At least for the first 150 years of its existence, the American experiment in freedom was a singular and extraordinary success; nevertheless, presently, stunning evidences of America’s downfall surface on every front. Every aspect of our society, including the family, public education, religious institutions, and our government, seems to be plunging headfirst into a state of catastrophic collapse. All of us are seeing it unfold, and so is the rest of the world, but we are at a loss for what to do about it. There are a lot of worried Americans who believe that all we need to do is bring back the rule of law. This is what they say: “Just enforce the laws that we have.” Others are of the opinion that, as described by Mark Levin in his recently published and highly regarded book titled “Amendments for Liberty,” we need to enhance our laws by means of constitutional amendments that were conceived of and passed by the states. A constitutional convention is being proposed by certain individuals as a means of enhancing the legal system in our country. How convinced are we, however, that the failure to uphold our laws is the true reason of the decline of the United States of America from its position of exceptionality, or is lawlessness only a symptom of the true cause? Is there no possibility that the fundamental reason is the American culture’s disregard for the importance of virtue? Is it possible that an intelligent and moral populace would choose to have persons who are dishonest and immoral as its leaders? How long would they be willing to endure their executive orders and legislation that violate the Constitution? If, on the other hand, maintaining our laws meant that those among us who are the least morally upright (for example, those who refuse to work) and who currently have the greatest claim on the public treasury would be required to give up what they consider to be their “fair share” of the generous assistance provided by the government, would they quietly agree to this? Would the recent riots that occurred in Greece in response to the government’s efforts to implement austerity measures be replicated in the streets of the United States? Making an effort to enhance our laws as a means of addressing the problem of lawlessness is analogous to just treating the symptoms of cancer. Despite the fact that we believe we have accomplished something significant, the patient passes away. What if we were to make our laws flawless and then make sure that they were properly enforced? Would that bring back the grandeur that America once possessed? In response to that query, our founders gave a strong positive answer: “No!” “[N]o matter how clever the constitution or the laws are, they will not be able to guarantee the freedom and happiness of a people whose manners are generally corrupt. He is thus the most loyal friend to the liberty of his nation, who makes the most efforts to promote its virtue, and who, to the extent that his authority and influence stretch, will not allow a man who is not a wise and virtuous man to be elected into any post of power and trust.” Essay written by Samuel Adams and published in The Advertiser in the year 1748.” The teachings of Baron de Montesquieu, whose writings had a significant impact on the way the Founding Fathers of the United States of America thought, taught that there are principles that are constant in society and government, and that these principles function most effectively in a republican form of government. He issued a warning that that if those ideals were abandoned, they needed to be completely restored or else the country will disintegrate. “It is not required to have a significant amount of probity, which is defined as strong moral ideals, in order to support a monarchy or a tyrannical administration. At the same time, a popular state, also known as a republic, requires one spring, and that spring is virtue. It is important for a republic to have virtue as its foundation. The most certain way to bring down a republic is to minimize the amount of virtue that exists among its inhabitants.” According to Baron de Montesquieu’s The Spirit of Laws, which was published in 1748, “When once a republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils, but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.” As a result, it should not come as a surprise that the adversaries of the United States of America are concentrating their efforts on the simultaneous and systematic corruption of the nation’s fundamental institutions, including her families, her religion, and her government. They have been wonderfully successful in removing virtue as the required support of these crucial institutions even if there has been no strong pushback to counteract their efforts. Because of two different factors, the virtue of the people in a republic has a significant impact on the functioning of the government, and it really governs it. 1. In a government that is representational, the laws that are written by the elected authorities are reflective of the moral beliefs that are held by the citizens. Virtuous people will not accept corrupt laws that contradict the principles essential for a safe and healthy society for an extended period of time, nor will they re-elect legislators who violate their moral values. 2. The three enduring institutions of family, church, and government come together to establish a system of checks and balances that will naturally resist any violation of their separate tasks or obligations. When, for instance, the government intrude on the duties and responsibilities of religion or family, they will vehemently reject that encroachment of authority (or they should). We do, in a very genuine sense, receive the government that we are entitled to. The fundamental reason of the collapse of the United States of America is not lawless and corrupt politicians but rather the loss of virtue. Because virtue both creates and defends our freedom, it is imperative that it be taught, studied, modeled, and defended within our fundamental institutions. “[E]very other corrective is either ineffective or a new evil.” Freedom is a frail concept, and its extinction will undoubtedly be followed by dictatorship.” When freedom is threatened with extinction, it is never more than five generations away. Neither of us were able to transmit it to our offspring via the circulation. If we do not fight for it, preserve it, and pass it on to them so that they may do the same, then one day we will spend our golden years telling our children and the children of our children what it was like in the United States of America when men were free.” This is a quote by Ronald Reagan, which was delivered on March 30, 1961, at the annual meeting of the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. Author’s Personal History: Additionally, Dennis W. Hicks and his wife, Donna Rae, were involved in the process of church planting in the states of California and Idaho. He was the founder and director of three high-tech firms. Over the course of three decades, he has served as a guide, a preacher, and an author. Currently, Dennis and Donna Rae make their home in the breathtaking Bitterroot Valley, which is located close to Hamilton, Montana. Three of their children have reached adulthood and are now establishing their own godly families in the states of Idaho and California. Dennis W. Hicks may be reached at (406) 961-0111 or by email at dhicks@lightwaveart.com. His address is 350 Lorenz Spur Drive, Hamilton, Montana 59840. We put our faith in God.
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