be lost.
Ignorance is a terrible foe.
It is
also recognized that if everyone is given access to a public education, not
only will we assure the continuation of our society but those persons who would
have not been able to excel in a planned or controlled society will be able to
distinguish themselves.
Learning is important in the United States because besides having a
basic education that will allow a person to read, write and perform arithmetic,
learning should be ongoing throughout life.
It is a recent phenomenon, and somewhat painful to note, that learning
has become associated with degrees and now seems to carry a price tag.
Learning in the American sense is a continuing expansion of knowledge in
a subject that you deal with on a regular basis or something that you take an
interest in. It is the application of
the techniques taught in the schools to issues and concerns and interests in
your own life.
A
construction worker does not stop learning just as a dentist does not stop
learning. Learning is the continuation
of the education received from the schools and sometimes specialized education
that is sometimes referred to as ‘higher’ education.
Wisdom,
of course, is the combination of education received from the primary schools
combined with learning and the personal experience of the individual.
Benjamin Franklin, famous American Statesman and scientist said, ‘Early
to be and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.’
It is
important, of course, to have plenty of rest to take on these duties of
education and learning in order to work towards acquiring wisdom.
Without
education and learning we as Americans have no connection to the future. Many families have come to the United States
primarily because they were seeking a way to better themselves and to gain an
honest education for themselves and their children.
It is
through education, learning and the eventual accomplishment of wisdom that
individuals can better themselves in American society and just generally make a
very nice life for themselves. By
ignoring education and learning many people can condemn themselves to a
lifetime of poverty and occupations to which they are ill-suited and which can
bring them much unhappiness.
From
the point of view of American society and the United States of America – having
a population of ignorant persons is not only irresponsible but dangerous. Any nation that depends on the ignorance of
the populace in order to keep order and maintain power is always in danger of
its own destruction.
Two
things happen when education is kept from the populace and retained by just a
few. Learning loses its luster and
eventually even the controlling minority falls into ignorance. Brutality is the final result. If the controlling minority needs to do
nothing else than keep information from others after a generation or two they
will not even be able to tell what they are doing. It can even become enshrined in some sort of
quasi-religion. Czarist Russia is an
example of that happening.
In the
case of Russia the ignorant majority rose up to destroy the ‘educated’
minority. When they gained power,
however, it was quickly realized that they lacked education and learning and
their response to the situation showed a great deal of brutality which ended in
the deaths of tens of millions of innocent people – their own citizens – the
ones they were pledged to free and protect.
It was
a tragedy of immense proportions. The
situation in Russia spawned a similar catharsis of violence and ignorance in
neighboring China. The result of both of
these ‘revolutions’ has been to create governments that are just now beginning
to realize that their power is not of their own making but is a result of the
people themselves.
Without
education and learning the situation in the United States could just as quickly
deteriorate. Many problems in the United
States at this time can be directly traced to a lack of education and the
negative reputation that learning has taken on in some communities.
Drugs,
violence, corruption – all of them have some root in a lack of education and
disrespect for learning. As a result
the attainment of wisdom is fairly impossible.
Any wisdom that might be gained in such situations as drug dealing,
criminal activity, political corruption or social abuse is either of an evil
sort or quickly extinguished in a rising tide of blood.
President Thomas Jefferson had a deep appreciation for education and
learning. After leaving the Office of
the Presidency of the United States he worked to establish the University of
Virginia. It is a secular institution
centered on learning. He believed, as
many do today, that books and libraries are central to learning and a learned
populace. His beliefs shaped his actions
and he designed the university around the library.
President Thomas Jefferson wrote this about education, "Every
government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The
people themselves, therefore, are its only safe depositories. And to render
them safe, their minds must be improved to a certain degree."
It is
through learning and education that you can find ways to participate more fully
in the great American Journey and Adventure.
Some
people are pulled along or buffeted about – but you don’t have to be.
Martin
Luther King, great American Statesman and Orator had this to say about
education, “To save man from the morass of propaganda, in my opinion, is one of
the chief aims of education. Education must enable one to sift and weigh
evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the
facts from the fiction."
Education should be used by an American to take a look at an issue and
delve into it. Taking both sides into
account and realizing there may be more to the story yet. An education can allow the mind to tell one
thing from another and quite simply to help us be able to tell right from
wrong.
Martin
Luther King also said, "Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of
true education."
Finally
– and this is not all that Martin Luther King said about education – he said,
“Education must enable a man to become more efficient, to achieve with
increasing facility the legitimate goals of his life.”
What
are you legitimate goals? What are the
legitimate goals of your family, friend and nation? What are the legitimate goals of your local
government or representatives? You have
a right to know these things and you have a right and responsibility to do
those things that you feel are your legitimate goals.
I can
think of no other troubling kind of person than one who has attained great
reason but lacks morality. These are the
men and women with whom an American must contend with. They are the criminal sort, they are the
corrupted sort. They are the dangerous
sort and the careless sort.
Some of
this work is not easy. It requires some
of your time. It requires some of your
attention. It requires some of your
reason. The alternative is that you do
not do it and that leaves open the very real possibility that no one will do
it.
Being
American is a big duty. It’s something
that has either been put upon you because you were born here or it is something
that you chose to take by coming here.
If you put it aside then what have you?
Sometimes it appears that education is very expensive. It must be told, though, that in the United
States, one way or another, you can get to books. If you can get to books you can get to
knowledge. If you can get to knowledge
you can get to education. If you learn
you may strive for wisdom.
These
things that are available for you to learn and become educated in are new ways
to make a living or to find a better way to do what you are doing now.
I am
not going to disparage a college degree but not everyone goes for one. Not everyone who goes for one gets one
either.
Learning, education and wisdom are things available to us all. They do not just fall into our laps, however,
they must be sought out.
Even
the simple act of reading the newspaper or watching the news or some television
programs about science can be of great use.
To do nothing is of no use.
Just as
this nation needs farmers and soldiers and doctors and lawyers this nation
needs all of us to learn and use discerningly as much as we can and are able to
do.
As
Americans we are alone in this world.
There is no one that is going to take it on themselves to correct us or
help us. Many other nations wait for us
to fail. Even more nations do not care
whether we succeed or fail.
If we
do not work together we will all fall apart.
