Posted by
Reason & Free Inquiry on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 10:29:43 PM
"But it is deliberate and thinking men, who must establish and secure governments on free principles." Melancton Smith, "Letters from the Federal Farmer," 1787
So true, So true. Although Mr. Smith was an Anti-Federalist, he speaks truth here. It is deliberate, thought out reasoning that secures and retains liberty and freedom. As he states just sentences earlier in this letter:
"It is natural for men, who wish to hasten the adoption of a measure, to tell us, now is the crisis-now is the critical moment which must be seized, or all will be lost: to shut the door against free enquiry, whenever conscious the thing presented has defects in it, which time and investigation will probably discover. This has been the custom of tyrants and their dependants in all ages."
Friends, let us make sure that we take the time to use deliberate reason and thought when considering some of the major electoral issues that face us this presidential season (health care, climate change, terror, illegal immigration, etc). Taking a few moments to really consider just what a candidate's "solution" to any of these issues would really mean in the long run can save us precious time and liberty down the line.
We must stop accepting (either through ignorance or through indifference) the false premises of irresponsible, unthinking men. When we debate them from the flawed foundation of their propaganda, we build on sinking sand and we miss an opportunity to demonstrate the reason and truth that we hold so dear.