Subject:  :Chuck Baldwin's Oct. 7 Food for Thought: Where is Jefferson's Spirit of Resistance?
Date:  Fri, 7 Oct 2005 11:40:59 -0700 (PDT)

Where Is Jefferson's Spirit Of Resistance?
By Chuck Baldwin
October 7, 2005


One of the uniquely American attributes upon which this great
country was founded is the spirit of independence, or as Thomas
Jefferson phrased it, "the spirit of resistance." Throughout
America's history, our people, especially our Christian leaders,
were noted for bold and courageous confrontation. This was
especially true in the area of politics.

Having broken free (at great personal cost) from the fetters of the
British Crown, our founders were jealous of their new-found
liberty. They were not about to easily surrender what they had
struggled so hard to obtain.

As a result, those in positions of power (regardless of political
party) and, therefore, capable of abridging or usurping
constitutionally-protected freedoms were viewed with deep
suspicion. For decades

following the creation of our constitutional
republic, even the slightest incursion upon freedom was met with
swift and stubborn resistance.

Jefferson's quotation already alluded to is, "The spirit of resistance
to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to
be always kept alive."

Notice that Jefferson's "spirit of resistance" was focused
specifically on "government." Unfortunately, it is exactly that
spirit which has all but faded from the modern American
landscape.

On the whole, the American people, and America's Christian
leaders in particular, no longer possess "the spirit of resistance to
government." While they may resist any number of other objects
perceived to be threatening, government, especially at the federal
level, routinely gets a pass.

For example, leaders of the Religious Right get righteously
indignant regarding private enterprises they determine to be
immoral, i.e.

pornographers, promoters of casino gambling, gay
marriage proponents, etc. When it comes to federal abuse of
power, however, they sit mute and dumb! It seems totally lost to
most Christians that government leaders who use the power of
their office to trample our liberties are the most immoral reprobates
of all, because nothing is more valuable than freedom. Nothing.

The truth is, we have far more to fear from arrogant, overreaching
politicians than we do from pornographers or homosexual
activists! We can normally resist the latter without risking life and
liberty, but trying to resist the former could (and has) cost
everything including life, fortune, and sacred honor!

It is clear that the only time most dare to resist government is when
the people running it are from a party we do not like. If, however,
the person in charge is from the right party, the best we can do is
sit mute while he or she violates the hallowed principles of

liberty.

A glaring example of what I'm saying is the reaction of most
Christian leaders to President Bush's two Supreme Court picks and
his promotion of the USA Patriot Act. Almost universally,
Christian leaders have extolled the President's choices as all but
perfect. They have heaped the highest praises imaginable upon
both John Roberts and Harriet Miers.

Yet, the truth is, we know virtually nothing about either one of
these people, especially concerning the salient issues that most
Christian conservatives are concerned about. If we were totally
honest, the best we could say is, "We really don't know what kind
of Supreme Court justices they will be. Only time will tell."

However, the mantra commonly used by Christian leaders
regarding Bush's Supreme Court picks is, "We should trust the
President. " Yet, that was the same thing conservative leaders told
us when George Bush, Sr. selected David Souter to the High

Court.

Let's be honest: if Al Gore or John Kerry were picking stealthy,
virtually unknown Supreme Court justices, Christian conservatives
would be shouting to the heavens for resistance! But why? Why
would they resist one and not the other? For the same reason they
do not resist the Patriot Act: they are given to political partisanship
and personality, not to the principles of liberty and constitutional
governance.

When President Bill Clinton proposed his version of the Patriot
Act, conservative Christians vehemently resisted. The result of
which was that Congress refused to enact it into law. However,
when G.W. Bush proposed the almost identical piece of legislation,
Christian conservatives offered no resistance and the proposal
became law.

Even if Roberts and Miers turn out to be wonderful Supreme Court
justices, the principle by which they were approved is just as
shameful as when Souter was appointed. Again, it seems to

be all
about partisan politics and personality and has almost nothing to do
with the principles of liberty and constitutional governance.

When Jefferson wished for "the spirit of resistance to government"
to be always kept alive, he was expressing a cornerstone doctrine
for America's future success. He knew what most of our Christian
leaders today never learned or have forgotten: without "the spirit of
resistance," freedom is jeopardized and independence is
compromised.

© Chuck Baldwin


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