The Constitution of the United States of America

How I love America! I do, even as a young boy I remember having tender feelings about this country. I remember my mother teaching me how to pray and letting me know one of the things I needed to thank my Heavenly Father for was the blessing of being born in this great free country. How many of God's children throughout time have never had the blessing of Freedom and Liberty. What a supernal gift, that all to often, we take for granted.

Many of the people I meet seem to think that America and her form of government can not be damaged. It has been around their entire life and so it must always be around. That change is a good thing. We can go about our lives without a thought as to our duty as citizens, secure in the knowledge that America will always be free.

A large contributing factor of this logic is the fact that the Constitution is a living document. It was always meant to be able to be changed and not static in time. But we must be careful, God himself sanctioned the original version. (D&C 98:4-10; 101:77)

I am "Standing Up" today to warn this is not the case. The Constitution is a set of ideals that can be destroyed. We need to be aware of that at this particular time. For those of you who will read this, who are of my own faith, I quote.

"The time will come when the destiny of this nation will hang upon a single thread". (Brigham Young quoting Joseph Smith in his Journal of Discourses, 7:15)

"When the people shall have torn to shreds the Constitution of the United States" (John Taylor, The Gospel Kingdom, p. 219)

I believe these men to be Prophets. As such they have the mantle upon them to prophesy concerning future events. Here they are warning us, that it is possible to destroy the liberties enjoyed by this country. Evil men can plot and devise and scheme to take away God given Freedoms. History has shown this to be true.

Fortunately for us, these men have also said the following.

"At that critical juncture, this people will step forth and save it from the threatened destruction. It will be so" (The above Brigham Young reference)

"The elders of Israel will be found holding it up to the nations of the earth, and proclaiming liberty and equal rights to all men, and extending the hand of fellowship to the oppressed of all nations" (The above John Taylor reference)

"The day will come when the Constitution and free government under it will be sustained and preserved by this people" (George Q. Cannon, Journal of Discourses, 23:104)

What does this mean to us. Well I believe we won't be acting alone. It will be all good people of this country that will come to its aid. It will be the standards of the gospel of Jesus Christ that will save it.

What do we have to do. I quote again.

"Citizens should also be practitioners of civic virtue in their conduct toward government. They should be ever willing to fulfill the duties of citizenship. This includes compulsory duties like military service and the numerous voluntary actions they must take if they are to preserve the principle of limited government through citizen self-reliance. For example, since U.S. citizens value the right of trial by jury, they must be willing to serve on juries, even those involving unsavory subject matter. Citizens who favor morality cannot leave the enforcement of moral laws to jurors who oppose them". (Dallin H. Oakes, Ensign, February 1992)

A Democrat of the 1950's said: "What do we mean by patriotism in the context of our times? … A patriotism that puts country ahead of self; a patriotism which is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime". (Adlai Stevenson, speech given in New York City, 27 August 1952, quoted in John Bartlett, Familiar Quotations, Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1955, p. 986. Italics added)

Hmmm....Sound Familiar. Stand Up!

Why Blog?

A good question, my wife says it is for therapy. She's probably right, she usually is. But on a more sincere note, I can't take it any more. When have we become a nation of not what I can do for it but what she can do for me. That is all any one seems to care about. At least if you believe the main stream media. I believe otherwise!
I believe there are still millions of good people in this country who just aren't heard, why? Well good people tend to think of other people's feelings and try not to offend anyone. As a result of trying to be thoughtful and tolerant of others we let them have the last word. In today's ever declining ethics of journalism that is all that is heard on the 6 O' Clock news.
So why blog? It is my effort to "Stand Up" and to let my voice be heard. The good people of this great nation need to do more standing up! Let your voice's be heard. This will be my humble attempt.
During World War Two there was a family who had several (4 out of 5) of their son's killed in battle. When the father was asked about this and the sacrifice they had paid. He said that he felt the loss most terribly, but if the President required that his last remaining son serve in this conflict, and hence possibly die, he would give it.
By today's standard this man would be thought callus at best and a monster at worst. How could he say this, how could he offer his last son's life for WAR. Didn't he love his son! What a child abuser!
I think otherwise. I think this man was a great man. This man understood two things. First, the value of life. How dear it is, how precious. Once lost we can not get it back. Second, he understood that some things in this life are worth sacrificing for. Even unto death.
There is another Father who also understood this. So he let angry, evil men nail his son to a cross and suffer, sacrifice his life for something worth sacrificing for.
It is my prayer that all who read this will understand the need to "Stand Up". I can not promise that I will write in this daily, but I will try. As I said earlier, my wife is usually right and she says I need it.