Freedom's Ideals

The ideals of the founding fathers are seen by many as “naïve” or “outdated” or “irrelevant.” Rather than seriously consider or debate the issues, it has become fashionable to discredit those who espouse “old-fashioned” ideas.

When I was in grade school, I learned about Washington, Adams, Jefferson, etc. as men to be admired for their courage, insight, and sacrifice in helping to establish this nation. In the last 25-30 years, schoolchildren learn more about tolerance of other cultures (except America's) and religions (except Christianity) and social engineering fads than about the brave men who risked their lives, their fortunes, their families, their health, and their reputations to act on their convictions that America should be a free nation because liberty is a God-given right to all people.

By “digging up dirt” on these imperfect human beings, by focusing on their shortcomings, such as some being slave owners or having mistresses, their message is drowned out and discredited.

But it is the divine ideas of freedom, not the humans espousing it, that are “ideal.”

“To the fool, he who speaks wisdom will sound foolish.” --Euripides