{"id":25274,"date":"2012-01-11T13:30:01","date_gmt":"2012-01-11T20:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/?p=25274"},"modified":"2013-06-04T23:34:09","modified_gmt":"2013-06-05T05:34:09","slug":"the-liberty-counsels-declaration-of-american-values","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2012\/01\/11\/the-liberty-counsels-declaration-of-american-values.html","title":{"rendered":"The Liberty Counsel’s “Declaration of American Values”"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Liberty Counsel has issued a “Declaration of American Values” which they are, of course, trying to get everyone and their brother to sign off on. \u00a0It is, of course, nice of them to assume that they know what “values” are truly “American,” so that they can “declare” them … presumably to those Godless Islamicist Socialist Hordes in other countries, as well to those Commie Secularist Liberals here who Hate America So Much (cough).<\/p>\n

(Note: though some folks have raised this as something new in this pledge-happy election cycle, it actually dates back to 2008<\/a>. It’s still very prominently displayed on their front page, though, and the rhetoric really hasn’t changed, so it’s fair game.)<\/p>\n

What does this Declaration have to say? \u00a0Are its Values truly American? \u00a0Well …<\/p>\n

First off, it’s not at all clear to me that the values embodied in the founding documents — the Declaration of Independence, as well as the (amended) Constitution of the United States — need to be supplemented or rewritten. So my assumption, going into this, is that it’s going to be a bunch of cultural and social issues that the LC would like to see become (or even, in some cases, restore as) “American Values.” Which is fine, but … well, get in line, guys.<\/p>\n

””]\"\"<\/a>\n

The Declaration of American Values<\/p>\n

We the people of the United States of America, …<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Note that this borrows, for the Declaration, the language of the Constitution. But the Constitution really was a statement by the People (capitalized), as it was voted on and approved by their representatives at the national and state levels. The Declaration used “we” language, but not in this way.<\/p>\n

… at this crucial time in history, …<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Is this time more “crucial” than other times in our national history? \u00a0Really?<\/p>\n

… do hereby affirm the\u00a0core consensus values …<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Well, that’s the trick, isn’t it? \u00a0Are the following “core consensus values”? How do the LC know? \u00a0If so, is an affirmation and declaration necessary? \u00a0If not … well, then why call them that?<\/p>\n

I know, I know — the Right is convinced that all the Bad Stuff in our country is due to tiny minority liberal populations on each coast that have somehow taken over this great nation, seizing the media and the government and somehow brainwashing the masses into despair, apathy, and tacit support for the Godless Liberal Agenda.<\/p>\n

… which form the basis of America\u2019s greatness, that all men and women from every\u00a0race and ethnicity are created equal …<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Well, I give them kudos for noting racial and ethnic equality, as well as sexual equality. \u00a0I suspect some of the LC’s fans aren’t quite as sanguine about that, or would attach some caveats (including some of the clauses below) to that statement of equality, but …<\/p>\n

… and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable\u00a0rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As well as it’s Officially and Societally Sanctioned Happiness, of course.<\/p>\n

We adhere to the rule of law\u00a0embodied in the Constitution of the United States …<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Good to know.<\/p>\n

… and to the principles of liberty on which America\u00a0was founded.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As long as it’s liberty to do the things we think people should be doing.<\/p>\n

In order to maintain the blessings of liberty and justice for ourselves and our\u00a0posterity, …<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

More Constitutional(ish) language.<\/p>\n

… and recognizing that personal responsibility is the basis of our self-governing Nation, we\u00a0declare our allegiance \u2013<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

An odd use of the term. \u00a0It’s usually allegiance (loyalty, devotion) to some noun<\/em> (the flag, the nation), rather than to some verb<\/em>; in this document, though, all the clauses start with “to secure”. \u00a0That’s also an interesting choice of terms.<\/p>\n

1. To secure the sanctity of human life by affirming the dignity of and right to life for the disabled,\u00a0the ill, the aged, the poor, the disadvantaged, …<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Does that include government programs to assist in preserving (with dignity) that life, including food, shelter, heat in the winter, and medical care?<\/p>\n

Does providing dignity of life include allowing someone to end their life should they so choose?<\/em><\/p>\n

… and for the unborn from the moment of conception.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I.e., personhood amendments.<\/p>\n