Education and learning are the keys by which we can maintain our union
and help assimilate new Americans joining us.
They do not come empty handed, and if you are a new American reading
this, then you already know that.
As
important as American education is to bringing facts to peoples’ minds and as
important as learning is to understand how things work or how to make them work
it is equally important to take into account that how that education and
learning is used is also important.
As
already mentioned a learned person without morals is a dangerous person,
indeed.
It Is
because of this aberrant behavior that as an American you always need to be on
guard. Because we have a free nation and
because all of this knowledge and information is available to us all it is
possible that along with the good people getting educated the bad people will
likewise benefit.
That is
why it is important to strive for wisdom so that we can not only tell right
from wrong in action plain and simple but in the possible uses and abuses of
information and power. Forewarned is
forearmed.
Education is sometimes a necessary thing. For example – Americans need to be able to
read and write in English and perform simple mathematics. It is advantageous if they learn about the
scientific method – especially since their competitors around the world in the
most advanced countries are doing that.
That is about the minimum that someone needs to function in American
society.
Some
people arrive in the United States and come with family, friends and
acquaintances. There have been
historical examples of entire communities arriving and taking up residence in
the wilderness. That does not happen to
any great extent today but there are towns called ‘Colonistas’ (Little
Colonies) that have formed up in some parts of the Southwestern United States. The Colonistas and the other communities like
‘Mexican Town’ in Detroit, or ‘China Town’ in San Francisco, New York and other
places – have a unique place in American history and society but at the same
time they have a darker purpose and are a mark against us.
There
are people that immigrate to the United States, who, because of age or
intelligence, are unable to learn the language – they may not even need
it. There are many others, however, who
are younger and fit and able but do not learn the language either because they
do not want to, which is foolish, or they do not know how to, which is tragic.
The
individuals who live in these cultural enclaves may be interesting and a
diversion to other Americans to go and visit but is it fair to them? It is clear that many people object to their
incursion into American society.
Navigating around a modern American city is hard enough if you don’t
read English well yourself but imagine what it is like if you are lost or
trying to deliver a package or do work and you suddenly find yourself in a
community where all the street signs and store signs are in Chinese or Spanish
or some other language.
President Theodore Roosevelt wrote the following :
“We should insist that if the
immigrant who comes here does in good faith become an American and assimilates
himself to us he shall be treated on an exact equality with every one else, for
it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed or
birth-place or origin.
But this is predicated upon the
man's becoming in very fact an American and nothing but an American. If he
tries to keep segregated with men of his own origin and separated from the rest
of America, then he isn't doing his part as an American. There can be no
divided allegiance here. . . We have room for but one language here, and that
is the English language, for we intend to see that the crucible turns our
people out as Americans, of American nationality, and not as dwellers in a
polyglot boarding-house; and we have room for but one soul loyalty, and that is
loyalty to the American people.”
These words may seem a little harsh
but what President Roosevelt is trying to express, I believe, is that if you
have decided to join the American Journey and Adventure as an American then in
order to fully participate the English language is the best and most common way
to communicate.
Some concepts are difficult to
translate from one culture to another.
The concepts of freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness take on
different meanings in different languages.
In the United States and in the context in which we use them in relation
to the Constitution of the United States and our rights as free people – it is
all rather clear. To listen to it and
work with it in a foreign language while in this country is like having
left-over pie or stale bread.
Some people insist with a mania
that everyone speak English. It is
right, I feel to insist that everyone have a knowledge of and be able to speak
English for the simple reason that if you do not then it is more easy for
someone to take advantage of you in this economy.
Again the history books are filled
with examples of this. Entire companies
made up of immigrants who, ignorant of their rights gave away their God given
gifts of expertise and authority to people intent only on extracting an unfair
profit from their labor. Instead of
sharing in the American dream these people are plunged into the American
nightmare. The plain fact is that when
they allow this to happen and some shanty town springs up as a result of it the
neighborhoods, businesses and lands around it can be blighted as well. In the end people may ask, and these are the
same people living in this conditions, ‘How can this happen in America?’
The answer is that it can happen
anywhere that trusting, scared and ignorant people gather. Unless there is a strong impetus to ensure
that everyone is getting a fair shake there is a danger that they will be
exploited. Once the situation is
uncovered it may be altogether too tragically late.
The experience of the farm laborers
in California is a good example. By
exploiting the laws and business practices on both sides of the border the
farmers, corporations, local governments, state governments (in Mexico and the
United States) conspired together in loose agreements to get some work done –
that is – pick fruit and vegetables. The
result was a long exploitation of migrant workers. Many people died in the fields of modern
America just as if they had been laboring for some old tyrant back in Europe. To this day the disagreements and corruption
evident on both sides and even in ‘organized’ labor purportedly representing
these folks is still evident. How could
all these negative effects be blunted or stopped?
It is possible that if English were
used as the regular business language and there was not a middle level of
interpreters drawn, in some cases, from the worst of society and amounting to
little more than slave holders and slave drivers – then things might have been
and might still be different.
In many places in the United States
ignorance is praised as a manly quality.
This can often mask learning disabilities and also allow for bullies and
violence to rule the roost rather than learning and ability.
It is sorry to say that shear
brutality sometimes rules the day and not common sense.
The way any American can navigate
safely through and beyond these narrow barriers imposed by the ignorant and
greedy is simply to get education, acquire learning and strive for wisdom. It may sound like a lot but learning how to
read is not that difficult for most people.
If there is a problem with reading these days there are taped books and
other ways to get information. Learning
disabilities or time constraints do not need to be allowed to cut you off from
what rightfully belongs to you which is your own ability to reach for and
attain your own legitimate goals in life.
In the United States it is easy to
get a hold of alcohol, cigarettes – even illegal drugs. Some people use these to ‘escape’ their
problems little realizing that they are the source of most of the problems that
they may be facing in living in modern America.
These things rob many Americans of their rights to life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness.
Learning, education and wisdom are
the keys to success in America, but not only that, to success in life and
society. People have a natural affinity
for and attraction to a person strongly grounded in knowledge.
How to get these benefits? It is an act of Self-Control. With
Self-Control these and many other things may be achieved. Self-Control is what we will discuss next.
