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Be a Good Citizen

Posted by Connor on February 8th, 2007

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This satirical video (with several strong points worthy of serious discussion) shows the growing disparity between the government and the people. This polarization is in stark contrast to the bold words on our Constitution that state “We the people”. We are the government. It is our master. They are our employees. They are accountable to us.

Or at least that’s the way it’s supposed to be.

In a 1960 letter to BYU administration and faculty, President David O. McKay said:

I cannot help but think that there is a direct relationship between the present evil trends which I have above indicated, and the very marked tendency of the people of our country to pass on to the state the responsibility for their moral and economic welfare. This trend to a welfare state in which people look to and worship government more than their God, is certain to sap the individual ambitions and moral fiber of our youth unless they are warned and rewarned of the consequences. History, of course, is replete with the downfall of nations who, instead of assuming their own responsibility for their religious and economic welfare, mistakenly attempted to shift their individual responsibility to the government.

Because of this shift in attitude in the past century, President Reagan’s words ring all too true, when he so aptly stated:

No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. (A Time for Choosing, Address on behalf of Senator Barry Goldwater, Rendezvous with Destiny, October 27, 1964)

We are the catalyst to reduce the size of government. We are those responsible to tame the beast and its ever-growing powers. It was Thomas Jefferson who said “The greatest [calamity] which could befall [us would be] submission to a government of unlimited powers.”

Or perhaps George Washington said it best:

A government is like fire, a handy servant, but a dangerous master.

Judge Robert H. Jackson, writing in American Communications Association v. Douds, commented likewise:

It is not the function of our government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error.

How well are we doing? Jefferson offered a probing statement allowing for self-examination: “Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty.” Are we timid? Or are we boldly defending our liberties, standing up against tyranny, and trying to keep the government in check?

These should then be attended to with great earnestness.
Let no man count them as small things; for there is much which lieth in futurity, pertaining to the saints, which depends upon these things.
You know, brethren, that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves.
Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed. (D&C 123:14-17)

Read quotes about “patriotism” on

Possibly related posts:

One courageous individual has opined already. Care to pontificate as well?

Ezekiel 33:2-6

2 Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:

3 If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;

4 Then whosoever who heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.

5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him, But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.

6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.

Alma 60:28-29 & 33

28 Yea, behold I do not fear your power nor your authority, but it is my God whom I fear; and it is according to his commandments that I do take my sword to defend the cause of my country, and it is because of your iniquity that we have suffered so much loss.

29 Behold it is time, yea, the time is now at hand, that except ye do bestir yourselves in the defence of your country and your little ones, the sword of justice doth hang over you; yea, and it shall fall upon you and visit you even to your utter destruction.

33 Ye know that ye do transgress the laws of god, and ye do know that ye do trample them under your feet. Behold, the Lord saith unto me: If those whom ye have appointed your governors do not repent of their sins and iniquities, ye shall go up to battle against them.

The following poem was rendered by Darrell Scott who was the father of Rachel Scott who was one of the victims at Columbine High School:

Your laws ignore our deepest needs,
Your words are empty air.
You’ve stripped away our heritage,
You’ve outlawed simple prayer.
Now gunshots fill our classrooms,
And precious children die.
You seek for answers everywhere,
And ask the question “Why?”
You regulate restrictive laws,
Through legislative creed.
And yet you fail to understand,
That God is what we need!

Yesterday I received a number of forwards from a dear friend, and former Bishop who is battling cancer. He is also daily battling the same frustrations many of us who love the United States of America feel as we experience more, and more usurpation of the power of the people guaranteed by The Framer’s Constitution of the United States of America.

As of last evening I joined many others at 9:00 P.M. Eastern time in humble prayer to our Heavenly Father for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for a Godly nation. I sincerely believe we can reverse the trend of evil dominance if we will come together in simple ways such as this. Anyone wishing to join us would, of course, need to do so according to their respective time zone.