Too many people on the left want to reshape our nation to be based on identity politics and pure unadulterated democracy. Thomas Jefferson saw such factionalism and chaotic mob rule in the Jacobinic rebellions in France and deplored it even though he loved everything else about his time in France.
Our Founders had the foresight to separate mob rule from governance when they established a democratic republic or a representative democracy for us, take your pick. Both were designed to allow a sufficient amount of democratic control via regular, staggered elections but assumed qualified individuals would rise to the occasion and offer themselves up as candidates for every elective and appointed office.
They would be staggered to see how few of our most talented, successful and very intelligent citizens even try to run for public office nowadays. It is like America has had a pandemic that lowered collective courage levels over the past 20 years. Our true leaders have willfully chosen to stay locked up in their homes and let others less qualified make our public policy decisions.
Maybe we need a new word to describe what we want America to be. How about “Ameritocracy”?
The word “Ameritocracy” would focus everyone’s attention on what really matters in America ― letting each person utilize their God-given freedom and talents to do whatever they want to do with their life and then be rewarded for their hard work and efforts by the marketplace and the approbation of their fellow citizens.
This is the same thing Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of in 1963 when he said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
The uniquely American ideal, the inherently colorblind declaration that “all men are created equal,” underpins the belief everyone will be treated fairly based on their merits ― which encompasses the full gamut of character, integrity, dignity, intelligence, hard work and compassion.
Many on the left are insisting that everyone else should make their economic and personal decisions based primarily on someone’s gender or race before any other consideration. The most important organ in the body is the human brain, not someone’s sexual organs or skin color. Aristotle thought everything we do as a society or in government should make everyone more virtuous ― so let’s focus on doing everything we can to develop those qualities in our homes, churches, schools and the workplace instead of tearing each other apart because we look or act differently.
Each of us has our own talents and gifts to share with others. I would be of zero service to anyone offering my services as an electrician or a plumber ― but to me, people with such talents are magicians I gladly pay to fix whatever is wrong in our house.
No one in their right mind has ever been in an emergency room and said, “You are not my preferred race or gender kind of doctor. I will wait until you can send me a doctor of (specific identity, class and background).”
The question any sane person wants answered is, “Are you going to help me, doctor?” and the preferred answer is, “Yes, of course, let’s get you fixed up right now.”
All anyone wants to know is if you can do your job and do it well. Everything else is secondary to that prime directive in any aspect of American life.
Maybe we are not where MLK hoped America would be by now, sad to say after almost 60 years of life together. But America is never going to get there as long as people on the left keep insisting on making every issue an issue of race, sex or oppression, the very things America has tried to get rid of over the years through passage of numerous anti-discrimination laws and movements.
The moment America stops being a place where excellence matters and is allowed to happen is the day people will stop wanting to come here by the millions.
