Posted on 05/04/2015 7:55:50 PM PDT by Paid_Russian_Troll
"Power gives opportunity to do great harm. If a powerful man is to be a good man, he must recognize that and take precautions, even of his own heart and motives.
Yes, keyword is 'opportunity'. But it's the application of power too, for good or bad, that makes the difference.
They, too, were oppressed by powerful men when they declared independence from them.
An advantage the U.S. had, compared to say Russia, was that it had the opportunity to start afresh in a new land. Originally with 4 million people in 13 colony states on the east coast of U.S. - That is not to dismiss or overlook other challenges along the way such as the War of Independence against Britain.
The other advantage was that by the time the Constitution was adopted, Americans had considerable expertise in the art of self-government. Long before independence was declared, the colonies were functioning governmental units, controlled by the people (a confederation). Although uniting diverse people and instituting a Federal system of government was a challenge; there were some anti-federalists.
A third advantage, vis a vis Russia as an example, was America had been settled in large part by various Europeans who had left their homelands to escape religious or political oppression, as well as the rigid economic patterns of the Old World that locked individuals into a particular station in life regardless of their skill or energy. These settlers highly prized personal freedom, and they were wary of any power — especially that of government — that might curtail individual liberties. So, there was strong motivation & incentive to have a system that accommodated for these diverse groups.
Our Constitution and form of government was established to guard against the damage possible from corrupt human nature -- everyone.
As far as I know, the U.S. Founding Fathers not only debated over and over again to devise "a plan they thought would protect the nation against the dangers of tyranny,", but were also influenced primarily by European 'philosophers'; people like John Locke, Voltaire, Rousseau and Montesquieu, as well as important English documents such as Magna Carta.
They also studied non-Europeans, like the Persian King Cyrus. A copy of Cyropaedia, Xenophon's book on Cyrus, is on display at the exhibition in Washington DC. The book, a bilingual Greek and Latin version published in Europe in 1767, is one of the two copies of Cyropaedia belonging to Thomas Jefferson that is currently held at the Library of Congress here.
In my view, all the above elements came together and played significant parts in setting the foundation for the U.S. a little over 200 years ago. They still essentially define American values and culture.
"With checks and balances, there is the promotion and protection of the things that help mankind keep restraints on themselves from within: Morality and religion.
I'd add Ethics to it too. Especially when you mention "the need for society to protect and promote religion and morality".
The definition of morals or 'morality' being morality is ultimately a personal compass of right and wrong. Whereas ethics is more external, because society says it's the right thing to do. IOW, "morals are how you treat people you know. Ethics are how you treat people you don’t know."
I was using the terms the Founders used.
“Statesmen my dear Sir, may plan and speculate for Liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand. ... The only foundation of a free Constitution, is pure Virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People, in a great Measure, than they have it now, They may change their Rulers, and the forms of Government, but they will not obtain a lasting Liberty.” —John Adams
“That wise Men have in all Ages thought Government necessary for the Good of Mankind; and, that wise Governments have always thought Religion necessary for the well ordering and well-being of Society, and accordingly have been ever careful to encourage and protect the Ministers of it, paying them the highest publick Honours, that their Doctrines might thereby meet with the greater Respect among the common People.” —Benjamin Franklin
Let it simply be asked where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in the Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the opposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that National morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.” —George Washington
“Can the liberties of a nation be sure when we remove their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people, that these liberties are the gift of God?” — Thomas Jefferson.
“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” — John Adams
Thanks, appreciate it.
Your numbers are wishful thinking. Or at least, there are people out there who may in a pinch act like Wayne and Eastwood who are watching the other shows a lot of the time.
we all strive to be John Wayne. but we all fall short.
You want too much from so many people on a matter dealing with self-identification. I can't support the word 'paranoid', but the concept 'Russia vs the West' is centuries older than the Communnists, I agree. Still, there was a long period when Russia wasn't that oppposed to the Western European civilisation - the Russian Empire's time, since the Peter I's reign, or maybe even before - since Ivan the Terrible, who had European mercenaries in this army, organised as contemporary European military units.
Most propably he's worked out his opinion by reading books, not watching movies. And those books have been a complete set of works by Jack London, Theodor Dreiser and O.Henri who were picked for translation by the Soviets.
Some Russians still think that Shark Dodson from the 'Roads we take' is the impersonation of the American spirit.
"I (many millions of names go here) 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; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."
That’s true. Soldiers who fought to defend it deserve credit. Those of us who just reap the benefits, though, are just lucky.
Still, Russians who fought and died to defeat Hitler deserve to be remembered and thanked by the entire world. I think the fact that they suffered under their own oppressive government at the time makes what they did all that much more amazing.
I heard on the John Bachelor show that they lost 14% of their citizens. We lost POINT 3 percent — under half a percent. They sent their 18 year old boys who had just graduated high school to serve and out of every 100, only 3 came back. It is shameful that so many countries are not going to attend their 70th celebration. The Ukraine issue will still be there after the event. But the event is one of remembrance and respect for their great bravery and sacrifice.
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