Chapter 10 - Self Control
Self-control.
Many
people in the world do not believe that Americans have self-control.
Self-control is defined as : control or restraint of oneself or one's
actions or feelings.
In some
cultures – like the Japanese culture – the self-control of feelings is held in
high esteem by certain branches of thought including Bushido and certain types
of Buddhism.
Inazo
Nitobe puts self-control under Bushido, or the Code of the Samurai as “The
discipline of fortitude on the one hand, inculcating endurance without a groan,
and the teaching of politeness on the other, requiring us not to mar the
pleasure or serenity of another by manifestations of our own sorrow or pain.”
If we
look at it that way then in some ways Americans lack self-control.
But it
is a matter of opinion or point of view.
It is known that Americans will face things with great fortitude and
endurance – so in that case – Americans do have self-control.
As for
enduring hardship without a groan – this is not something that Americans do
well. Sometimes during periods of great
stress you will hear moans and groans or complaining in general. This is really just thinking out loud. It is a quest for an answer. It is a verbal way to seek a path out of the
difficulties and so is not a measure of weakness but a notification that the
spirit of those in difficulty has not been broken and they are thinking their
way out.
As for
politeness – we have already discussed this.
American Politeness is exhibited in many ways. The best way to offend someone is to ignore
them. A confusion in etiquette is not so
bad as not attempting communication at all.
As for
not trying to mar the pleasure or serenity of others by manifestations of our
own sorrow or even joy – public disturbances or demonstrations do take place in
the United States and people are allowed to express themselves.
They
may find someone to help them or someone to empathize with them or they might
just get in trouble. It depends on the
circumstances and how they are expressing themselves.
Even in
light of great suffering and tragedy Americans are expected to present
themselves with decorum but at the same time humanity and freedom of expression
are held high in estimation.
To
Americans self-control, like religion, can be held false if it is intended only
for appearance sake. For example – if
someone is pretending to have self-control when they do not or do not wish to
have it they are being false. The same
is the case with religion. It is
considered beyond bad taste and even evil in some cases to put on a false front
of religious behavior or belief while doing bad things.
Self-control is not repression.
If some forces down the feelings of irritability, anger, hatred, or even
mirth and laughter it is still in the soul and mind. Self-control means finding a way to avoid the
bad feelings or unnecessary mirth in order to do what needs to be done in the
situation presented and to move on to higher thoughts and expressions of self.
In
America there are many things that one can become upset at. Unnecessary noise, pollution, violence,
drugs, corruption, excessive drinking – the list is long and fills the courts
and jails with problems and human tragedy.
Self-control is a way to avoid those traps and pitfalls so that your
energies may be more rightfully be put in the pursuit of those legitimate goals
that you have set for yourself in life.
You can
still respond to the ills of society or unpleasant things in your environment
but with self-control you will be able to do that in a measured sense in the
way that it needs to be done so that you do not lose too much time in the
pursuit of your own goals.
Self-control means self-control and not control of the outer environment
or the actions of others. One cannot
lasso the wind nor can you bend the will of another to yours. Even if you could force someone to do what
you wanted to do – then you would be in the region of criminality.
What
are your goals in life? Is something
hindering you reaching them? You can
take those steps to remove the hindrance, go around it, over it, under it or
through it. It is important to keep in
mind that the actions associated with the thing hindering you should not
replace the actions you need to take to fulfill your goal. You will know what to do. If you have come this far this may sound like
common sense to you – but it needs to be said because some people do become
lost in the fight and when the battle is done they are just as lost as when
they began. Sometimes they are in a
worse position because they cannot recall what it was they had started fighting
for.
Self-control is an expression of mercy and kindness to yourself. There are currents and thoughts in the world
and in American society that are obviously wasteful. Let us take for example a beer
commercial. We are shown people
frolicking in some sport or activity – many times sports or activities that
should not be indulged in when drinking alcohol – and the people are always
well-dressed, well-groomed and healthy.
When I see these advertisements I often ask myself – what are these
people drinking for? What are they
trying to escape or what are they trying to attain by getting drunk.
Of
course the advertisement and the product manufacturer (the beer maker in this
case) will deny that they are making drinking alcohol to excess look good –
they will assert that they are only advertising their products to people and
suggesting they drink responsibly.
The
reality is that is not how those companies make their money. Beer makers, liquor brewers, cigarette
makers, gambling houses – they are not founded on and flourish from people
acting responsibly and taking just a sample.
They are found on and flourish from people consuming these things in
excess.
Why do
some people drink or gamble to excess?
There are many reasons. Why do
many people do it too much? There are
many reasons. Why do some people overdo
it once in a while? There are many
reasons. Why do some people use the
products ‘just enough’ to be perfect? I
don’t know.
If a
person drinks to excess to escape their problems are they escaping their
problems or have they just chosen one known problem in exchange for the one
they can’t figure out?
If a
person gamble incessantly is it because they are trying to reach some imagined
goal or are they running away from the loss they just had?
The
point I am trying to make is that self-control is a personal thing. It cannot be dictated to us as
Americans. It cannot be advertised to
us. It is clear that many companies
are dictating these rules and reasons even though they are not rules and they
are unreasonable.
It is
really none of their business what Americans do with their products but in
order to increase their business they have put a face on the activities that
does not match the realities.
As for
how the world views America and the United States, I will quote Martin Luther
King, great American Statesman and Orator,
“Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided
missiles and misguided men.”
In
today’s conflicts or continuing bloodshed there are actually being used
self-guided missiles that fly over a thousand miles and are controlled by
someone tens of thousands of miles away.
These missiles fly through the night or day spying on people and if
considered necessary they are used as flying machine guns or remote controlled
exploding bombs.
Whether
self-control is found in that set of circumstances anywhere, I am afraid I
cannot tell you. I must ask, though, is
this the sort of thing that someone or some nation can get wrapped up in and
forget or obscure their legitimate goals?
Robert
Burns, a famous poet once wrote, “Prudent, cautious self-control, is wisdom's
root.”
