Letters to the editor for the week of July 13, 2011

By: Staff | Nelson County Times
Published: July 13, 2011

Who should rule? God or man?

It is clear to me that today we are engaged in a death struggle between the rule of a modern progressive elite or a governance envisioned by the Founding Fathers. How we arrived at this point will be a wonderful history research project for later scholars, but is not relevant today.

This is a battle that is not distinguished by political party affiliation. It is right and proper that citizens may have differing views as to a particular issue being debated by those elected to govern.

But, this must be done within an agreed upon political framework.

For the people of the United States, this framework was fashioned by the history, traditions and moral values present in 1776 as affirmed in the Declaration of Independence and later in 1787 in the Constitution.

There are three elements to governance. Belief, Structure and Operating Procedures. Foremost among these is the belief by the people in the underlying nature of the government.

In the case of the United States, it cannot be more clearly stated than as is articulated in the Declaration of Independence and in the national motto, "In God We Trust."

Simply said, if God is our king, man cannot be. This is therefore not a religious stricture but rather a political one.

To be effective, the modern progressive elite must cause the American people to disavow this bedrock American belief that advocates individual freedom of choice and replace it with a belief that man should be ruled by man. The affirmation that we are one nation "Under God" is therefore not a constraint upon an individual’s belief or non-belief in God, but rather the hallmark of our concept of governance.

The question is simple. Do you wish God your king or do you wish to be ruled by man?