Honor, Morals, and Virtue

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To set the stage we must first have common ground with a definition of terms.  These definitions are from Dictionay.com. Honor: noun • honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions: a man of honor. • a source of credit or distinction: to be an honor to one's family. • high respect, as for worth, merit, or rank: to be held in honor. verb (used with object) • to hold in honor or high respect; revere: to honor one's parents. • to treat with honor. adjective • of, relating to, or noting honor.

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Moral: adjective • of, relating to, or concerned with the principles or rules of right conduct or the distinction between right and wrong; ethical: moral attitudes. • expressing or conveying truths or counsel as to right conduct, as a speaker or a literary work. • founded on the fundamental principles of right conduct rather than on legalities, enactment, or custom :moral obligations. • capable of conforming to the rules of right conduct: a moral being. • conforming to the rules of right conduct (opposed to immoral): a moral man. • virtuous in sexual matters; chaste. • of, relating to, or acting on the mind, feelings, will, or character: moral support. • resting upon convincing grounds of probability; virtual: a moral certainty. Virtue: noun • moral excellence; goodness; righteousness. • conformity of one's life and conduct to moral and ethical principles; uprightness; rectitude. • chastity; virginity: to lose one's virtue. • a particular moral excellence. Compare cardinal virtues, natural virtue, theological virtue. • a good or admirable quality or property: the virtue of knowing one's weaknesses. • effective force; power or potency: a charm with the virtue of removing warts. • manly excellence; valor.

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I would not expect an argument when I state that the Founding Fathers and the germane members of the founding generation were men and women of honor.  In the 18^th century honor, morals and virtue were highly regarded human characteristics. The Founders were genius in that they made every effort to design a system of government most difficult to corrupt.  However, in their writings they expressed concerns that for this system to succeed honorable and virtuous people were the key element.  The Founders clearly understood that human foibles were the weak point of any government.

"Now, mark my words. So long as we are a young and virtuous people, this instrument will bind us together in mutual interests, mutual welfare, and mutual happiness. But when we become old and corrupt, it will bind no longer." ~ Alexander Hamilton

"We have staked the whole future of our new nation, not upon the power of government; far from it. We have staked the future of all our political constitutions upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments." ~ James Madison

"The future and success of America is not in this Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded." ~ James Madison

"I thank God that I have lived to see my country independent and free. She may long enjoy her independence and freedom if she will. It depends on her virtue." ~ Samuel Adams

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"Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt." ~ Samuel Adams

"Religion and good morals are the only solid foundation of public liberty and happiness." ~ Samuel Adams

"Liberty will not long survive the total extinction of morals." ~ Samuel Adams

"One great error is that we suppose mankind more honest than they are." ~ Alexander Hamilton

"Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters." ~ Benjamin Franklin

"The end of democracy and the defeat of the American Revolution will occur when government falls into the hands of lending institutions and moneyed incorporations." ~ Thomas Jefferson

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"This [the U.S. Constitution] is likely to be administered for a course of years and then end in despotism... when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other." ~ Benjamin Franklin

"Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder." ~ George Washington

"However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion." ~ George Washington

"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." ~ John Adams

"But if the laws are to be so trampled upon with impunity, and a minority is to dictate to the majority, there is an end put at one stroke to republican government, and nothing but anarchy and confusion is to be expected thereafter." ~ George Washington

When considering where America is today by assessing such things as the entertainment industry, the willingness to kill unborn human beings, the lying by politicians and the government, and the decline in regular church attendance, is the American majority a moral and virtuous people?  When considering the net worth of so many of our politicians, are We the People being served by honorable men and women?  While examining both the elected and bureaucratic sides of our federal government, are they serving the best interest of We the People or simply perpetuating and expanding their power? Considering the words of our Founding Fathers, are we simply fulfilling their 250 year old sad prediction?   In 2022 are honor, morals and virtue still highly regarded human characteristics?  Our actions on November 8, 2022, will go a long way in determining the future of our republic and answer the questions above.  Every vote counts.  

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