If a
problem presents itself does one drink it out or gamble it out or think it
out? A prudent, cautious American would
use self-control to think it out. In
this case some people might believe that the prudence of an American is
weakness but consider for yourself what would be the case if that prudent,
cautious American, who, after exerting self-control and arriving at a wise
answer has decided that the best thing to do is fight. From a national standpoint we must be
cautious in how public debate goes because it is all too clear that if the
logic in the United States runs to ‘fight’ then that is what is going to happen
and the fight will be carried on until it is declared over or it is
extinguished under its own weight.
The
problem with the military-industrial complex in the United States is another
issue altogether and will not be dealt with here except I will say that it is
something, I believe, that would be wise for you to consider at some time.
Alfred
Lord Tennyson, another famous poet, wrote, “Self-reverence, self-knowledge,
self-control - these three alone lead life to sovereign power.”
The
point here being that if you respect yourself (self-reverence), know yourself
and your motivations (self-knowledge) and exert directed in your life
(self-control) you will be able to move towards your goals without getting in
your own way or having circumstances carry you away from them.
Self-control in this case does not mean cutting yourself off from your
desires just because you desire them. I
am not trying to express some religious or philosophical ideal. Self-control in this case just means avoiding
or not doing those things which are likely, to a the idea of a prudent person,
to make you lose your way or slow your progress towards your goals.
What
goals are worth striving for?
These
are all personal – just like the tool that you use to reach them is personal.
Self-control can be used to work towards owning your own home, getting a
good job, providing for your family in such a way that you are satisfied with
it. If you encounter a difficulty or
impediment self-control can be used to overcome it.
Marcus
Aurelius, Roman Emperor, wrote this, “You have power over your mind - not
outside events. Realize this, and you
will find strength.”
It is
another way of saying that your attitude is what makes the difference.
Benjamin Franklin, great American Statesman and Scientist had this to
say about self-control, “Educate your children to self-control, to the habit of
holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies subject to an upright and
reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future and
crimes from society.”
Mistakes happen when passions are allowed to run wild. It is reason and the use of it that can bring
the best results to all involved.
Self-control is not to be used selfishly though it is a personal thing
and can be used to selfish ends. It is a
tool and a learned set of reasoning skills that will allow you, your children
or your friends to move through a series of events without being distracted by
those things which are not of value and which may be put there to mislead or
deceive.
Too
much ease, luxury or even wealth can spoil the mind and soul if self-control is
not exerted. There are many sad stories
in the media concerning the children, friends or families of persons who have
achieved a life’s worth of goods and money and yet have suffered tragedies of
immense magnitude.
Self-control allows us to be centered in our lives and desires so that
tendencies to wander or miss the mark can be avoided.
American Self-control can be conceived of as a matter of
balance.
While
working or spending time with family or doing something else if there is an
untoward event which occurs then self-control can be exerted to by-pass the
problem or annoyance so that your attention may continue to be focused on the
matter at hand – that is – the matter that you are most concerned with and
interested in.
Deception is the main root and tool of what is known as the ‘Art’ of
war. The ‘Art’ of waris not the only destructive craft but it is clearly the
worst one.
In
order to avoid being tricked, derailed or slowed down by duplicity of someone
else , circumstances or your own misguided thoughts, you can rely on your own
sense of self-control to see through to
ensure the outcome that you foresee and desire.
Spurious arguments – that is : arguments without which reason – which
are raised during a disagreement by some clever individuals intent on achieving
what they want at all costs may be countered by applying self-control and
concentration.
It is
not necessary to actually counter spurious arguments with logic. Maintaining
self-control will allow you to by-pass them.
If it
proves necessary all that is required to eliminate the spurious argument is to
call attention to their meaningless content and pointless inclusion into the
discussion or disagreement at hand. This
is often all that is necessary to destroy their ill-formed concepts and any
impression they have made upon the people attending or involved in the
discussion or disagreement.
Spurious arguments have the appearance of logic but are not logical at
all.
Let us
take an example.
Some
people are sitting around talking. They just happen to be Americans.
One of
them starts talking about some matter they have read in the newspaper about a
local politician and their involvement in some business deal.
This
person asserts that they have investigated the matter to their best ability and
can see no fault in what was done.
A
second person says that they have also investigated the matter to the best of
their ability and see fault in what was done.
A third
person throws in the spurious argument that no one can trust politicians
because they all lie and there is no way to get to the specialized business
information needed to make a logical judgment or decision regarding the matter.
The
third person’s argument in this case is spurious.
First
of all, not all politicians lie and even those that do may not lie all the
time. As for getting the ‘specialized’ business information mentioned – there
are ways to get business information. Even if those normal avenues are blocked
then that is a piece of information that can be used to decide, as an American
with vested interests in the outcome, what has happened and what to do about it
next.
The
spurious arguments put forth can lead to a paralysis of action. Inaction or
silence can be interpreted as agreement – and so – if there had been a
necessity for someone to speak out – either for or against the situation in the
example – and the spurious argument was allowed to derail the series of events
that had already begun then, if indeed the politician in the example had been
lying and the company involved had been doing something wrong then it is
possible they might get away with it.
The
negative result is a bad outlook for American citizens on their government and
ways of doing business, the success of bad people doing bad things and the
general growth of ignorance compounded by inaction.
Self-control exerted upon a situation like this might politely dismiss
the spurious argument and continue in with the discussion or series of events
that are likely to unfold if responsible, caring and intelligent Americans
become involved. The affairs of government in the United States are not closed
off to citizens. The affairs of government in the United States are the
responsibility of citizens.
It is
through self-control that honest and dependable responses may be made to
troubling circumstances or help and assistance provided to issues in need of
the same.
What do
you want out of your life? What are you
willing to do to get it?
If you
are honest, hard-working, industrious, caring and have a degree of self-control
you will likely be able to achieve much of what you want to achieve.
Bad
hearted people are sometimes apt to make gains for themselves – but not without
lasting damage to others and ultimately to themselves. Bad hearted people who lack self-control
are very dangerous. They are easy to
spot. Much easy to spot than people who
pretend to be law abiding when in fact they immoral in action.
The
best way to make a way for yourself is to keep good company.
Self-control is more than just avoiding drink or bad things. If a desire for these things is strong then
self-control is actually used to replace the yearnings for these things that
waste time and waste lives.
It is
not easy for some people to gain self-control but just because something is
difficult does not mean it should not be done.
The harder it is the more merit it has to do and do well.
