Our Constitution, The Constitution of the United States of 1789, begins with “We the People.” What follows is a development and specification of what is proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence of 1776, which states that it is self evident that all of us are equal and endowed with certain rights. The two documents are basic to the way we as Americans view how to get along with each other–that is, basic to our politics!
In the minds of many people today the concept of “We the People” has been changed to “I the Capitalist,” “I the Oligarch,” or “I the Individual,” followed by, “hold these truths to be self evident, that I am created uniquely and therefore endowed by my unique god with certain unique rights, among which are the right to my life, my liberty, my pursuit of my happiness!”
The result of such an interpretation of the Constitution and Declaration is experienced in the deplorable political debate today–if we can call it a debate?
We see people in general and politicians in particular so preoccupied with themselves and their individual rights who completely refuse to acknowledge that we all have the same rights and that we all must consider it self evident that to provide life, liberty and pursuit of happiness is a shared endeavor, a political task incumbent upon all of us in order to live together in a society, in a common union, a community.
Granted, it is self evident that we are all unique, but a true enriching of one’s uniqueness comes about only when it is shared by all, with all, and for all “in order to form a more perfect Union.” And we would be better off if we keep the beliefs in a god (or gods) out of our political life, since the concept of god is exclusive and absolutist and invariably leads to warlike enmity among so-called god fearing believers. As humans, we the people are created inclusive and relational, a concept, which when pursued faithfully, leads to coexistence, collaboration and peace!
Jake Hjorth
Grand Marais
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