Sorry, while acknowledging that abortion and contraception are thorny issues few bright lines, it’s difficult for me to recognize an unimplanted (or even just-implanted) pair or quartet of cells the same rights and consideration as a homeless person on the street, a sick person in the hospital, etc.<\/p>\n

Every person is made in the image of God, …<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Not every person believes that particular declaration.<\/p>\n

… and it is the responsibility and duty of all individuals and\u00a0communities of faith …<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Or communities of non-faith.<\/p>\n

… to extend the hand of loving compassion to care for those in poverty and\u00a0distress.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I concur. Does that include governmental programs “to care for those in poverty and\u00a0distress”?<\/p>\n

2. To secure our national interest in the institution of marriage …<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If we have a “national interest in the institution of marriage,” we aren’t doing much about it except debating whether we should allow gay folks to be included in it.<\/p>\n

… and family by embracing the union\u00a0of one man and one woman as the sole form of legitimate marriage and the proper basis of family.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I would suggest to the Liberty Counsel that current polling of the national population disagrees that this statement doesn’t reflect the values of most Americans.<\/p>\n

3. To secure the fundamental rights of parents to the care, custody, and control of their children\u00a0regarding their upbringing and education.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

An interesting one — I’d like to know what, specifically, LC is concerned about here. \u00a0What cases of these “fundamental rights” are in danger such that we need to secure them?<\/p>\n

4. To secure the free exercise of religion for all people, including the freedom to acknowledge God\u00a0through our public institutions and other modes of public expression …<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"<\/a>
I'm sure the Liberty Counsel would be tickled to have public institutions acknowledging Cernunnos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But how do we\u00a0reconcile\u00a0“acknowledging God through our public institutions” without imposing on those whose concepts of God (which the LC seems to want to secure freedom for as well) are different? Though it may shock and dismay the LC, not everyone in the nation of “all people” believe in Jesus, or believe in the Abrahamic God, or believe in a higher power whatsoever. \u00a0When someone “acknowledges God through our public institutions,” they alienate, offend, and impose upon those fellow Americans that believe differently as much as how some Christians would be if \u00a0someone acknowledged Allah, or Vishnu, or Zoroaster, or Odin, or the Horned God, or the Godless Universe through a “public institution.”<\/p>\n

The LC’s statement only makes sense if everyone acknowledges the same God. \u00a0I know they’d like to think that everyone does, but they don’t.<\/p>\n

… and the freedom of religious conscience without coercion by penalty or force of law.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Yes, we should certainly make sure there are no legal restrains on public expression of religious beliefs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As soon as the LC agrees that Native Americans should be able to use peyote, Rastafarians should have free use of marijuana, that fundamentalist Mormons should be allowed polygamy, that Quakers should be allowed to exclude the Defense spending from their federal taxes, that Hindus should be allowed to exclude federal beef subsidies from their federal taxes, that people who believe that abortion and euthanasia are religiously acceptable are allowed to engage in them, and that human sacrifice is acceptable for\u00a0descendants\u00a0of the Aztecs … I’ll take this request seriously (i.e., as something other than a weasel clause to have some Christian town clerks not be required in their job to register gay couples for marriage, some Christian pharmacists be not required in their jobs to sell contraceptives, etc.).<\/p>\n

In other words, the LC needs to demonstrate that it’s pushing for freedom of religious conscience for “all people,” not just for Christians (or Christians of a particular flavor).<\/p>\n

5. To secure the moral dignity of each person, acknowledging that obscenity, pornography, and\u00a0indecency debase our communities, harm our families, and undermine morality and respect.\u00a0Therefore, we promote enactment and enforcement of laws to protect decency and traditional\u00a0morality.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This would be a more compelling statement of American values if we didn’t see so much evidence that pornography is widely partaken of throughout America, including<\/em> among folks who identify as conservative Christians.<\/p>\n

So is the LC trying to say “America wants to be saved from itself,” or “We disagree with the majority, but we’ll call it an American value”?<\/p>\n

If obscenity, pornography, and indecency were (a) subject to an agreed-upon national standard, and (b) agreed-upon as something bad, then it wouldn’t be an issue<\/em>. \u00a0But there is no national standard (heck, two next-door neighbors may have different views on what’s “indecent”), and it’s clearly not, at some vague level, not consensually agreed upon as wrong.<\/p>\n