Self-control – rather than leading to repression and denial is one of
the keys to gaining and enjoying true Liberty.
American Liberty has many expressions, enjoyments and
accomplishments. Liberty is what we will
discuss next.
Chapter 11 – Liberty
Patrick
Henry, famous American statesman and orator once said, “Is life so dear, or
peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid
it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give
me liberty or give me death!”
Liberty is defined as : freedom from arbitrary or despotic
government.
Many
Americans arrived on these shores seeking relief from arbitrary or despotic
government. Many born here chafed at the
thought of having to live under such government.
Liberty.
Some
people confuse liberty with doing anything they want at all without regard to
consequences for themselves or others.
American Liberty is quite another thing.
It is freedom being told to do this or that when you know that it would
be better to do some other thing.
American Liberty is free from being told not to do something when it
makes good sense and would serve the common good to do that thing.
We have
many examples throughout history of this and many instances of it occurring in
the United States right now. The
confusion between doing anything a person wants without regard to consequences
and doing the right thing is compounded by our system of government which of
late has put the process of deciding what is right and wrong in some sort of
stylized ritual.
It is
important from a personal point of view for individual Americans to develop
their own sense of Liberty, without
which, our government and society can not long continue to operate in any
semblance of order.
As we
have seen already American Liberty is a very strong issue and one not to be
trifled with. It is for American Liberty
that men and women have died for. It is
American Liberty with which the American flag has become entwined with.
Benjamin Franklin also took a weighty view of liberty when he wrote,
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety,
deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
It is
important as Americans that we look to our own to ensure that our lives and
fortunes are kept safe and able to prosper.
It will not be done through the orders of some tyrant or ill-informed
and selfish politicians.
Americans, in order to enjoy Liberty must exercise Liberty and have
interaction with their elected representatives so that those persons remain
grounded in the duties to which they have been assigned.
It is
especially important in today’s world because of the numbers of people
involved. It may be nearly impossible to
conceive but it seems that as our population has grown Americans have exercised
their Liberty, in regards to interacting with their elected officials, less and
less.
What
does this mean to you as an American?
Quite
simply that if you are among those small numbers that exercise your Liberty
then it is more than likely that you may meet your goals. Unfortunately this is a true and apt
statement.
As you
exercise your Liberty and enjoy your Liberty others may follow – your family,
friends and neighbors. And is this a bad
thing? I say, ‘Far from it.’, but until
you do it you will not know. Your
Liberty is your own. If you do not
exercise it someone will take it away.
It will either go away in a moment with chains clamped upon your arms or
bit by bit by bit – hardly noticeably until again, ‘Click!’
To be
free from arbitrary or despotic government can be a consideration for a person
concerned with the actions of the Federal Government, the State Government or
Local Governments.
It is
possible for persons, as we have seen, to worm their way into public office in
order to take advantage for themselves at the expense of their
constituents. Just because we have a
democratically elected government working for us in a republic does not mean
all of them are honest and hard working.
On the flip side it certainly does not mean they are all corrupt and no
good. A few bad apples, it is said, can
spoil the whole bunch – but that is if they are left in there long enough to do
it.
If you
notice something out of order in your area, state or at the Federal level, it
is your responsibility as an American at the least to notice it and keep an eye
on it or bring it to someone’s attention.
This is not ‘ratting someone out’.
This is ensuring that some criminal element or incompetent individual is
not doing things they should not be doing at your expense. The expense to you can be as simple as a loss
to your pocket book. Maybe an
unnecessary tax to pay for some service this is really not needed and will be
provided by some friend of the corrupt person.
It may be as serious as a loss of Liberty to you. If you do not act and respond to wicked events,
it is known that wicked people will reach ever further in their endeavor to
control and take advantage of their environment.
We have
safeguards in our society like local, state and federal police and ethics
panels and newspapers – but if they do not know what is going on and you do
then you have a responsibility to let your side know. If you are a sports enthusiast – what would
you do if you knew the other team was cheating or stealing your equipment? Same thing.
Act and respond. Observe and
report. You would not refer to a Scout
on the battlefield as a ‘rat’ so consider the words you use when you are
talking about someone who has taken it on themselves to enter onto the
battlefield of Liberty. It’s not an easy
thing to do and all Americans should back them up one hundred percent.
Let us
keep in mind these words from the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these
truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are
Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
As it
has already been mentioned. The concept
of Liberty for Americans is very important and at the root of government and
public life as well as business. It
should not be underestimated as a source of action.
President John F. Kennedy gave particular emphasis to this idea when he
said, “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall
pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose
any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.”
In
common parlance, ‘Them’s fighting words.’
It is
not only an indication that this is a idea worthy of contention and that
Americans will fight for it. That is
obvious from the root. It is more
important to develop a sense of Liberty in thought and deed that is equal to
the sacrifice that would be and has been born by millions of Americans merely
trying to fulfill for themselves, their family, friends and nation, their own
legitimate goals in life.
It is
not hard to see what is at stake when we compare what is happening in
tyrannical, despotic or communist nations with what is happening, or should be
allowed to happen here in the United States.
The individual is supreme in the United States – not the government.
Most
Americans do not want to be told what to do.
That is
to say once they know what they want to do they would not mind instruction on
how to do it.
Being
told what to do, or ordered to do things, however, this is a different story.
Especially if these orders come from the government.
That is
because American government is rooted in Liberty.
It is
not for the government to lead the parade and tell us which way to march and
where to.
Our
personal goals belong to us each individually as Americans.
How
could it be that a faceless government would know our dreams and
aspirations? Even if that government
knew them then what would compel it to honor or even respect them?
The
dangers to Liberty in the United States and the way in which the treatment of
Liberty suffers or how Liberty is extinguished – if it ever existed at all in
other nations or other times – is clear when we look at individual tyrants,
presidents-for-life, generals or others who wield military power or act through
mob rule.
It is
in those societies that we can see most clearly what happens to the individual
person when government becomes arbitrary, despotic or both.
Laws
are written in those circumstances and places to serve the interests of those
writing the laws or to serve the government at the expense of the
individual. Laws are written on
whim. They are alternately exercised,
enforced, ignored or repealed in a haphazard or chillingly efficient manner
that once again benefits those who wrote the laws or the few people benefitting
them. In the worst cases it is done
solely for the faceless and unknown government in power.
