Our brilliant Constitution is the foundation of our beloved republic. Its poetic preamble lays out the reasons for our noble purpose. Although this seminal document is integral and vital to our very freedom, we tend to take it for granted and seldom ponder its incredible significance and serious obligations for every citizen. Our politicians are charged to uphold the Constitution, but thankfully our military service members take the charge to protect our Constitution “against all enemies foreign and domestic” as a solemn life or death duty.
The preamble of our Constitution starts with the oft quoted phrase “We the people” which means the entire nation. Every citizen is included and has a stake in this ongoing experiment in self-government. No one is left out; that is why we strive to “form a more perfect union” to preserve the God given rights of every individual. That union encompasses our diversity, but more importantly it enshrines our common cause for freedom.
The preamble continues to “establish justice” which means we will all be judged by mutually agreed laws and not the whims of men in power. That is why the military swears an oath to the Constitution and not any particular elected official. Thank God our armed forces are loyal to the people and our founding document, so they cannot and will not be manipulated by some unscrupulous leader.
The next phrase is to “insure domestic tranquility.” In our current age of hyper partisanship and rampant demagoguery, tranquility seems remote in our seriously fractured country. But despite the incessant bickering, we do have relative tranquility because no one is imprisoned for political dissent and power is still passed peacefully. Our Constitution provides and guarantees this framework for tranquility with the rule of law and our military ensures it.
The preamble goes on with “provide for the common defense.” Our founders recognized from the outset “united we stand, divided we fall.” While each state is autonomous and sovereign, no state can or should defend itself alone. Any attack on one state is an attack on all the states. Whether a foreign assault on our territory or a domestic depredation on our liberties, our country will face any threat as the United States.
“Promote the general welfare” is sometimes misconstrued as “provide” the general welfare. Too many modern politicians misinterpret this phrase as a charge to the federal government to provide for the well-being of Americans. It does not. Americans do not expect nor want things from the government; they only demand just laws and their equitable implementation. Americans intrinsically know a government big enough to give you everything you want is also big enough to take everything you have. And that is contrary to liberty. A free people provide for themselves.
To “ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America,” the preamble culminates with “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” Obviously, our founders intended to establish a timeless foundation for our republic to last for future generations, but they specifically stated “blessings” to acknowledge our rights come from God and any success we would enjoy was by the providence of God.
Our founders fought a costly war to throw off a tyrannical government, but they wisely knew the nature of any government is to tend to tyranny. So to “secure the blessings of liberty,” they gave us a Constitution of just laws to preserve liberty and the means to resist tyranny if the need ever arose again to throw off an oppressive government.
It is debatable whether or not our politicians have remained faithful to their charge to secure our blessings of liberty, but there is no doubt our military has maintained an impeccable fidelity to our Constitution for over two centuries. Regardless of administration or party in power, our armed forces have unquestionably maintained their allegiance to the Constitution and we the people.
On this Memorial Day, remember all those particularly the fallen who have served this nation in uniform with unwavering devotion to secure the blessings of liberty for all Americans. Other than Jesus Christ, the only persons who have willingly offered to lay down their lives for our freedom are the members of our military.
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
