The Foundation of Our Constitution

     Democracy alone is not enough. Democracy is not the soil out of which morality grows. Morality is the essential soil in which democracy thrives. A certain ethos, a characteristic spirit of a culture or community, is required.
     That is an elementary principle precipitating the complexity of trying to establish democracy in Middle Eastern tribal cultures. The ethos that supports their social structure is not conducive for a thriving democracy. It is a different morality.
     Our founding fathers knew morality was the basis of democracy. President John Adams stated, “We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.”
     The growing climate of lawlessness and immorality in America is resulting in a generation that can by no means be described as “moral and religious.” If the statement by Adams is true the future of our nation functioning well under its Constitution looks bleak.
     President James Madison, recognized by many as the architect of the Constitution, framed this great truth: “We have staked the whole future of American civilization not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.”  Madison indicated a social environment based on the Ten Commandments is essential for the survival of democracy.
     A case in point indicating our country is rapidly moving away for such a foundation is a court case in Kentucky where a judge ordered a copy of the Ten commandments removed from a school “lest the students looking upon them daily should come to believe in them.” Horrors! Imagine such a dastardly thing.
     In countries where the ancient Code of Hammurabi fashioned in 1760 B.C. it is still basic to the social structure that democracy doesn’t do well. That Code in simple summary is “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” It doesn’t provide for democratic law to prevail.
     The point is democracy requires a certain culture. For democracy to work in the Middle East or any place a certain culture is essential. This is not to suggest all Middle East countries must become Christian, but it does indicate a culture of a different morality is essential. Changing the shared culture of multiple nations with a legal system and code of ethics based on Sharai Law is highly unlikely. It will never be done by invading them and insisting on a democratic government.
     For democracy as we know it to survive in America, a reversal of our growing immoral trends is essential. Presently the national media has and is changing our total culture. As evidence of this compare the day in which Clark Gable shocked the nation with the “D” word in “Gone With the Wind” with the subject matter and language in current sitcoms.
     Contrast the lyrics of the Doo Wop music of 50 years ago with those of rap music today and a moral decline is evident.
     Another indication of our changing cultural climate is this column. There was a day the concept expressed herein was the norm. Today it will be attacked as fostering religion.
     Like most, I don’t want to impose religion on any person, but there is a point where religious and non-religious people must have a common ground on which to advocate morality.