When
Liberty is understood as a value for and by the individual then this arbitrary
and despotic behavior not only becomes unpopular it is held in contempt and
everything that can be done to restore or establish Liberty will be done.
So now
we know the depths of individualism with which Americans infuse their ideas and
ideals of Liberty and which we highly prize and express as Liberty.
With
these rights of person, privacy and the pursuit of personal goals come along
heavy responsibilities.
It is
actually necessary in this case and in a nation based on individual Liberty for
each American to keep an eye out for any incursion on that same Liberty which
we have established for ourselves and our posterity.
It Is
not enough to pay lip service.
It is
good to have government which performs certain duties. It is not good for that government or any
government – in order to carry out the duties is has arbitrarily declared for
its own to force all Americans to give up some part or all of their Liberty in
order to do it. It is not right for the
government to enforce laws that curtail or eliminate individual Liberty so that
the government may have its way.
Giving
up Liberty for efficiency is to surrender to slavery without a whimper and to
place those manacles upon our own limbs that we had forged ourselves.
American government, simply, is intended to serve and not to be served.
When
American Liberty is expressed it allows for the excellence of the human spirit
to be displayed.
For
most of recorded history Liberty was feared by governments and kings and
tyrants. It was crushed down wherever
it appeared.
Even as
nations expanded under the old order – whether in warfare or peace – they
recreated their own systems of repression and violence that they had most
recently removed themselves, as individual people or communities. They went about rebuilding their own furious
and ignorant despotisms only to set the stage again for violence and upheaval
to be repeated over and over again.
Thinking they were ruling themselves they were binding themselves in
chains and arbitrary oaths to faceless governments or tyrants – no matter how
benign or long lasting they might appear on the surface or through the brightly
colored lenses of history. Chains are
chains even if their binding and terrible aspect appears be comforting at first
and no matter how bright and shiny and sparkling and pretty they may appear
when new. Chains are chains.
In the
United States Liberty has been enshrined and we must be careful lest we believe
Liberty is something provided by the government.
It is
not.
Liberty
is not something that can be legislated.
It is something that can be achieved by men and women in a society only
if they decide to achieve it. It may
form on its own for a short time but would not be given the assistance it needs
to endure without a structure to ensure that it does continue.
To
paraphrase John Locke, noted author, the natural expression of Liberty is for
men and women to realized that to attain what they wish to attain for
themselves they must make some arrangement whereby others can also attain their
own goals. That is, if a person wished
to receive good from others or wishes to pursue their own goals without
interference from others than it is best to offer good to others in the first
place and take measures to ensure that any actions taken do not interfere with
the actions or outcomes others are attempting to achieved.
There
are different forms of liberty and different ways in which liberty can be
expressed.
‘Liberty of the Press’ is important because men and women must be able
to freely share their ideas and ideals with others. If the newspapers and publishers were not at
liberty to print what was considered to be popular or necessary questions would
arise as to who is the person or what is the organization that would regulate
the information so distributed.
In the
present age the flood of information is so great that any attempt to regulate
it other than assuring no real hurt is disseminated could very well cause
unease in the populace not to mention introduce instability into the commerce
of the world.
There
are many governments that do regulate the press. Without exception they are, so to speak,
‘Behind the Times’, and likely to falter or fail at any time. Even though they may appear to be strong in
the world their place in history and human events is tremulous to say the
least. Closed societies rely on
advancement, for the most part, to come from outside. They are cautious or even paranoid in their
dealings with others. This causes them
to rise up a population of rude and ignorant people who themselves, even after
the first generation, take on the cautious and paranoid behaviors exhibited to
them and even expected of them by their overbearing and interfering
governments.
Some
religious organizations, likewise, take on this sort of aspect, but thankfully,
do to the broad expanse of humankind’s ability to work towards understanding
the infinite these groups are few and far between. The major religions have a working
relationship with the world and express and understanding that the works of
humankind sometimes are separate from the works of the Almighty.
So we
have the saying of Jesus, ‘Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God
what is God’s.’
Most
religions reflect this behavior.
Despotic and tyrannical governments do not. They often refer to themselves as ‘The
Fatherland’ and put their goals and the goals of their leaders in the forms normally
reserved for family relationships.
It is
true that some national and citizen relationships might be thought of as family
relationships but even when we speak of our ‘Founding Fathers’ here in the
United States the intent is not to introduce a belief that these people were
the physical cogenitors of the United States of America but a strange way of
saying they were responsible for bringing the activity all together.
The
inference with a biological act or the inference that it was fertilized and
grew like a plant or a child is unfortunate but common enough in the annals of
history to be tolerated on the surface but the reality is that this
organization and democratic republic is just as much an invention and property
of each one of use alive now as it was to those who first began the processes
that we know today. We may shape the
form in any way we see fit but the inner meanings of it – which include the
expression of Liberty in the broadest human sense – cannot be put aside or the
whole thing becomes meaningless.
The
ancient playwright, statesman and poet Euripides wrote these lines from Athens
long ago :
This is true liberty, when free-born men,
Having
to advise the public, may speak free,
Which he who can, and will, deserves high praise;
Who neither can, nor will, may hold his peace:
What can be juster in a state than this?
It seem
to me that here Euripides is saying, let a person have their say, the same kind
of person who would not hold their tongue anyway, that if they are heard, we
may hear not only from their own minds but the words of others and that in
allowing this one or that one or those to speak, then others, who might have
been silent but who know the true way or the reason or truth will not be bound
to be silent but will speak up and allow us all to benefit from their
wisdom. That would be wise and just
rather than to loudly declare only the thoughts and ways of those powerful
enough to command the podium should hold sway and enslave the whole bunch of
us.
This
American government in the United States is established under the precept that
Liberty is an inalienable individual right accorded to all humans by
Providence. Understanding of this
precept is vital to understanding the rights and duties we have as individual
Americans.
This is
a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Not the other way around.
It is
our individual or combined goals, as we see fit, and pursuits, which are
tantamount. We are not here to pledge
tithes and work to the ends of the arbitrary and despotic dictates of a
government.
This is
Freedom of which we are speaking of and that is what we will discuss next.
