[An audio version of this article can be played below.]
I’m tired of debating political philosophy. More precisely, I’m tired of neglecting why it matters. Within our community, we emphasize the U.S. Constitution as a pillar in the structure of ideal society. We speak often of the proper role of government and the dire consequences of it straying outside of those bounds.
I’ve devoured my share of Plato and Aristotle, Rousseau and Locke, Hamilton and Jefferson, Mill and Marx, Montesquieu and Tocqueville, Mises and Keynes, and other foundational thinkers. I’ve written hundreds of articles centered on the Constitution and ideal government. Freedom is my mission. But lately I’ve realized that I’ve neglected a far more important principle than the proper role of government.
When I was 17 years old, I attended a week-long educational series for youth. One of my evening classes was dance instruction. The first night we were asked to find a partner. As my partner and I chatted, I watched a disabled young man asking girls to dance with him. One after another, I watched him circle the room and face rejection after rejection after heart-wrenching rejection.
At the time I had no words to explain or even understand the tornado of emotions that tore through my soul. Choking and struggling for breath, I mumbled an apology to my partner and excused myself to go out into the hall, where I shuddered with uncontrollable sobs for several minutes.
Fourteen years later, I have words: Debating political philosophy is far less important than cherishing and serving all people as children of God.
Articles and Clauses and power charts and legislative processes are simply means to greater ends. Unfortunately, I fear we focus far too infrequently on these more important issues.
Freedom is about fatherless, shoeless, hopeless kids living in squalor, picking through moldy dumps just to ease the ache in their bellies. Freedom is about widows, whose husbands died with guns in their hands, cooking spoiled rice for their children through their tears because it’s all they can give.
It’s about fathers risking it all to cross borders to send a few dollars home and going to sleep in dirty shacks thinking of their daughters’ eyes. It’s about empty-eyed kids who can’t think beyond ghetto boundaries and who won’t look you in the eye.
It’s about real people with real lives and real stories. It’s about hurt feelings and lost dreams. It’s about private desperation in souls who wonder if it will ever get better. It’s about suffering. It’s about smiles and hugs at critical moments. It’s about reconciliation. It’s about hope and aspirations and struggles and achievements.
Constitutions may provide skeletons, but love and service and human struggles are the heart, flesh, and blood of ideal societies. If we’re studying the Constitution because we enjoy the mental exercise of political philosophy or the diversion of debating politics, we’re missing the point.
Granted, constitutional structures are vital because they protect these things of which I speak, but are we remembering that and putting constitutional studies in context?
To borrow and rephrase the words of Yann Martel in his insightful novel Life of Pi, we take it upon ourselves to defend the Constitution. We walk by widows deformed by leprosy begging for a few paise, walk by children dressed in rags living in the street, and we think, “Business as usual.” But if we perceive a slight against the Constitution, it is a different story. Our faces go red, our chests heave mightily, we sputter angry words. The degree of our indignation is astonishing. Our resolve is frightening.
Yes, I’ve done it, too. In fact, I’ve spent much of my life doing it. But I weary of debating the proper role of government. I’d rather live the proper role of citizens.
An illuminating perspective. Sadly, political hubbub serves the evil one’s plan. Contention obstructs the weightier matters, such as charity and service. I agree–at some point one must decide the cost to service or family for the time and effort put into fighting political injustice. What good does it to gain the whole world, and lose one’s soul? We do would do more good changing men hearts with the Gospel than we ever can by voting people in or out of office.
Yet, if the Constitution becomes corrupted or discarded, then all individual service will be eventually superseded by a nanny state, a state gives a one-size-fits all remedy. The hearts of men are cold towards their fellow beings, due in some part to State welfare. It gives the excuse not to serve or help, much like Scrooge who asked “Are there no workhouses? are their no prisons?” because the State takes care of everything, removing the responsibility from its citizens shoulders.
We must think of future generations that will lose everything if we lose the fight now.
are
Very interesting article, and also a very interesting comment from Mr. Shirtz. Maybe the answer is to prayerfully decide how we go about changing the hearts of men, at the same time always living up to the Constitution we so love by being responsible citizens, educated voters, and ever diligent in defending the Constitution. I think if we are prayerful we can defend the Constitution without contention. I’d like to add that we need to do our civic duty and serve on juries. As a legal secretary for more than 30 years, I’ve watched juries “dumb up” because so few of us are willing to do our civic duty.
Great article, great message. In a nutshell: There is a proper role of government, we do have responsibilities in regards to government and one another. We should do better to keep our priorities straight, without neglecting one responsibility or the other.
This relates somewhat to the Paine/Adams discussion of tearing down vs. building up. Great article, Stephen.
Well said! In other words, doing our home teaching and paying a generous fast offering deserve more attention than blogging about the Constitution in our spare time. I think that’s a good reminder for all of us.