Common

 "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."

The Constitution is perhaps THE foundational document of the American experiment in democracy. The preamble, just 52 words, sets out the general goals of the document and, by extension, the government it established.

In an era of partisanship, of "them" and "us" it is instructive to look at the language of the founders. They had their differences, strong differences in many cases, but they were somehow able to reach compromises - agreements where neither got exactly what they wanted, but both got some. To "ensure domestic tanquility".

They provided for the "common" defense, in other words, the defense of the whole - not just some people or a single region. They promoted the "general" welfare - industrialists and agriculturists, rich and poor, immigrants and native-born. They "secured the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity". In other words for everyone in their generation and all to come after.

Finally, they worried about justice. They proclaimed justice for all, not just landowners or rich or native-born. No one, they felt, was above the law, nor was wealth or power a shield from lawfulness.

We are met in a country beset by assault on all of these principals. Allies of the President, and the President himself, appear to think themselves above the law; that the laws do not apply to them. We are beset by the idea that the blessings of liberty should only be granted to those in agreement with the President. That only those allied with him should reap financial rewards. I am not even sure what "defense" is being done.

Clearly the current administration has discarded the principals laid down in the Preamble and the Constitution more generally. If the American experiment in democracy is to survive those who believe in it need to stand up, make their voices and their votes be counted, and remove from office all of those who abrogate those founding documents. 

Look past the rhetoric and see. Those who stand with the President are for justice for some, liberty for some, tranquility for some. There is room here for "us" and "them" but only if we stand up for the Principles of Liberty.

Desecration of America

 

This is a photo of the White House, "The People's House", taken on May 28, 2026. It is symbolic of the change that has befallen the country. Once elegant (even only 20 months ago) and a symbol of a nation "conceived in Liberty and dedicated to the principle that all men are created equal." It is no longer either. And the nation has lost its way.

One wing is destroyed, the front lawn is being modified for a large commercial entertainment; closed to the general public.

We have lost the idea of equality. We have lost fairness. We have lost inclusiveness. Instead we are ruled by grasping commercialism, one thing the government is supposed to protect the common person from. We have lost concern for the world we live in and concern for our fellow people. "Do unto others..." for those claiming this is a "Christian nation" is confusingly not a commandment remembered. None of them seem to be.

In seventeen months more has been destroyed, figuratively and literally both here and worldwide, than the last 30 years combined. The damage will take years to repair, if it ever can. 

For those of you who claim to be patriots and Christians, think on this. "We hold these truths to be self-evident. That all men are created equal..." ALL. "Love thy neighbor as yourself." Please note there is no mention if that neighbor is Jew or Gentile. In fact, the Samaritan, likely a dark-skinned heathen, is the hero of the parable. The true neighbor.