Our country is lacking one concept that gave us the ability to govern ourselves and more importantly gave us our freedom: public virtue. In 1776 the term public virtue meant voluntarily sacrificing personal benefit for the good of society. It took two years for our country to accept a higher calling and put aside our own personal interests. Without public virtue, we cannot and do not deserve a Republic based in liberty.
Most people have not heard of this concept that our founding fathers immortalized in the following passage from the Declaration of Independence:
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
The definition of a patriot: a person who vigorously supports his country and its way of life. Consider this definition when reading the following quotes from Thomas Jefferson:
“When governments fear the people there is liberty. When the people fear the government there is tyranny.”
“The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.”
“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.”
Last summer an attempt was made to start a Western Carolina coalition of “patriot” groups. Coordination is the next step after communications have been established. In order for coordination to succeed, public virtue is a requirement. It did not take long to see that this attempt was too early and the lack of public virtue and the abundance of egos made short work of this attempt.
A new attempt at coordination is starting in Eastern Carolina. The first meeting took place on March 24th and I see the beginning of a coordination that includes public virtue.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVWG_ebsc0c
How long do you think it will take for our country to understand the concept of public virtue and its requisite role in our future? Which is more important: public virtue in our politicians or in the people?
David DeGerolamo