Chapter 12 - Reaching for Freedom
Being Free
Freedom
is defined as : The power to determine personal action without restraint.
American Freedom does not mean you are able to do whatever you please
whenever you please. Likewise it does
not mean that you have the freedom to not do some things or abandon your
responsibilities.
As
Americans we have the power to determine personal action without restraint and
then act to follow through on our determinations.
The
limitations I mention are that it is not right nor morally correct that any
actions you take hurt or kill others.
Any actions you take should not include withholding your responsibility
in situations where your responsibility is clear. Those are the limitations and they are
imposed from within with external sanctions if you should violate some rule of
nature and human kind like killing someone else or selling or giving them
something that hurts them or others or cheating people.
This
nation was formed from out of a part of a self-style ‘Empire’. At the time the form of government in vogue
in the world were mostly Empires. The
British Empire, Russian Empire, Spanish Empire, French Empire, Chinese Empire –
and many other ‘royal’ houses and organizations behaved as if they were empires
or building them. Notably the Portugese
and Dutch. In Africa there were also
Empires and predating the invasions from Europe Empires and large political
organizations existed in South, Central and North America.
The
incredible idea that a government could break away the ‘Empire’ was viewed as
treasonous and illegal. The idea that
people within those breakaway areas – like the original 13 Colonies – could
exercise personal action without restraint was not only viewed with distrust
and unease it was considered by some to be impossible.
For
many others it was the natural order of events.
Empires just weren’t working out.
Some of them persisted quite late in history – like the Russian Empire
and one has partially reformed itself under a new name – that is the Chinese Empire – but by and large they all
have either fallen apart or been consumed by other societies and civilizations
that have adopted and taken for their own the idea that individuals can and
should determine personal action without restraint.
The
formation of the United States and American Freedom was done with the
satisfaction and relief that accompanies slaves being set free.
It is a
sad commentary that slaves in the United States were not set free when the
country was set free. The institution of
slavery in the United States, referred to as ‘The Peculiar Institution’
persisted nearly 100 years after the nation was declared free.
The
pressures of maintaining slavery and the arbitrary and despotic rules and
manners and laws that it spawned led to the American Civil War. The American Civil War decided not only the
issue of slavery in the United States but many other questions as well that
have deviling American citizens.
The
ownership of land, the organization of corporations, the rule of law and the
role of government. The government of
the United States had been set up as a free nation and beacon to the world yet
in a few decades after its formation it had become a referee in disputes
involving one man playing bondage and shackles upon another.
The
situation nearly destroyed the nation.
Immigrants and Americans born here worked together to fight against the
internal tyranny that had arisen in one part of the country and infected the
whole system. In some areas – it was not
clear who was on which side.
Since
the Civil War the dispute has been boiled down to a war between the North and
the South with the deciding issue being slavery.
Slavery
was the undisputed main point of change following the war but the division of
North and South itself is a confused
concept. Though the state governments
were divided primarily along the lines ‘North and South’ due to the surveyed
line known as the ‘Mason-Dixon’ line – the ideological differences were not as
striking in most areas as they have been painted.
Some
people in the so-called northern area believed in or practiced slavery while in
the southern areas there were people who do not believe in slavery or avoided
the practice and its practitioners altogether.
As we
can see from today’s society, obviously the practice left a scar in
society. The wound need not be refreshed
as it is confusing and contains too many warring ideas and concepts. It is a sad time to consider in American
history and it is best it is over with.
Suffice
it to say that after more than 200 years of struggle and work all Americans are
free and have the power to determine personal action without restraint.
Benjamin Franklin, great American orator and statesman wrote, “Freedom
is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by
the laws of God and nature.”
It is a
right we have inherently upon birth as humans.
It is a state into which we are born and any individuals, organizations
or governments who interfere with this right and state of being are themselves
corrupt in spirit and attitude. Nothing
good can or will come from their actions.
War and deprivation will appear at their door and their power will be
torn asunder and they will be lost. All
that will be left is perhaps a fleeting mark of their passing.
Knowing
this and the course of human events it is clear that the fleeting circumstances
of tyrants and despots is not limited only to them. If mistakes are made and individuals in this
nation do not act in a civil and patriotic manner towards their nation and this
government does not hold justice, liberty and freedom to be values that cannot
be sacrificed then too this nation may falter.
It is only with continued scrutiny and attention to detail can we
preserve this union, which, besides being a union of governments is a union of
free people bent on doing right and good in the world overall and ensuring that
we all have the power to determine personal action without restraint.
Martin
Luther King, Jr, great American orator and statesman said, “Change does not
roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.
And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride
you unless your back is bent.”
Freedom
is a continual work in progress. We
cannot for a moment stand aside and hope that someone else will watch over our
right to the power to determine personal action without restraint as well as we
could ourselves. It is right and good to
become involved in this nation and comment upon its actions lest its actions
turn out to be against our best interests and lead to its and ultimately our
demise.
Many
people believe that things will just go on as they do without change. Even though change will not normally come
without action – if there are some persons or forces at work to cause change it
is quite possible that a person who is not paying attention and not
participating may be caught unawares by circumstances.
This is
certainly true in our society and nation today.
Workers and individuals who do not pay attention and participate as much
as they can in their local governments and societies have found to their dismay
that companies and corporations have either made inroads on their own personal
power to determine personal action without restraint or expanded their own to
such proportions as to overshadow the rights of the individual.
In
other cases companies or corporations might have turned tail and fled taking
away with them large portions of the underpinning of the local economy. To what effect? Loss of jobs, loss of opportunity and the
destruction of the local economy used to ensure that food, housing and fuel are
available for the Americans living in that location are available so that they
in turn may us their own personal power to determine personal action without
restraint.
Circumstances of life are complicated, this is true. By not being involved in the normal daily
events surrounding us or not responding to them may embolden the bad tempered
and hard hearted to further depredations on our freedoms.
Even
the most informed and able persons may be overcome by events – but when there
is a populace of persons ready to defend their right to being able to exercise
their personal power to determine personal action without restraint then it
becomes less likely that circumstances will become so unworkable that they must
be abandoned or changed to suit the needs and arbitrary despotic choices of the
few rather than for the benefit of the many and our posterity.
