History is a landscape full of dramatic changes in the life of people and their land. It reflects the evolution in the building of civilizations as well as their demise.
On the “building” side, the true agents of change tend to be outsiders to the status quo that appear in key moments to find solutions for the greater good. On the “demise” side are the leaders on the inside that continue not only to push ideas that no longer work, but also constitute a “wall” that defends the status quo.
Those that find success in engendering the new over the old constitute the founders of a fresh beginning. The 15th Century Renaissance that established Western Civilization in which we live today represents that type of new cycle of life.
The carriers of ideas that eventually find their way into a new start are many times persecuted as it happened even to those who we consider the greats like Socrates (who was executed), Plato and Aristotle. When the Renaissance in Europe looked to rediscover its classic past, those three, among others, and their thoughts, were most prominent.
The construction of a new nation follows a similar path as outsiders to the status quo become special kind of criminals in order to overturn current political conditions and create something new. An example can be found in the Boston Tea Party that sought to make a point about taxation without representation.
The Boston Tea Party and the American armed rebellion to achieve independence that followed were considered by British authorities to be criminal acts deserving of major punishment. Yet, that movement became a sacred part of our patriotic history.
The American Civil War presents a variation to the concept that continues to create debate. The South broke away from the Union because of great disagreements about slavery and state rights.
The War was fought by the Union to preserve the country and bring the criminal behavior to account. The South fought for independence and freedom to continue its way of life.
In the end, the South lost and you would expect that at least its leaders would be prosecuted for the rebellion as it has happened in other places. This did not occur however, in part because President Lincoln wanted to be generous, “bind the wounds” of war and perhaps not denigrate further the 11 states that formed the Confederacy.
There is another reason dealing with criminal justice that has not been an important part of the rationale as to why the Southern leadership was spared relatively hard punishment. The fact is that, by in large, these officers and politicians fought for something greater then themselves rather than for purely personal gain.
If we were to compare the “criminals” in our history that are judged patriots to the current state of our political scene, we find the inspirational ideals for the future of our society missing. It has been replaced by a personal agenda for individual benefit around which everything else gravitates.
This is the example that Donald Trump puts in front of us. He is a convicted criminal not for acts beyond his person and for the greater good, but rather for private excesses with no redeeming qualities.
That kind of criminal leader is what pushes the country further into decadence. There is nothing patriotic about wanting more for yourself at the expense of others and complaining of unfair treatment when not getting it.
A patriot fights for the country. Not so when it is about oneself.
The views expressed by David Conde are not necessarily the views of LaVozColorado. Comments and responses may be directed to News@lavozcolorado.com.
