To Whom Much Is Given, Much Shall Be Required
Posted by Dan on November 19, 2009 in Constitution, Faith, Healthcare Reform, Liberalism, Obama, Philosophy, Political Science, Religious Freedom
Rev. Jesse Jackson, hot on the heels of the Anti Defamation League’s accusatory report that prejudice and paranoia of President Obama were causing civil incivility, slammed Democrat Rep. Artur Davis at a reception hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation for voting against the Affordable Health Care for America Act. “We even have blacks voting against the health care bill,” Jackson said. “You can’t vote against health care and call yourself a black man.” If taken to heart, one might actually get the impression that one cannot by any means vote, speak, or think against President Obama – lest they be a bigot.
This is a curious turn of events considering that it was just a little over a year ago that an idealistic candidate Obama told America, “You have shown what history teaches us: that at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn’t come from Washington; change comes to Washington.” And long before his acceptance of the Democratic Party’s nomination, Obama similarly offered that “My job is not to represent Washington to you, but to represent you to Washington.” Obama’s campaign was purported to be all about “Yes We Can” and the victory of the people over politicians. But today, with Obama pushing hard for change that America is heavily divided and oft embittered about, the message for President Obama is far different: don’t challenge the majority party and don’t rock the boat, because if you do, you are a racist or a terrorist.
The rhetoric of such likes as Jackson and the ADL is to convince Americans that Washington knows best, that one is wrong to seek local autonomy, that central planning from Washington is the key to success. Yet Thomas Jefferson warned America well in advance that “When all government, domestic and foreign, in little as in great things, shall be drawn to Washington as the center of all power, it will render powerless the checks provided of one government on another, and will become as venal and oppressive as the [British] government from which we separated.”
The tax rallies, the impassioned town hall attendees and surge of interest in grassroot conservative causes is not racism or paranoia, but rather an affirmation of the Founding Fathers’ belief that people know best about their own lives and their own communities and therefore have the right to rule themselves. The Administration and its supporters ought to consider the grace that they have fallen from – if in fact they ever believed what they professed – and return to representing the people to Washington, rather than Washington to the people. Until the people are free to dissent, there can be no real freedom in America. Until Americans have the freedom to be angry, there can be no pursuit of happiness.
The ADL report claims, “anger, if it continues to grow in intensity and scope, may result in an increase in anti-government extremists and the potential for a rise of violent anti-government acts.” Yet the first three words of the U.S. Constitution are not “We the government” but “We the people.” America was founded not by submissive subjects to Britain but by outraged people who wanted the freedom to determine their own destiny. A critical part of the First Amendment is the assertion that the people have a right “to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” ADL, Jackson, the people are seeking redress – they are not racists or terrorists.
Americans have nothing to be ashamed of when their opinions differ with that of their elected representatives – they are, after all, the true leaders of America. Government doesn’t have the best answers, the people of the United States do. The President’s job is to represent the people to Washington, not Washington to the people. Thomas Paine wrote in Common Sense, “Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil … Government, like dress, is the badge of lost innocence; the palaces of kings are built on the ruins of the bowers of paradise.”
As a reverend, Jackson should have known that the Bible says that Jesus came “to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days” (Luke 1:74 NIV). As long as we create heuristics that say “You can’t vote against health care and call yourself a black man” the ruler of America will not be blacks, whites, or any people, but the spirit of fear. Jackson, the reverend, should have known that the Bible says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18 NIV). Jackson, in stipulating that voting against H.R. 3962 is anti-black, is peddling fear and putting torment on those who oppose it. That’s not the mark of a reverend; that’s the mark of a false prophet. Reverend Jackson, shame on you – where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Americans have every right to believe that to whom much is given – that is, the trust of public office – much shall be required.
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