Under the baobab: ‘We the people’ must remain vigilant in the face of new social war
Despite some opinions to the contrary, the Constitution of the United States does not begin with the enumeration of individual rights with respect to the limitations of government power. Rather it begins with a simple yet profound statement, “We the People ...” The preamble goes on to list various purposes and functions and why, we the people “do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” The main body of the document creating our collective contract as a country outlines the structure of the government. Individual citizen’s rights are then cataloged in the first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights.
So in order, first came the establishment of a body-politic, a community, “e pluribus unum,” then came the rights of the individual vis a vis the state. Without a country the only rights that the individual has are possibly the “natural and unalienable“ ones stated in the Declaration of Independence: “Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness.” But, without a government to guarantee their enforcement these rights are mere words on paper and do not have the weight of wind on a summer’s day.
Of course, the founders and framers did not intend to include all residents of the occupied country in their “We the People.” The majority of the population, women, enslaved people, indigenous people, and landless white people could not participate in the socio-political life of the country. Throughout history, it has taken major struggles to empower and enfranchise the rest of us born here or naturalized as American citizens.
There has always been tension between the existence of community and individual rights. A civil war was fought over the “right” of some people to enslave others as their property. More people died in the resolution of that issue than of any other in the nation’s history. The suffragette movement, through hard struggle, established the franchise for women. The Civil Rights movement through great effort advanced the idea of full citizenship for African Americans.
Now we are engaged in a great social war testing whether our nation can endure. We are in a battle to determine truth and reality. Was the last presidential election an accurate reflection of the will of the people or was it a sham? Are the inoculation programs a valid attempt to eradicate the worst pandemic our country has ever seen or are they a conspiracy by the government? Should the wearing of masks be an individual choice or a government mandate? Are some states legally trying to suppress the voting rights of African Americans and other minorities? These questions are being argued on the floors of Congress, in town halls, around campfires and dinner tables. Where folks stand on these issues seems to depend on where they sit politically.
WE as the people, must not only resolve them but we must decide under what conditions and by what process. If we are not careful, we may instead facilitate unum being suffocated by pluribus. Those individual rights that so many have hoped for, fought for, and died for, can dissolve. You cannot grow apples without the tree.
What can we do? Remain vigilant. We can begin by speaking out and listening up. Our local elections are next week. Your candidates need your support. Show up and vote. Local councils meet regularly; show up and voice your opinions but while talking don’t forget to listen. Engage and re-engage in our county and country’s business. Our democracy is at stake. It is homecoming weekend; it’s time to come home.
“The night has been long, The pit has been deep, the night has been dark,and the walls have been steep. The ancestors remind us, despite the history of pain. We are a going-on people who will rise again.” – Maya Angelou