The Founding Fathers conceived the United States of America out of their
desire to escape Great Britain’s heavy-handed governance. They justifiably felt
that the Crown was too intrusive and oppressive. The colonists were – just as
they were back in their homeland - heavily taxed, denied the pursuit of freedom
and silenced when it came to legislative affairs. They and other Brits had
become beholden to their government.
Not wanting to live under such tyranny, and intent on guaranteeing that no
one else suffered the same, they founded this great nation under the basic yet
utterly profound premise that the people control the government, rather than
the other way around. This tenet was codified in the Declaration of
Independence through this timeless phrase: "Governments are instituted
among Men, deriving their Powers from the Consent of the Governed."
As a direct result of their newfound self-rule, the United States and their
citizens prospered. It was the first time in history that a people collectively
and officially recognized freedom as a natural right, granted to all by a
higher power, something beyond government and beyond Man. Despite being natural
and essential to one’s existence, true liberty was in stark contrast to not
only British rule but also that of most organized societies since the dawn of
time, from nomadic tribes to the world’s greatest empires. Americans were
unique because they could pursue happiness and liberty virtually unabated.
Essentially, the United State were, by design, Heaven on Earth.
This position still holds mostly true to this day; centuries later: Despite
her flaws (the result of our people straying from the formative tenets of
self-rule, responsibility and liberty), our country is still the best
exemplification of a free society.
Realize, though, that this is not a guaranteed comfort; there have been and always
are forces at work to suffocate natural rights and eliminate “the Consent of the Governed” from the
government equation. We as Americans can only maintain this great nation and
eliminate those threats through participation in legislative affairs. This does
not mean that one needs to run for office. All it means and requires is that
the citizens pay attention to how their lives are impacted by government and
then - based upon acceptance or displeasure – make their voices heard in the
electoral process.
Unfortunately, over the years, many have lost sight of this duty. Less and less people exercise their right to vote, taking Americanism and freedom for granted while accepting the status quo and gradual degradation of our rights. They fail to see that the right to vote essentially dictates all other rights. Such a wayward mindset will ultimately destroy America, taking all of the power from the people and placing it into the hands of the government. Oppressive government rule can and will wipe out all rights, even those identified as being unalienable.
This demise can be prevented – and America saved - with your help. In 2
weeks, during the general election, many people will do the patriotic thing and
exercise their right to vote. While this occurs many others will decline their
obligation. You will know many such people, those who consider going to the
polls a chore and struggle to make to time for it or to put-in the efforts
necessary to make an informed decision. You yourself may even be one of these
souls. If this is the case, a truer path must be chosen. It is imperative that
you exercise your right to vote. It is as equally important that you influence
other people to do the same.
Not participating in our representative form of government through elections
will, in the end, give away the very extraordinary American way of life – one
predicated on freedom -- that you, your children, and their children all
rightly deserve and should expect. Bob Confer is a Gasport resident and vice president of Confer Plastics Inc. in North Tonawanda. E-mail him at bobconfer@juno.com.
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This column originally ran in the 15 October 2012 Greater Niagara Newspapers
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