The Fundamentals Of Our Struggle

10.27.08

In a nation as diverse and wildly drastic as our own, the minds of the people who walk its land define the course of its future. From the moment the Declaration of Independence and constitution were drafted by the political and philosophical geniuses of our archaic birth, we have struggled to define as the times change, how our struggles and times correlate with a 200 year old document under a case of glass. Surely the founding fathers of this country had no way of implying to future generations the threats of terrorism or data protection and all the other issues that supersede the ones of the 18th century. Our ceaseless arguments over the valididity and relevance of the constitution seem to create a fog, that at times, clouds our judgment in the most vital hours. There is no doubt in my mind that in this nation, we are capable of recognizing and preserving the values and moral codes that serve as a beacon of light for coming generations. As all the decades passed and different ideologies materialized out of the minds of different leaders, our perceptions of our original intentions seemed to be viewed more and more through an opaque window that emphasized exceptions. We have at times, violated our constitution to the point of destruction, at times it may have well burned along with the madmen who crinkled its pages. Now I am by no means a strict constitutionalist who believes that every word of the document must be taken for face value. We live in a radically different era than that of Adams, Jefferson, and Madison. We do, however, need to take those fundamental expressions of our way of life in the constituion, and use them as our own guide to the issues of today that threaten to corrode our liberties and spirit of existence. Deep inside, we all have our own Declaration of Indendence forged by our own experiences and passions. Is it ethically possible for us as a society to apply these ideals that live within us to the future of our nation? Can we somehow cross check all of our values with the strict code of political bedrock? Can we even consider this in a nation so diverse as our own? How can a country that has no real and actual majority coexist on a level that preserves something as righteous and politcally perpetual as a constitution? It would seem almost plausible to believe that a nation in which the fabric of its creation is tearing and through it a whole new world is exploding, that this nation could stand together. Our diversity is becoming more and more mixed with each decade. We are a microcosm of the entire world, therefore we must learn to exist as an entire world would and does. The complexity of this paradox is baffling to say the least. It is no mistake however that our constitution would still be relevant in a nation like this. The constitution is merely a guide to what are now considered basic human rights to many people and the basis that any serious country is founded upon. With no religious doctrines to be instilled and no ideologies to be pressed upon the people wholly, this future microcosm of the world should have no struggle in holding the torch of democracy once more. The American system is one that demands respect in its mere existence and intital genius. It is an ideology so presumed in the people, the flames of insanity could not destroy its hold on the psyche of a nation. Today we tend to lose sight of those original sentiments, forget them in apathy or distraction. But we take our constituional rights for granted. They have become so engrained in our minds that they are a part of our thinking process, our day to day antics. To truly see how our roots have sprouted into todays America, we as a nation, somehow need to stop and look inward to our own ideologies and how closely they correlate with our nations fundamental values. Our values are not merely our religion or what we do each day, they are a constantly shifting paradigm that defines our existence. Our values are how we relate to our world, and how it relates to us. If it is an understatment to find it morally repulsive to exhume our deepest fears under the harsh light of society, then it must be an overstatement to conclude that our nations afforded rights allow complete freedom of thought. The bottom line is our constituion is our bible, our nations guide of conduct that has become engrained in our psyche, a force so conclusive it truly defines our daily activities. We as a nation need to rediscover that connection and light all our nerves to the fearless dark to bust out of the cocoon of apathy many of us currently inhabit. Freedom takes on many forms, many faces of it have appeared out of the rain, and these times are no exception. It is time for us a nation to move forward and we hopefully will not forget why exactly we are still moving forward.