Reagan became a Republican and the rest is history. His core principles stayed the same, but his political label changed. What party would Reagan join today? His core beliefs are central to neither major party.
Lately I am seen as a radical for my core beliefs. What beliefs? That we Americans are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Further, that with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we Americans mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor in defense of our country.
My beliefs in God, the U. S. Constitution and my right to protect myself were mainstream in the society to which I was born. I still pray to God each day and view the Constitution as the guiding principle for our nation including my right to have and use a means to protect myself.
Know this: the God of my birth is still my God. The Constitution of my nation’s birth is still my Constitution. My right to protect myself, a right I had at birth, is still paramount.
In high school I brought scripture into discussions as I am known to do today on my syndicated radio program. But there has been a change in our country to where my belief in God, the Constitution and its guarantees is out of favor with the media and the leaders of both major political parties.
Several decades ago leaders spoke about God’s role in our nation. No longer do they do so. In fact, people like me who speak religion and the Constitution along with its guarantees are labeled radicals. We hold our Bible, Constitution and our weapons of defense close to our heart.
Some in the media and our government say citizens like me are a danger to our country. They say we are more dangerous than terrorists who blow up buildings. What utter madness. Those who took God and the Constitution out of our country are the danger to our country.
These last generations removed God from all but the Supreme Court. What irony for the Supreme Court Justices to look at those Ten Commandments on their own walls while ruling the same Ten Commandments cannot be displayed on other public buildings. We are being fed a constant diet of Constitutional betrayal.
Almost everything I learned in school about our country seems to not be taught. Many Americans cannot identify any of the people on our currency and coins. They cannot explain why these citizens are thus honored.
My first memories involved watching my father in his military uniform march in a military parade. We as a nation were proud of our military. We appreciated their sacrifices. Now, almost none of our leaders have even served in the military much less are they having their children serve.
A slogan I recently observed: America is not at war; America is at the mall while the military is at war. The men and women giving us liberty are not appreciated by the media or either political party. No one has their back except a few of us old citizens who still say and mean, “Thank you for your service to our country.”
Regardless of the scorn put upon me by mainstream Americans and their media I will remain with my Bible and Constitution. Their way is the way of an assured disaster by the forces of evil in this world.
At some point the nation will need us to bring America back to God and the Constitution. I pray that the few of us with our Bibles and Constitutions can start the rebuilding of this nation.
And we will be radicals no longer in our nation.
Dr. Michael Swickard hosts the syndicated radio talk show News New Mexico on six to nine a.m. Monday - Friday on a number of New Mexico radio stations and through streaming. Email: michael@swickard.com
