ANALYSIS/OPINION
We have so many things for which to be thankful. Among them, I am grateful for our government and, in particular, for the reason and the way it was formed by our forefathers. The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution help guide us in keeping our government true to these founding principles which are consistent with our core family values.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Our government and our way of life has allowed our country and her citizens and families to be extraordinary. But, as we have recognized, there has been a decline in our family values that is clearly associated with our government’s values or principles. What is the just role of government in rebuilding our family values?
Mankind’s unalienable rights establish a simple and sound logic that directs us to a proper answer of that question. Our family and our government derive their just powers from the governed. That’s you and me! We are responsible for accountability within our family government and our national government. “We the people” decide the proper role for government in rebuilding “our” family values; and this makes it clear that our government’s role is secondary to our role in that great undertaking. Therefore, it is unjust for us to blame our decline in family values on our government.
First, we must commit to our own family values by altering or abolishing and instituting new family government that is guided by our rights and true principles. With this commitment we can reverse the decline in family values at the micro (family) level. Second, we can also engage or re-engage in our God-given right to claim the power of our informed “consent” that permits and limits the just powers of our national government (macro level).
Regarding the rebuilding of family values, what specifically is our informed consent that we give to our government? Most accepted definitions of family values include some of the following: moral and ethical principles that we follow and teach within our family that promote security, happiness, sound functioning, love, self-discipline, honesty, industry, loyalty and faith. We should only give consent to laws, public policies, incentives and ideological tenets that reinforce our accepted family values. After all, strong families strengthen the fabric of our society, including our economic well-being. Anything contrary to this is harmful to families and should be extinguished by the governed through our speech, support and vote.
We are constantly faced with problems; some are rather simple, but most are fairly complex. Of all of society’s problems that interface with our government, the most central to our well-being, as the governed, is also the most simple ― we the people give consent to the just powers of our government for our security and happiness. This most basic right transcends political parties, race, gender, age and any other differences we have. The solution lies with us and is simple in principle. This is how we are equal. Will “we the people” focus on our equality, our strength and power instead of our differences, our weakness?
For each generation, we must be informed and give consent to the government of our family and our national government. The consent we give is clearly guided by our most basic and true family values and our willingness to uphold them and teach them. The answer to the question concerning the government’s role in rebuilding and securing family values, for me, begins with me and my family. My commitment to give consent to just powers that only strengthen my rights and extend the same rights to others will be the simple answer to this complex problem. Join me, and we will regain a course for greatness for our nation and with it will secure our family values.
Gary M. Barnard, Ph.D., is the author of “Becoming a Power Parent: Seven Guiding Principles for Creating a Healthy Family.” Web: www.power-parent.com.
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