Everyone (well, nearly everyone, sadly) agrees that hardcore child porn \u00a0is wrong. \u00a0Some people think the SI Swimsuit Issue is obscene, though most people disagree. \u00a0Who gets to decide?<\/p>\n

6. To secure the right to own, possess and manage private property without arbitrary interference\u00a0from government, while acknowledging the necessity of maintaining a proper and balanced care\u00a0and stewardship of the environment and natural resources for the health and safety of our\u00a0families.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This clause is as close to a Mom & Apple Pie statement as this Declaration has. I doubt many people couldn’t agree on it\u00a0… but the devil, of course, is in the details. \u00a0What would the LC consider “arbitrary interference”? \u00a0What is “proper and balanced” in caring for the environment? \u00a0Are new EPA regs on mercury levels in coal power plants right or wrong? \u00a0Is protecting a given set of wetlands, even if privately owned, arbitrary or proper? Where’s the balance?<\/p>\n

7. To secure the individual right to own, possess, and use firearms as central to the preservation of\u00a0peace and liberty.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Well, that seems to be ensured at present by the Second Amendment as presently interpreted by the Supreme Court, so, questioning the proposition aside, there doesn’t seem to be much needed to “secure” this.<\/p>\n

8. To secure a system of checks and balances between the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches\u00a0within both state and federal governments, so that no one branch \u2013 particularly the judiciary \u2013\u00a0usurps the authority of the other two, and to maintain the constitutional principles of federalism\u00a0which divide power between the state and federal governments.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

We have a system of checks and balances. The problem is that the Right doesn’t like how it works — i.e., that some judges have ruled against them, overturning particular laws. \u00a0Note that the Left is pretty darned unhappy about some court rulings, too — SCOTUS in particular — but I don’t hear anyone there saying that the judiciary needs to be reformed, restrained or ignored.<\/p>\n

We also have a federalist system. \u00a0The problem is, again, that the Right doesn’t like how the country has grown, such that running a confederation of fifty sovereign nations doesn’t make sense, thus the evolution of recognizing more legal authority to the federal government.<\/p>\n

But it would also be useful if the Right (including the LC) were consistent on this. \u00a0So, for example, the Right (speaking broadly) loves letting states do what they want to do when they dislike the federal policy … but prefer federal laws when the states aren’t toeing the line they want. \u00a0Abortion is a great example of this.<\/p>\n

9. To secure our national sovereignty and domestic tranquility by maintaining a strong military; …<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

How strong is strong? \u00a0Nobody’s promoting unilateral disarmament. \u00a0Which weapon systems does the LC propose we need? \u00a0How many simultaneous wars do we need to be able to fight at any given time? \u00a0How does our military spending need to compare to other countries around the world — do we need to spend as much as the next nine top-spending countries, or could we get away with just outspending the next five?<\/p>\n

… establishing and maintaining secure national borders; …<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Mom & Apple Pie. Nobody disagrees with the principle, just with the implementation details.<\/p>\n

… participating in international and\u00a0diplomatic affairs without ceding authority to foreign powers that diminish or interfere with\u00a0our unalienable rights;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Which plenty of folks would argue means “that requires us to do anything we don’t really want to do.”<\/p>\n

… and being mindful of our history as a nation of immigrants, promoting\u00a0immigration policies that observe the rule of law and are just, fair, swift, and foster national unity.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

On first glance, it’s buzzwords. On second glance, it’s “No illegals!”<\/p>\n

10. To secure a system of fair taxes that are not punitive against the institution of marriage or family …<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Ah, the old “marriage penalty” thing. It’s amazing, given how punitive that the tax system is against marriage, that so many gays are looking to get married.<\/p>\n

… and are not progressive in nature, …<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

No progressive taxes? \u00a0Nice big break for the wealthiest and additional imposition among the least.<\/p>\n

Or, put another way, 20% (let’s say) of the income of someone earning $30,000 a year is less in dollars than 20% of the income of someone earning $300,000, but it has a much greater impact on their standard of living, if not economic survival. \u00a0That’s the idea of progressive taxation (and doesn’t even get into progressive tax brackets).<\/p>\n

Given current polling, I would not say that this declaration is an American value.<\/p>\n

… and within a limited government framework, …<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I.e., the government shouldn’t be able to tax us more than we want or to pay for stuff we don’t agree with.<\/p>\n

