Issue 27.15
By my count, this is the 50th article in this series. It is probably a good time to reflect a little on the purpose and successes of the effort.
Over the last year, we have taken time to examine our founding documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights – as well as a number of additional Amendments. We have discussed the proper role of government and the philosophical basis for the choices our founders made. We have looked at current debates about laws, court decisions, presidents and legislators. Even more importantly, we have thought about our responsibilities as citizens and how we can hold our legislators and leaders accountable. We have identified excellent books and articles that can assist us as we work to understand how we each can make a difference in the future for ourselves, but more importantly for our posterity – our children’s children’s children.
In doing this, my intention is to inform, educate and encourage each reader to understand the Principles of Freedom and how they impact our lives, liberty, prosperity, peace and interactions with each other. There was some question as to whether I should continue the effort past the year mark and if it is of value to our readers. That question was answered as a number of people showed up at the convention I mentioned last week and said it was because of these articles. I was asked if the series could be put out in book form for them to have. I was asked if they are available online. I was asked to please continue, so, as long as the publisher decides they are of value, I will keep doing them.
You can read most if not all of the articles by going to the archives at http://seniorsampler.com/category/lynn-west/ . You can also see many of them along with commenting or reading other’s comments at my blog page (which admittedly needs updating) at http://mrshaunforsenate.blogspot.com/ or another webpage dedicated to these principles, http://shau79.wix.com/forging-the-future.
The crying need we have if we are to have any chance to save the liberty we value is education. Most people do not know why our country is great and even at times good. They don’t know the values that will bring us back on course. If these articles help you to understand and even to act, please share them with others and encourage them to read and discuss the principles we debate. Help them to understand the damage our current two-party/one intention system is creating in our lives and our futures.
I can tell you they won’t hear these principles in most public classrooms or in most media – even those considered “conservative” because they are more interested in tearing down other people and ideas than they are in teaching correct principles. It’s more fun and it gets more attention to do it that way, but it does very little to bring back the principles and ideals that created the freedom and opportunity we have enjoyed but are losing.
Thank you all for reading and for your support. It makes a difference.
Lynn West is a thinker, a teacher and a patriot. You can reach him through email at forgingthefuture2021@gmail.com or through this newspaper. Liberty is a state of being which must be continually created. These articles can help all of us discover the ways we can contribute to that outcome.