Defining WE

With due respect to Bill Clinton, I think the more important question is how we define the word “WE”.

I recently made some remarks to a group where I spoke about what I perceived to be the purpose and goals of the organization and how we might best achieve them.  I started with an introduction where I let them know a little bit about myself.  I am a 54 year old married white male with three grown children.  I grew up in Ellisville but live in Lake St. Louis.  I was raised Methodist but we raised our kids Catholic.  I went to Lafayette High School and studied engineering at UMR.  I work in industrial coatings.

Thankfully, I went on to discuss ideas but the bio information seemed important to give the group perspective.  On the other hand, I am not sure that information does much to describe who I am.  And it does nothing whatsoever to describe who WE are.

The definition of WE changes, of course, depending on the situation and how it is being used.  Each of us is part of many groups or teams or organizations and we can be a part of each at the same time.  But some of those associations are more powerful and meaningful than others. 

I will always be a Crestview Trojan and a Lafayette Lancer and a Missouri Miner.  But aside from the occasional reunion those associations are not terribly meaningful.  I had little choice of which junior high or high school I attended.  Some of the people I went to school with are still great friends but many of them I have not heard from since.  Some are close to me ideologically and others are complete opposites.  Some of them I liked and some I did not care for.

I will propose that the most important WE for the vast majority of us is our family.  Our grandparents and parents and siblings and kids and grandkids are usually the most important people in our lives.  We don’t always get along or agree, but in most cases our love and concern for each other acts as a strong glue to keep us together.

Our faith is important to many people and our church community can often act as a family, creating strong bonds between us.  Likewise, we spend a huge amount of time at work and our coworkers become part of our lives.  Sometimes our work with charities or unions or political parties creates a strong sense of common values and shared views on the world. 

As I tried to give this group a sense of who WE are, it occurred to me that we did not all agree.  There are of course a few core principles that we can agree on (perhaps) but within the group there were various factions with agendas of their own.  This group is not unique; although there may be a common purpose there is not universal agreement about how to do things or what things to do.  We are not all going to agree.

Recently I went door-to-door around Lake St. Louis speaking to residents and asking them about their concerns.  It was fascinating to speak with some of the people behind those doors.  There are a variety of opinions and interests and concerns behind those doors.  There are young and old, black and white, with different religions and politics and income levels.  There is passion and there is apathy.

If you pause a moment and consider the word WE, who comes to mind?  Is it your family?  Is it a sports team? (Go Cardinals!)  Is it your company or charity or church or party?  How do you define WE?

If WE are Republicans, does that mean Rand Paul or Mitch McConnell?  Does it mean Ted Cruz or John Boehner or Mike Huckabee or Jeb Bush?  Certainly there are legitimate differences of opinion even in a party of like-minded individuals.  When one becomes part of a group, whether that is the Republican Party or the UAW or the Catholic Church then there is an association with every other member of the group.  And when the group gets large enough there will be members who have little in common with your ideas and philosophy.  And invariably some member of the group will do bad things.

There is a natural temptation to disassociate when members of a group do bad things or espouse ideas that conflict with ours.  The “other side” will take advantage and try to smear the group as all embracing the bad things that you disagree with.  Loyalty to the group can be seen as support of things you don’t agree with. 

Perhaps that is why so many who opened the doors listened patiently then nodded before closing the door without much comment.  They do not wish to get involved.  They do not wish to be associated with the group.  They don’t think the group aligns with their values.  This may be because of a smear campaign or the bad actions of individuals or it may just be a lack of knowledge or understanding about the true nature of the group.

I thought I would take a moment and define my own personal group.  It is a grouping based on ideas, rather than my bio or an organization.  I have identified some key ideas that WE believe in and have listed them below.

-We believe the core purpose of government is to protect the life, liberty, and property of its citizens.

-We believe all life is sacred. 

-We believe in the natural right of self-defense. 

-We believe strongly in limited government and fiscal responsibility.

-We believe in free markets and capitalism and property rights.

-We are not anti-poor, anti-black, anti-cop, anti-union, anti-business, or anti-women.

-We believe all people are created equal and WE don’t care about your skin color or gender.

-We believe in the value of working people and families and homeowners and churches and charity.

-We believe in individual liberty.  People have the right to run their lives as they see fit as long as they don’t interfere with the rights of others. 

 

Note that doesn't mean everything people have the freedom to do is a good idea.  I think there is a big misconception about freedom and liberty:

-there is no freedom from consequences. 

-there is no freedom from personal responsibility. 

-there is no freedom from the laws of nature and nature's God.

 

WE don’t want Red Light Cameras but our municipal leaders disagree.  WE don’t think government should build a sports stadium but the Governor does not care what we think.  WE didn’t want a convicted felon on the school board but WE got one anyway.  WE don’t want the NSA spying on our phone calls and e-mails but Washington thinks it is necessary.  And WE do not want a federal government that is $18 trillion in debt but our legislators just keep spending.

 

When we think about what government is, the idea begins with the definition of the word “we”.  An individual needs no government.  In its best, purest sense, government is a spontaneous process where the “we” of people with a common set of values and purposes come together to define themselves and what they have in common.

My neighbors and I have very little need of government.  We do not assault each other or steal things.  We get along and everyone seems to take care of their responsibilities in an orderly and respectful manner without needing much involvement from “government”.  The vast majority of people and places in the world are like my neighbors and neighborhood.  There are good people everywhere, just working and living their lives in peace.  We may not agree on issues or even philosophy but we understand the need for both individual liberty and personal responsibility.

The smallest unit in any society is the individual, and the individual is the primary building block of any society, however organized.  Without good people, no system will be successful.  Individuals must take full personal responsibility for their own lives and respect the life, liberty, and property of others.  Good people will take responsibility, be productive and show respect for others, and will help any society to flourish.    

If the key to having a great society is to have good individuals, the key to having great individuals is to have great families.  Great communities come from great families producing great individuals.  A family is the first and most important organizational unit in society and strong families are the key to strong communities.  Families exist to produce strong, effective, responsible and ethical individuals.  They are supported by schools and churches and neighbors and friends. 

Life is always a struggle and never perfect but if all of these building blocks are in place we end up with people who take responsibility for their lives and do not, by-and-large, need government.  We want to make sure that contracts are honored and lives and property are safe and that an environment exists where people can take responsibility for their own lives and seek their own happiness.

When too many people become apathetic and drop out of the conversation and others just pick a group and vote without much thinking, we give too much power to a small group of people and we end up with the dysfunctional system we now have. 

I am going to continue to connect with people who share my core values and philosophy and together we will try to fix the dysfunction and restore hope and faith to our communities.  Not hope or faith in government or a charismatic leader but in our own ability to care for ourselves and our loved ones.  Feel free to join me.

What does your WE look like?