“Educate and inform the whole mass of the people. They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of liberty.” – Thomas Jefferson
Our public discourse has descended into a pointless waste of oxygen where the only challenge is to see who yells the loudest.
Wow!! Thanks, Captain Obvious!
It was just a couple decades ago where people could discuss opinions passionately and rationally. It seems that ship has long since sailed.
What has caused this to happen? How can we change it? Is it too late already?
I may not have the answers but, I do have some thoughts. These thoughts come from speaking with our grassroots.
First, society suffers from an absence of faith. I am not speaking of or promoting a specific religion. Our country’s founding was based upon the principle that our Creator has given us certain rights that are never up for a vote. That also means that they are beyond the reach of mankind. Every person has these rights no matter where on Earth they are born. The purpose of our government is to protect and defend those rights. We’re now told by social engineers that the government or man has the ability to grant rights.
The belief in a Creator is a request of limited government. That sends the message to the government that they are not at the top of the food chain. To my knowledge, we’re the only country founded on that principle. Great Britain, France, Germany, China, none can ever have a limited government under their current governing document. The Founding Fathers were absolutely people of faith. They never erected a barrier between faith and the government. They knew just government could not exist without freedom and virtue.
Another factor is the decline of our education system. I am a graduate of the public school system and a big proponent of education. Looking at nearly every objective measurement: math proficiency, literacy rates, the ability to pass a citizenship test, etc. our public school systems are failures. The reasons they fail is they do not ask the key question of every educational decision. “Does this maximize the student’s opportunity to become a functioning member of society?”
I’m a big supporter of teachers as well. I 100% believe the vast majority of teachers want to do what’s best for their students. Too often, the education bureaucracy and teachers unions impede the success of students. This is the civil rights issue of our time. It is unforgivable to force our children into failed schools because of their zip code. Parents having school choice and true competition in education will force failed schools to reform to meet their student’s needs. The result will be adults with a better chance to be successful. An educated mind cannot be controlled. The evidence is so overwhelming it’s reasonable to think this is intentional.
So, what can we do about this? We’ve learned in the Convention of States Project that there’s no problem that a sufficient number of grassroots citizens cannot solve. Education is one of the most enjoyable aspects of volunteering for the COSP. Whether it’s the Constitution, Founding Principles, Federalists Papers or the shortcomings of our country, the more we understand our history the better we can chart our path for the future.
Get involved with your local school board, your school’s PTA organization, talk to your children’s teachers, administrators and principals. Home school if you are able to do so effectively. We The People do have the ability to solve these problems. It will take effort to do so. Sometimes it will not be fun. It will be difficult. It is surely worth it. It has taken decades to get where we are. It will take some time to correct our course. I am confident we can do this and preserve liberty for every man, woman and child no matter what race, national origin or religion.
Our republic is in need of a political, cultural and spiritual rebirth. The Convention of States Project was founded to bring about political change. It’s become apparent over our 9 year lifespan that we can also be the vehicle to bring about our spiritual rebirth. I invite you to take the Convention of States University course COS 100 Intro to COS. This is a free, self-guided course that will help you learn more about our principles and foundation. I hope you will agree that the Convention of States Project is the best organization to affect positive, Constitutional change and preserve liberty for all Americans.
In liberty,
Brett
Editor's Note:This is an update of a blog which was originally published on 8/3/20.
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