JFN Radio Stream
Uncomfortable Truths: Citizen or King?
My family owns a small-business in Pueblo, Colorado. For the past 13 years, we have been one of the most successful pizza delivery businesses in town—competing for our share of customers through providing the best possible product. Today, President Obama visited our city, flying in on Air Force One. As I saw his supporters, as Pueblo is very welfare-dependent, I noticed something. All of these people lined up to just catch a glimpse of the President. Or to just shake his hand. Or to just hear him speak. Whatever the case, all of these people were going out of there way for a single moment “with the President”.
Abraham Lincoln, in a very famous quote, remarked that America has “government of the people, by the people, for the people”. Today we see a very different reality. We are treating our politicians like Kings and Queens. Lincoln was trying to illustrate that our leaders aren’t some sort of “half-human, half-god”, worthy of praise, beings. Rather, our leaders are citizens like us, governing for us, elected by us. Why are we treating the President like a King? Why do we stop the world when he is around? Is he a mere citizen that is fulfilling his duty to the public, or is he some sort of grand Prince that deserves us to bow down before him?
Like I said, my family owns a small-business. Today, as we made our pizza, we sent our delivery drivers out on deliveries. One driver came back and told me that the Interstate was shut down, and he had to take a huge detour to get to his delivery address. At face value, that seems to be no big deal. However, do you understand those implications? What our culture is saying is that it is better to delay things that matter (in this case, the successful running of a business) just to see someone who happens to be in power. America, have we forgotten that our officials are no better than us? I leave you with this thought, spoken by Thomas Jefferson,
“Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then, be trusted with the government of others? Or have we found angels in the form of kings to govern him? Let history answer this question.”
Abraham Lincoln, in a very famous quote, remarked that America has “government of the people, by the people, for the people”. Today we see a very different reality. We are treating our politicians like Kings and Queens. Lincoln was trying to illustrate that our leaders aren’t some sort of “half-human, half-god”, worthy of praise, beings. Rather, our leaders are citizens like us, governing for us, elected by us. Why are we treating the President like a King? Why do we stop the world when he is around? Is he a mere citizen that is fulfilling his duty to the public, or is he some sort of grand Prince that deserves us to bow down before him?
Like I said, my family owns a small-business. Today, as we made our pizza, we sent our delivery drivers out on deliveries. One driver came back and told me that the Interstate was shut down, and he had to take a huge detour to get to his delivery address. At face value, that seems to be no big deal. However, do you understand those implications? What our culture is saying is that it is better to delay things that matter (in this case, the successful running of a business) just to see someone who happens to be in power. America, have we forgotten that our officials are no better than us? I leave you with this thought, spoken by Thomas Jefferson,
“Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then, be trusted with the government of others? Or have we found angels in the form of kings to govern him? Let history answer this question.”
Nathan Diller
Uncomfortable Truths: Citizen or King?
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