By Kerry Marsala Gabby Goodies Consultant #702
http://gabbybiz.com/KerryM
The terminology 'compelling public interest' is an interesting phraseology used by some to suggest or enforce their personal beliefs or values on society at large. It is the 'PC' term used instead of stating this is my or our 'moral code' of law.
Recently there has been great debate over many topics such as Gay Marriage, Partial Birth Abortion, Prayer in Schools, Polygamy Rights, Sodomy Rights, removing the Ten Commandments from public places, banishing the Pledge of Allegiance from our schools, the displaying of Christian religious symbols, flying our country's flag in public places, taking One Nation Under God out of the pledge, plus many more compelling items that have become a reflection of our societal makeup. The mirror of our traditional values and beliefs as a country are reflecting ever so blindly back upon us.
First lets break down the phrase 'compelling public interest' so that we might understand exactly what it means.
Compel- v. to force or drive; to secure or bring about force; to force to submit; subdue; to overpower; to drive together; unite by force; herd.
Public- adj. performing to, or affecting the peoples as a whole or the community, state or nation; open to all people; open to view or knowledge of all; existing, done etc. in public; the people constituting a community, state or nation; a particular group of people with a common interest, aim, etc.
Interest-n. That which concerns, involves, draws the attention of, or arouses the curiosity of a person; power of exciting such concern, involvement, etc.; a participation in or concern for a cause, advantage, responsibility, etc.; concern, importance.
In this time of ever growing tensions rising between the conservative right and the liberal left the term morality, Bible, and God have become disdainful to a loud and venomous group on the far left and our terms to describe our country's beliefs now fall under, 'compelling public interest.' Evidently a safe and non evasive way of stating the same thing many of the people of this land believe in, known as a moral code with ties to a Creator.
Our founding fathers came from all walks of life. The majority of the founders were deeply religious, some were Deists and some just weren't sure. Coming from a world that was empowered only by religion and very corrupt in its execution of subjecting its people you can see why the majority of people wanted separation of church and state. They recognized the need for all of the citizens of the United States to be free from federally mandated religion. Their belief though in a higher being was never in question. They recognized a Supreme Being and our Constitution includes this recognition, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." As you study the thoughts, letters and quotes written by Thomas Jefferson, a known Deist, you can understand why our founders felt the need for separation, but Jefferson never denounced the Creator. "My views...are the result of a lifetime of inquiry and reflection, and very different from the anti-Christian system imputed to me by those who know nothing of my opinions. To the corruption's of Christianity I am, indeed, opposed; but not to the genuine precepts of Jesus himself. I am a Christian in the only sense in which He wished any one to be; sincerely attached to his doctrines in preference to all others..."
As well, Benjamin Franklin understood the need to recognize that without a moral code laid forth by our Creator we could not build our foundation. "We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel."
We all can acknowledge without doubt that the Constitution had flaws, but the founding fathers wrote our document to be a living and breathing document, and they realized the need for the abolishment of slavery even when it was written. Even though the historical revisionist like to blame our Founding Fathers for the end product of slavery it was not introduced by these men, but disdained by them. (For more information read: The Founding Fathers and Slavery by David Barton)
Within the framework of our foundation and walls of this great country who decides what is in the best interest of our society? Is it the minority or majority? This question is quickly becoming a major talking point. With the State Supreme Court of Massachusetts recently pushing their values and beliefs of gay marital rights onto the public interest of the good people of the state of Massachusetts and our Supreme Court of the land possibly abolishing 'One Nation Under God" from our pledge, just who is or who are the beings that make up the compelling public interest?
Some will argue that the majority should never rule, but it was the majority who brought about the desire for freedom in this country to choose where one worships, works, lives, educates oneself and so on… It was the uprising of the majority of the public that compelled the Founders to write our Declaration of Independence, and to fight not only the American Revolution but to fight for the freedom of all mankind here in these United States and help abolish slavery. It is this continuation of compelling public interest that stirs the majority to keep the ugliness of racists doctrine, hatred of others and bigotry from rearing its ugly head. But, it is also this majority who believes in a Creator from where we all have come. A Creator who has lain forth a moral code. Do not murder, do not rob, do not bear false witness, do unto they as you want them to do unto you, are all principals that were given to us by our Creator. Why is it we can say these are just 'compelling public interest' laws set forth, but not recognize from where they came from?
Some are very afraid of the majority. And there are times when the majority will and have been wrong, but let us not forget what the minority has done. Remember the history of dictators who have committed some despicable atrocities in our lifetime. Adolph Hitler and his doctrine of racism and hatred was a minority unto himself until he stirred up fear, caused by ignorance, thusly causing blood and chaos to be spilt within a down trodden society. It was a small mind that killed masses in a horrific period of our world history. In as recent of times we also have another minority that was given too much rule of law and that is Saddam Hussein. A ruthless tyrant, not unlike his predecessor Hitler, both 'gods in their own minds.' These are but only two examples that utilized the minority vote to decide 'compelling public interest' to determine the fate of their nations and their greed to overrule the entire planet.
Just then who decides compelling public interest? Is it the majority or the minority? Do we discuss, study, and challenge the majority to guide us in the public law or do we let a few dictators or lawyers sitting as judges' rule for the people of the land?
This is the beauty that our living and breathing document gives this unique country called 'the land of the free and home of the brave.' We have a right to petition, assemble, voice our opinions, vote, and even burn our flag that gives us these freedoms. Never should mob rule, but never should we let the minority go unchecked. We have three branches of government set up to help us keep the checks and balances. Let the people, the government of this great land of ours, be the majority that keeps tabs on the minority we vote into place. Let us remember our Founding Fathers recognized more than once that our Creator endows us with certain unalienable rights.
Accepting this knowledge that we have a Creator doesn’t imply a government run religion anymore than leaving in 'one nation under God' in our Pledge of Allegiance does. It is our tradition, that we historically recognize that our Founding Fathers acknowledged God and that God is no respecter of persons, and neither should we be. We as a people of this nation have a moral code, calling it 'compelling public interest' doesn't change a thing about where we came from, who we are now and where we are going. God and His laws are a part of this country's foundation; it has been woven into our very Constitution. Blood, sweat, and tears for our freedoms have been poured forth as an offering to let all live within the moral codes placed forth within the Framers pen to paper.
We can choose if we want to follow the framework as individuals or collectively as a whole, but we stand on shaky ground when we fail to live by the foundation laid before us to help us move forward as One Nation Under God and to whom or what we place our trust in. Will it be the Humanistic beliefs of the minority who scream ever so loudly or the beliefs and values cherished by god fearing, hard working people in general? We know those who founded and died for this great land called America, choose the latter.
We must choose and we are to be mindful not to make any egregious mistakes. We must determine who will make the call of our nation's moral code and compel our public interests. Will it be the minority who may be a bit on the 'elite's' side of demagoguery? With all the little ignorant lemmings running about at their feet? Or will it be the majority of Americans who care and desire to empower themselves with knowledge? Who will discuss, study and learn how we all can benefit from living in a free society, that holds the Creator and His truths as our basis of how we conduct ourselves in this world today and onto our future as America the Beautiful.
I love this country we live in and I say, May God continue to Bless America and may our love for our Creator be our strength and anchor forever.
