Unity Vs. Uniformity
How is it possible for people of different backgrounds, intelligences, ages, sexes, colors, faiths, degrees of wealth, etc. to come together, live in peace, or even work together? How is it possible for a church to be made up of black, white, brown, and every other color? How is it possible for a man and a woman to marry and stay together until death, sometimes for 50 or 60 years or more? How is it possible for a nation so large and diverse as ours to stay together, live in peace, work together, and prosper together? There is one good answer to these questions.
Ours is not the first “nation” so diverse. Empires in history united many and diverse nations under one rule: Babylon, Rome, the British empire, USSR, China, etc. These were all held together under an iron thumb. And, as soon as that thumb was removed, those nations split apart from one another. Our word “Balkanization” comes from just such upheavals in history. United under the Ottoman Empire and later under socialist Yugoslavia, the divisions were hidden for a time but soon erupted when those regimes fell. Rule by fear cannot long endure, but must end as the power uniting men weakens, and the forces dividing them strengthen. An autocratic regime may force an unnatural unity on men, but such a “unity” cannot endure the death of the regime.
The rallying cry today is: “Diversity is our strength.” Really? How does one prove that? This is simply an empty phrase signifying nothing. For historical reasons already mentioned, diversity is not strength; rather, some other force stronger than diversity must exist to hold a diverse people together. A common flag won’t do it. A common birthplace won’t do it. Otherwise, people from all over the world would not have left their birthplaces and given up their citizenship elsewhere to join America.
The only way a true and organic unity can be formed out of diversity is by finding some principles the people hold in common and because of which they are willing to overlook their differences. The principles that unite them must be stronger (i.e., of greater value and importance to them) than the principles that divide them. That is the meaning of our motto “e pluribus unum”-out of many, one.
What are those unifying principles here in America? They used to be the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. I can remember a time when liberal and conservative could agree on the freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, government limited by the people, etc. There are still some Americans that hold to these principles, and I gladly unite with them! There are some, e.g., Alan Dershowitz, with whom I may have little else in common, but I heartily applaud him for his defense of the Constitution!
If we can agree 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,” then we have solid ground indeed on which we can work together to secure these rights, and flourish together. If we can agree on principles like elected representation, the rule of law as opposed to the rule of men, the division of powers, individual rights and responsibilities, free markets, private ownership of property, etc., then we have a strong foundation on which to build a peaceful and prosperous society. Our true strength is the set of principles that unite us. If we have a set of principles that is able to draw together and hold together a large and diverse group of people who would otherwise separate, then it is a strong set of principles; it is a strong tie that binds us. That is what our Declaration and Constitution have done heretofore; and they have done so for a truly great diversity of people.
However, there are some Americans today who want to destroy that unity. Consider, for example, the New York Times article from Aug. 19th, 2022 by Harvard and Yale professors Doerfler and Moyn, entitled “The Constitution Is Broken and Should Not Be Reclaimed”. They want the Constitution to be as easily changed by the legislature as any other law. You don’t have to be a lawyer to understand that such a change would enable the government to seize all sovereignty away from the people. Our government serves us, not vice versa!
James Madison, the Father of our Constitution, said: “If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and the next place, oblige it to control itself.” If we do not keep the reins on government, then evil men will take more and more power away from the people until we are all “reduced under absolute despotism,” in the words of the Declaration. It grieves me that these professors, disloyal to the Constitution, are training the current and future lawyers, judges and legislators, who will be swearing oaths to uphold and defend the same Constitution. The basis of our unity is under attack!
On another front, the Marxist cultural revolution used to fly the banner of “tolerance.” Now they preach their false gospels of the 1619 Project; Critical Race Theory; intersectionality; climate change; Green New Deal; ending fossil fuels; sustainability; Environmental, Social and Governance scores; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Critical Queer Theory; drag queens in schools; sexualizing children; Social Emotional Learning; and many others. In all these things, they demand that everyone hold one position. Anyone who holds a different view is ostracized, demoralized, silenced, deplatformed, defunded, de-banked, fired, sued, etc. They demand not merely that we tolerate their views, but that we believe, confess and promote their views. There is no debate, no diversity of thought; only their way or the highway. This is not unity but uniformity!
You can see this cultural revolution in the response to Covid-19. There was one response: isolation. One prevention: the jab. One treatment: ventilators and remdesivir. Any doctor or nurse who suggested any other treatment was committing professional suicide, and few were willing to pay that price to care for their patients. No longer are doctors and patients free to make medical decisions; all decisions must come down from those who know what’s best for everyone.
Another example can be seen in how Rep. Rashida Tlaib (Mich.), in September, demanded that bank leaders immediately commit to ending all financing of fossil fuel investments. When bank CEO Jamie Dimon objected to this, Rep. Tlaib called on everyone to stop doing business with his bank. Imagine: a US Representative using her office to punish a private business because she didn’t like the company’s business policy. What’s next? Do we have to be like China with a communist party official supervising every business? This is unabashed tyranny!
This demand for uniformity of thought is an attack on our unity, and if unchecked will lead us to a totalitarian dictatorship like those mentioned above. Wake up, America! It’s time to take a stand for the principles that unite us. The way to build unity is not by focusing on our differences-that will only divide us. Rather, it is by focusing on the things we can agree on. Take a stand for the Declaration, the Constitution, and our founding principles. Stand up now for freedom, or become a Marxist slave.
Michael Pfleegor
Bloomsdale, MO