Walt
Whitman, great American poet and philosopher wrote, “IT is not only true that
most people entirely misunderstand Freedom, but I sometimes think I have not
yet met one person who rightly understands it. The whole Universe is absolute
Law. Freedom only opens entire activity and license under the law. To the
degraded or undeveloped—and even to too many others—the thought of freedom is a
thought of escaping from law—which, of course, is impossible. “
Escaping the law – whether natural or imposed – if the law is just and
reasonable – is not an exercise in freedom but is an exercise in futility.
Slavery
is unlawful. It is against the law to
hold another person a slave. It is also
illegal for a person to sell themselves into slavery. If someone decides to enter into this state
or cause this circumstance because they feel it is their right then they are
breaking the law and are not only not being free but they are putting themselves
at odds with the American people – a natural born and living example of a free
people with all the rights and responsibilities attached to that state of
being.
If a
person believes they will exercise their freedom by destroying their lives by
consuming drugs which have been proscribed by law then they are entering into
direct opposition to the American way of life as well as destroying their
relationship to the benign and good power that has formed us all.
If good
intentions and actions are not the result of the exercise of freedom then the
opposite becomes an expression against freedom and those actions become bestial
and the results become personally arbitrary and despotic. The rule of addictive drugs over lives better
spent with loved ones, friends and in communication with their society and
government is a tragedy that plays itself out all too often.
Addiction to drugs – the sale of drugs to persons who become addicted or
are addicted is a form of slavery. Until
this is clearly realized and recognized then the chains will be forged day
after day and sadly taken up by Americans who should, instead of being chained
to circumstances and the arbitrary and despotic rule of cruel and inhuman
persons distributing and selling the drugs should be exercising their own power
to determine personal action without restraint.
Some
people decide that criminal behavior is how they will be free – or more aptly –
how they will thumb their nose in the entire ideal of American Freedom and take
what they want and not worry about anyone else.
Eventually the majority of these people are either foiled by the law or
more commonly by others who are pursuing the same course of events.
To
build their dreams by taking away the dreams and aspirations of others they
merely draw upon themselves the attention and approbation of those good hearted
people intent on pursuing their own legitimate goals. If such evil minded persons were to win out
then chaos would ensue and all freedom lost.
The natural state of affairs to allow activities like to prosper being a
nation government in an arbitrary and despotic fashion.
By
working towards your own legitimate goals and watching out for those who are
taking advantage or cheating you will do more for this country than you would
imagine and at the same time do yourself an immense number of favors.
Again –
to repeat the concept of Freedom to Americans and the stories and legends,
facts, fancy and laws that have descended to us – I give you something that
President George Washington said, “If the freedom of speech is taken away then
dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”
The
Bill of Rights plainly spells out many of the Freedoms that Americans expect to
enjoy and are guaranteed by our Constitution.
These
Freedoms include, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, right to bear arms.
freedom of the press, right to petition, ‘no-quartering’ right, the right to
own private property and the right to enjoy many other freedoms – like choosing
where to live or what work to do.
The
freedom of religion allows us to tolerate at least and appreciate at most the
religions and customers of others that might not match our own but do not touch
upon our ability to pursue our own legitimate goals.
The
freedom of speech allows us to say whatever we please as long as we do not
incite violence. I am enjoying that
freedom now by writing this brief synopsis of ‘Being American’.
The
right to bear arms is guaranteed to us so that we may provide for our table if
we hunt or we may protect ourselves from the potential ravages of others and
guard against arbitrary and despotic government or protect our shores and
borders, if need be, from invasion and foreign governmental influence and
intrusion.
We have
the freedom of the press to share all of these ideas and ideals that we want to
continue, change or end, as the case may be.
We have
the right to petition to ensure that our government remains accountable to the
citizens and does not begin that long careening arc into chaos.
We have
the ‘no-quartering’ right to ensure that soldiers are not given leave to take
our possessions in the pursuit of some goal that we may not be directly
involved in or necessarily directly need to support because we do so through
our taxes and other arrangements.
We have
the right to own private property and this ends or sharply curtails the
eventuality that some system resembling the feudal system might grow up again
and envelop us in ignorance.
Finally
– we have the right to enjoy many other freedoms. We may move around the country and live in
different locations if we choose to. We
can work at different jobs if we choose to.
These things are not accorded to us or assigned to us by the
government. They are matter of personal
choice.
These
freedoms and the method by which they are attained – that is – the government
is simply not allowed to do any of it or legislate it – allows Americans to
live their lives, for the most part, as they see fit, without interference from
the government and without undue interference from our fellow citizens.
In the
United States Freedom is sometimes compared to Life itself. Some people would give up their lives – and
many have – to obtain Freedom.
Freedom
has been an idea and ideal since antiquity and here in the United States and
among our friendlier and kindler nations abroad – it is generally felt we have
obtained at least some measure of it.
Freedom
is not something to be taken lightly.
Some people may easily surrender it in return for riches or ease – at
which point they have lost, in my opinion, far more than they have gained.
We come
now to the last portion of this book -
the last short piece to be a direct set of instructions or suggestions on how
to be an American.
In
these past chapters we have looked at the American forms of Justice, Courage,
Goodwill and Kindness, Politeness, Sincerity, Honesty, Honor, Loyalty,
Education, Learning, Wisdom, Self-Control, Liberty and finally Freedom.
Thank
you for your time.
Chapter 13 - In Closing : How To Be An American
How to be an American
Be
Yourself
Tell
the Truth
Be
Courageous If Necessary
Do Not
Hurt Others
Pursue
Those Goals Most Dear To Your Heart
Honor
Your Family and Friends
Raise
Your Children To Do Right and Be Good Persons
Love
God if you care to or don’t. The
decision is individual.
Use the
government as a tool. Do not abuse it.
Keep an eye on it.
Do not
be afraid. Thucydides, Ancient Greek
philosopher and poet wrote, “The bravest
are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and
danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.”
Be
charitable and caring of your neighbors.
Work
hard.
Learn
things.
I can’t
tell you anymore than these things. I
hope it is enough but I know there is so much more. It is encompassed in the lives of our
citizens – in all of us Americans – you and I included.
You are
the one who decides how to be an American.
You are
an American.
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