Fairfax Remonstrance 2014

(Thanks to those who drafted the Flushing Remonstrance)

The government of the United States has been pleased to send unto us certain prohibitions and commands that we should not enjoy our liberty, practice our faiths and cultural virtues and values, and select our laws that as to us shall seem most likely to effect our safety and happiness. A republic with federalism is the mode of government we have selected for ourselves and that mode is meant to assure that our individual liberty and majority rule shall not perish from the earth. We are mindful of minority rights, but are also mindful that those rights are limited to private cultural practice and political speech. We desire therefore to judge and to be judged, condemn and to be condemned, and at the same time let every man and woman stand or fall to their own master. Thus is the ambiguity of liberty within a state. Thus is the ambiguity of the individual within a state of individuals. We are bound by our faith and cultural values to do good unto all men, especially to those of the household of faith who abide in that faith, in work, in family, in personal responsibility, in self-sacrifice and in private community service. At the present we are unsensible towards some of the state commands that demand equality in the assessment of cultural values when our beliefs demand that some values are better for the individual and society than others. When the state assaults us and we seek our advocates, who shall plead for us in this case of conscience between God and our own souls? The powers of the state can neither attach us, neither excuse us, for if God or our soul justify who can condemn and if God or our soul condemn there is none can justify. Our faith and belief hath taught that the civil power should give some outward liberty within the state through laws designed for the good of all. But by the law written in our hearts, designed for the good of all, we can truly judge who is right, who is wrong, who is true and who is false. Individually we can pass definitive sentence of right and wrong against that man or woman which arises up against the fundamentals of our cultural values and faith regarding what we believe is good for the individual and for our society. As a majority we will not be diverted from the creative balance we seek, and find, between our values and the state.

The ideals and laws of dignity and liberty and justice extend to all, not equally, because in a diverse society of competing values certain values have greater importance and weight: Individual liberty and values that are most likely to effect our safety and happiness; Work, merit, property, personal responsibility, self-sacrifice; Majority rule, so the values of most individuals may be reflected in the society; A republic; Federalism; Separation of powers; Legislative powers in the Legislature; Minority rights of speech. The United States Constitution and our state Constitutions are meant to find liberty for most via compromise. They are not meant to find equality of outcome via state control. Equal protection and equality of outcome is not the same as equal protection under the law – Where the law is meant to convey our most cherished cultural values and beliefs regarding the individual and our society. Offences will come. But woe unto him by whom they come. Our desire is not to offend but we shall look for and shall be glad to see anything of our values in them; desiring to do unto all men as we desire all men should do unto us, which is the true law both of our faiths, the private realm and the state. We value character – faith, work, personal responsibility and self-sacrifice. We look to the state to reflect our values. Our republican form of government should effect this.

Therefore if any person come in love unto us and reflect our values, we cannot in conscience discourage them, but we shall give them encouragement and show tolerance with regards to them. The state cannot command that we promote values that shall seem contrary to our safety and happiness, but the people may show a degree of toleration towards those who understand the ambiguities between the individual and the state.

John Abood

Fairfax, Virginia 2014