the devil's advocate

Character: one of the attributes or features that make up and distinguish an individual (moral excellence and firmness).

Integrity: firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values: INCORRUPTIBILTY.

Ethics: the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation.

When I wrote my last piece: Religion is a lie, I never expected pushback. To my chagrin, one individual dropped ricology. Which made me wonder why I’ve lost more readers than I’ve gained over the past two years, placing me at what should be a net negative. Except, I do have a positive number who still read, miniscule as they are. And to that end I am thankful. But in my plight to not lose even more readership, I sent an email to try and ascertain the why. Sadly, to no avail. And I promise: My words are not meant to provoke anger but promote thought. As a people, I believe we need a philosophical perspective to see if the path one is following parallels the intent of constitutional design or an intent of political design.

But the reality is I’m probably not the one who should be writing because a lack thereof of the credentials required to do so, begging: Did the Framers have the formal training of constitutional law having created the Constitution itself? An in that thought train, think of John Marshal, the fourth Chief Supreme Court (SC) justice. Who, without a formal education in law, having only attended lectures given by Judge George Wythe at the college of William and Mary, became, or is considered by many, to be the greatest SC justice. But, if one studies Marbury versus Madison, they’ll also see a complicity of deception where one should have recused themself but ruled a decision more for self-preservation than constitutional grounding.

Well, changing direction, Independence Day has passed, and if one lives in South Texas, Beryl made landfall this morning. For some, the storm overrode the celebration as they vacated the area before the holiday was over. While others, nothing interferes with a party until it does. And it looks like Beryl enjoys a party having waited until the holiday’s end to make landfall. So, as I write this, no one is certain what tier of storm will hit the coast or exactly where. But, watching events unfold on the weather channel, all the experts could only use “if,” “possible,” or other such conjunctives. Why? Because they had no idea how to predict what the storm would actually do.

Although, what’s hilarious: While our government pontificates unequivocally that “global warming” is man-made, being THE existential threat to humankind, it can’t predict a storm’s path or outcome. And, in light thereof with global warming, Americans must surrender their use of fossil fuels while developing nations (China anyone) increases their use. A climate equity payback as politics continue to drive the nation into a frenzy on multiple fronts. A Cat 5 hurricane that even mother nature can’t match. A purposely driven discombobulation, the desire being, to upset the balance of power to create a power vacuum unstoppable.

Take the furor over Roe v. Wade. A blatant desire to divide the people through party, and not uphold the Constitution. So, when the SC vacated the “law” (original decision made in 1973), political pundits on both sides of the aisle took the new “decision” made to task. Only, depending on which party one belongs to, the (original or new) decision became the rally cry. But which one is in reality constitutional, understanding the original was never law, because the SC cannot write law, only Congress can. And one will never know unless they understand the Constitution that the SC can only call constitutional or unconstitutional. The rest belongs to Congress. Yet sadly, those at the top prefer to obfuscate issues and instill an ignorance of understanding, thereby able to push an agenda of deception: A power play.

And I get it: Keep your hands off my body! Which should also allow: Keep your hands out of my wallet! The powers vested or a limited government designed conundrum. The dilemma of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness and who has the responsibility to provide such. Only, what about the voice unable to speak: provide for the general Welfare (Article I/Section 8/1^st Clause of the Constitution), with welfare being the key word. Defined: Exemption from misfortune, sickness, calamity or evil; the enjoyment of health and the common blessings of life; prosperity; happiness; applied to persons (Webster’s 1828). Where the only thing Congress has to do is determine when life equals a person. Except, that choice could have far-reaching implications. But should it? Yet, in the brouhaha of finger pointing, party politics purposely does not want to end the furor over Roe v. Wade. A design, purpose, and intent to maintain a divided WE THE PEOPLE. The desire, I believe, from one side, to also discredit the SC. Legislators going as far as pontificating the intent to pack the court. Something FDR tried to do, but his own party then admonished the thought. Not so today. The same party’s desire for power greater than a desire for truth.

Anyway, over the holiday weekend, we were invited to a neighborhood party, the hosts being exceptional people. Before we left our house, Barabara had one request: Leave the politics at home. To which I did, until. In one conversation, another participant brought up a political comment. I responded: Bring up any topic and the Constitution, and you’ll find the answer is actually quite clear. The response: Immigration.

While I look back on my life growing up and into adulthood, I found the three traits of character, integrity, and ethics had to grow into a maturity of purpose to always weigh my decisions. I made mistakes aplenty and through those mistakes built my foundational value on the three. Now, at work, I hold a leadership position. And in that role, I believe myself to be more a servant, helping those under me grow. Outside of work, I try to maintain the same philosophy, understanding one cannot please everyone.

Now, when I lost the one reader, I pondered what their main reason was. Because, in our society, one really needs to look at religion and ask if, while the churches grow richer and the outside flock poorer, how does one justify its intent to take from and keep. So, while Jesus walked the earth, many of the religious leaders did their best to trap him. In one encounter, the intent was to see if he would denigrate Ceasar. It was the choice of taxes versus tithing. His response: … Give to Ceasar what is Ceasar’s, and to God what is God’s (Matthew 22:21). The conundrum today of “Not for profit,” and if church on the one hand should set its values based on the tenets of the Bible. Or, on the other hand, the benefit of government.

As I close, in all things there is truth, balance, and justice. Or there should be. The requirement is one having character, integrity, and ethics. But the ability to see through the obfuscation of politics is having knowledge. And the only way one can obtain knowledge is to study. The inverse is to rely on those in power. And that, dear reader, is to continue the national destruction taking place by the very ones who swore to protect and defend the nation using the Constitution as a basis of intent. And yes, immigration is a key part, including one’s Life, Liberty, and pursuit of [their] Happiness. But one must understand where the power lays to decide the fate of others. And the only way to know whether government is in its right to take from and give to is to understand the Constitution. And once enlightened, the issue of immigration becomes clear, begging: Why do I never hear the Constitution mentioned in any political diatribes given? Because the intent is to deceive.