… to encourage\u00a0economic opportunity, free enterprise, and free market competition.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Because government is all about money<\/em>.<\/p>\n

We hereby pledge our Names, our Lives and our Sacred Honor to this Declaration of American Values.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Interestingly enough, the original signers of the Declaration of Independence pledged their Lives, their Fortunes, and their Sacred Honor. \u00a0I guess that sounds too much like taxation for the Liberty Counsel.<\/p>\n

So, is this a Declaration of American Values (vs. a Declaration of Liberty Counsel Values)? \u00a0Well, since the LC are, presumably, American, they are the values of some<\/em> Americans. \u00a0But I’d say that the values presented here (or, rather, the hot button social\/political issues presented as values) are of two categories:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Causes so generic that nobody could argue with them in principle (but which LC and the Right’s known interpretations of what they mean by it are<\/em>, in fact quite arguable).<\/li>\n
  2. Causes that this particular American disagrees with.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Sorry, guys. \u00a0No declaration of “allegiance” here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The Liberty Counsel has issued a “Declaration of American Values” which they are, of course, trying to get everyone and their brother to sign off on. \u00a0It is, of course, nice of them to assume that they know what “values” are truly “American,” so that they can “declare” them … presumably to those Godless Islamicist … Continue reading “The Liberty Counsel’s “Declaration of American Values””<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":25286,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[109,100,9,371,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25274","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-church-state","category-dolts","category-politics-law","category-war-on-drugs","category-zt-pc"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/cernunnos.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":17752,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2010\/07\/04\/declaration.html","url_meta":{"origin":25274,"position":0},"title":"Declaration","author":"***Dave","date":"Sun 4-Jul-10 11:53am","format":false,"excerpt":"[...] 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. [...] And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Holidays"","block_context":{"text":"Holidays","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/holidays"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10991,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2007\/05\/01\/law_day.html","url_meta":{"origin":25274,"position":1},"title":"Law Day","author":"***Dave","date":"Tue 1-May-07 7:22am","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm sure that plenty of folks will have fun with the Presidential Declaration of 1 May as \"Law Day.\" Our Nation is built upon the rule of law and guided...","rel":"","context":"In "Politics & Law"","block_context":{"text":"Politics & Law","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/politics-law"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":130978,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2016\/07\/04\/on-the-fourth-of-july.html","url_meta":{"origin":25274,"position":2},"title":"On the Fourth of July","author":"***Dave","date":"Mon 4-Jul-16 5:26pm","format":false,"excerpt":"I try not to blind to the faults of my native country; like any other human institution stretching over the century, they are legion. But I also try to bear in mind its virtues, its ideals. We rarely reach those ideals, but they are worth remembering and being reminded of.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence5B15D.jpgimgmax%3D660.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence5B15D.jpgimgmax%3D660.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence5B15D.jpgimgmax%3D660.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":55,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2003\/07\/04\/when_in_the_cou.html","url_meta":{"origin":25274,"position":3},"title":"When in the course …","author":"***Dave","date":"Fri 4-Jul-03 10:20am","format":false,"excerpt":"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...","rel":"","context":"In "Politics & Law"","block_context":{"text":"Politics & Law","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/politics-law"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":133422,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2017\/05\/07\/so-much-for-so-little.html","url_meta":{"origin":25274,"position":4},"title":""So Much for So Little"","author":"***Dave","date":"Sun 7-May-17 10:44pm","format":false,"excerpt":"Public health service? Government health officials? Controlling water pollution? Inoculations and vaccines? School health programs? School dental programs? Health care for cripples? Prenatal care? Visiting nurses? Government health recommendations?What sort of liberty-destroying Commie socialist hell is this?Well, no, it's America in 1949. Right after WW2. Back when the Greatest Generation\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":146118,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2019\/07\/04\/independence-day.html","url_meta":{"origin":25274,"position":5},"title":"Independence Day","author":"***Dave","date":"Thu 4-Jul-19 11:24am","format":false,"excerpt":"What is the meaning of July 4? Hint: It's not about showing off tanks and jets.","rel":"","context":"In "Civil Liberties"","block_context":{"text":"Civil Liberties","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/politics-law\/civil-liberties"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25274","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25274"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25274\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37428,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25274\/revisions\/37428"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25286"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25274"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25274"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25274"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}