What would our Founding Fathers think about what is going on in our country should they suddenly show up right now?
Really.
What would they think about the turmoil we are experiencing right now?
They’d be shocked and appalled by some things, but they’d expect to see some of it. We should learn from founding fathers lest we repeat history’s mistakes.
Shocked
They’d be shocked at how large the country is.
They’d be shocked at how successful the country is.
They’d be shocked at how powerful the country is relative to the rest of the world.
They’d be shocked at how huge the federal government is and how small the state governments have become.
They’d be shocked and disgusted at how little those in government respect the Constitution.
They’d be shocked to see the progress and technology that the freedom to innovate produced.
They’d be shocked that citizens continue to use the Constitution and their Bill of Rights as a primary defense to defend rights.
They’d be shocked at how many “rights” there are.
This list could go on and on but you get the point. You know what they would not be shocked about?
Not Shocked
They wouldn’t be shocked to see the riots.
They wouldn’t be shocked to see the politicians in government continuing to try to expand their power.
They wouldn’t be shocked to see forces around the world and within the country trying their hardest to destroy America and what it stands for.
They wouldn’t be shocked to find liberty in grave danger.
They wouldn’t be shocked to find so many groups and individuals fighting to extinguish liberty.
Human Nature
Human nature was something the founders always knew without a doubt must be recognized, acknowledged and reckoned with continually.
You see. It’s not surprising to find that humans are still doing the same things we’ve been doing since the founding era…no, since the beginning of time.
Humans are still lawless. Humans are still irrational, emotional, easily manipulated and used. Humans are still prone to violence. Humans are still prone to seeking after power and abusing that power. Humans are still trying to find new ways to control others and eliminate liberty.
So, yes. The founders would be shocked by some things. A lot has changed over the past 250 years.
But they would not be shocked to see the riots and the unrest. They would likely shake their head in recognition. The same human nature they struggled to contend with is the same human nature America is suffering under the weight of today. They built the very foundations of this country on the understanding and belief that all of humanity would rage to tear to liberty down at all costs. Don’t forget this. Those of us who don’t remember history are doomed to repeat it.
Think of it this way. Those who are fighting to erase our history of slavery by destroying books written by whites or tearing down Confederate monuments are doomed to repeat the very thing they claim to hate.
We must never ever lose sight of what our founders saw and would see.
Conclusion
Perhaps the silver lining is this.
I believe our founders would be shocked to find that America is not as far gone as we could be. Those checks and balances they made sure to include have really stood the test of time. They’d be shocked that shreds of liberty still do exist and that America is the beacon of liberty to the world—and the Constitution does still hold some semblance of respect.
They’d be shocked that, in such a time, there are still those fighting to preserve liberty.
And perhaps that’s just it isn’t it? Perhaps that’s why liberty does still exist.
Some people haven’t forgotten and are still willing to fight for it.
The Liberty Belle