Federalist No. 65 – Janine Turner
Howdy from Texas.
“Where is the standard of perfection to be found?”
Alexander Hamilton pragmatically points to the fact in his Federalist Paper No. 65, that no man, no country, no government, no Constitution is perfect.
“Who will undertake to unite the discordant opinions of a whole community, in the same judgment of it; and to prevail upon one conceited projector to renounce his INFALLIBLE criterion for the FALLIBLE criterion of his more CONCEITED NEIGHBOR?”
Is this premise not the kindling that lights the fire of faction and prejudice in not only our government but the people of our country?
Yes, James Madison wrote, “Liberty is to faction what air is to fire.” However, faction may be overzealously utilized to the point of destruction.
Alexander Hamilton states,
“Yet it ought not to be forgotten that the demon of faction will, at certain seasons, extend his sceptre over all numerous bodies of men.”
Where are we in our country today? To determine that our country be perfect is to beset upon her an unattainable projector and thus a disillusionment. Are not our dogged factions a determination from one conceited party to derail the other conceited party? This conceit becomes a prejudice. Prejudice is the vice of evil. Evil seeks to destroy all good.
And America is good. America may not be perfect but she is good. America may not be without blemish but she is exceptional.
All parties should lay their swords upon the battlefield of propriety and pray for wisdom to unite. A unity based on the foundations of principles lain in our Constitution, principles that give free reign to faction but yield for reflection upon the broader purpose – A Republic that imbues her people with integrity, freedom to speak and seek, rise and fall, succeed and fail at one’s own determination. A call of the wild protected by civilized citation.
Diversity is to freedom what unity is to foundation.
Perfection renders failure. Virtue renders victory.
God Bless,
Janine Turner
Tuesday, July 27th, 2010
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