On American values - - -

A not too bright European socialist questioned the meaning of American values. Well I am no PhD. but I tried to explain as best I could - - -

“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.”

“that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights”

Most Americans believe that their rights are granted by a higher power rather than granted by a King or some all powerful government. That gives us the moral authority to change our government when it fails to meet our needs and makes the government our servant rather than our master.

Europeans by tradition have always had some monarch to look after them and the tradition of something free from their rulers and governments. I recall a drama I was watching about the downturn of a manor house and it’s accompanying village. The estate was in financial difficulties and the village had to be sold. One of the residents lamented “I don’t know what we will do , the Laird has always looked after us”.  It was just a drama, and just a line, but an indication of the historical mindset.

While Europe was busy building empires and trying to enslave the world and rule it’s oceans we were trying to find a little corner of the world away from empires and free from the constant battles and bickering of Europe.

In Europe the game on the land is “owned” by the landowner and they can control the means, methods, and the timing of their harvest. Hunting is the pastime of the rich and the large landholders. Here the game belongs to the people, and there are large tracts of land where the public is free to hunt. The poor man can put venison in his freezer, and catch enough fish for an occasional meal without cozying up to some landowner.

“that among these are life”

We Americans take that so seriously that the 2^nd amendment was included in our
constitution so that we would always have the right of self defense. We have not only the right but the ability of the weak to resist the strong by allowing them to possess weapons. In Europe they seem to think that the authorities can protect the masses, when in reality the victims are long dead before the authorities arrive.

“liberty”

We Americans like to move about the country on our own terms, not tied to public transportation, or undue government regulation. We (before the Liberals rose to power) were permitted to do stupid things if it made us happy. We could climb mountains, bungee jump off of bridges, float wilderness streams, jump out of airplanes without government permission.

We are free to make our fortune without undue government regulation and taxation, and we generated more millionaires than the entire rest of the world.

In Europe, due to the very high tax rates, the only people who could get rich were the very lucky and those who’s family already had money.

We have always had a tradition of wild eyed optimism and an entrepreneurial spirit where people could seek and make their fortune.

We also have a tradition of independence and self reliance that would allow a man to take an ax and a rifle and settle a piece of land.

Our rugged individualism provides us with a thousand paths to liberty, in Europe the horizons are much lower and the paths much harder.

“the pursuit of happiness”

Note that we do not guarantee that you will be happy or that your outcome will be equal to those more or less skilled or wise. We strive to establish a level playing field where everyone has the same chance to achieve their dreams. Europe with their vast socialist programs strives for an equal outcome irrespective of ability, despite the reality of human nature.

We see that as unfair, and more astutely Un-American!

God Bless America !


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