Eternal Vigilance -- The Price of Freedom

There's a strange meme that seems to be floating around town that goes something like this:

Ogden City government is founded on a "republican" political framework. We elect our public officials at regular intervals; and between elections we citizen-folk should just sit back and let the "chips fall," secure in our abiding faith that the American system of government works -- and that our elected officials always act rationally and deliberately -- and always in in our best interests. Anything beyond that is deemed "obstructionist." The concept seems to revolve around the notion that the citizen electorate somehow fully delegates away its grassroots political power and civic obligation at the ballot-box, and that the only cure for official malfeasance or mismanagement is through the subsequent electoral process. It's a sort of "set it and forget it," mentality, if you will.

I've heard this basic attitude expressed many times, in many forms. Most recently, it appeared in a Standard-Examiner letter to the editor, penned by one Jeremy Taylor, of Ogden:

One of the most enduring and useful bits of advice given to me while I was growing up was to "lead, follow or get out of the way." It is unfortunate that the ranks of Ogden residents include so many who missed this advice and now both reject the pursuit and assumption of the heavy burdens of leadership, and refuse to follow our elected leaders.

They choose, instead, to try to block and stop every initiative of our leaders to move forward with the times. These recalcitrant neighbors don't like to be called obstructionists, but that is exactly what they are since they fail to provide timely and constructive alternatives to the vision, proposals and plans of our leaders.

These folks need to recognize that it is time for them to get out of the way, since they lack both the desire and skills to either lead or follow.

While I'll admit this argument has some merit, at least in excessive instances, the basic sentiment is still troubling to me in the general case. It seems to me that this view is fundamentally un-American, inasmuch as active citizen participation is fundamental to well-functioning American-style government, particularly at the "local" level. When properly and regularly applied, the efforts of community-activist citizens are actually an asset to elected officials. "Two heads are better than one," as the old saying goes.

If there's anything wrong with current American democracy, it's citizen apathy, in my view. Alert and politically-active citizens are the most effective guardians against government mismagement and excess. If there's any problem I see in the American political system it's the attitude of citizens like the above-quoted Mr. Taylor, who believe they're fully participating in the political process when they show up at their local polling place every year or two to give a thumbs-up (or down) to the politician of their choice.

I happened upon a good Paul Mackley article today over on the Weber Sentinal News website. Entitled "Citizens should challenge unjust laws, give feedback to local government," it truly sets forth what I believe to be the ideal role of citizens vis-a-vis their elected government, and also "weaves in" a pet issue of mine -- the necessity of observing common cultural morality and justice in the implementation of public policy. I'm going to quote a brief portion of the article here:

Recently I was reminded of the duty we have as citizens to uphold just law and support good leaders. I was able to spend a few days in the beautiful country of Austria — where the famous "Sound of Music" was filmed and the infamous Adolf Hitler was born. In May, Europe had the opportunity to reflect upon the tragic days of World War II as they celebrated the 60th anniversary of the end of the war.

I had to ask myself, how did the rule of law become so perverted and run counter course to justice under the rule of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany? Remember that Hitler’s National Socialist Party began with many seemingly benign social programs. Only later did it turn to book burning, Hitler "youth camps" and mass racial genocide. How did it happen? The answer is, "One step at a time."

There are times when we need to speak out and inject an ounce of prevention into improper public policy, not to mention a possibly even greater need to recognize and improve faulty private behavior, behavior that is out of harmony with the Ten Commandments. Silence often times condones, and if improper laws go unchallenged long enough, pounds of cure are inadequate to establish a course correction.

The founders in the United States knew that eternal vigilance was the price of freedom. John Adams said that "the constitution was made for a moral and religious people and was wholly inadequate for the government of any other." Benjamin Franklin said, "Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters." Even former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ezra Taft Benson said that he would only support a public program or policy if it was in harmony with God’s laws, in harmony with the U.S. Constitution and had a positive affect on the character of the people." [...]

If you'd like to read the full version, you can find it here. This ought to be food for thought, good readers. I hope you'll read and consider this fine essay. Your subsequent comments will be welcomed of course, as always.