28th Principle of Freedom

The United States Has a Manifest Destiny to be an Example and a Blessing to the Entire Human Race.

I realize that I actually covered this topic in the 25th Principle, "Peace, Commerce, and Honest Friendship with All Nations - Entangling Alliances with None." I believe it is only through following the 25th principle that we can accomplish our 'Manifest Destiny' as described in the 28th principle. The United States of America is a wonderful nation despite all the problems we've been through lately and in our 200+ year history. If we can get back to the principles our nation was founded on, and focus on being an example of peace & prosperity rather than an enforcer of 'democracy', we can bring "liberty and justice to all" in the US and the world.

We've seen the effects of this so called '5000 Year Leap' in the last 200+ years. How much more can we leap if we keep in practice these 28 principles of freedom, what heights are still before us as we become an example of freedom & liberty. I believe that the US, with it's original founding rooted in principle, and now it's experience, has what it takes to lead the world into an abundance of 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.' What will you do today to help America be great? What will you do today to be one example of the great people that only a free nation can produce? I believe that you, as a citizen of the United States, have a 'manifest duty' to prepare yourself to do all that may be required to bring these United States through it's current crisis and on to a new founding rooted in the principles of the original founding. (See The Fourth Turning: An American Prophecy)

I have become an optimist in my outlook on the United States of America through my experiences in reading The 5000 Year Leap. Though my posts may seem to be filled with all the things wrong with America, I believe there is more that is right with America. I believe that these United States are still your best choice for protection of life, protection of liberty, and protection of property or the pursuit of happiness. I believe that if we will cultivate virtue, wisdom, knowledge, and greatness in ourselves, than we WILL inspire others to be great. As more and more people are inspired, and begin to live lives of greatness according to wisdom, knowledge, and principles, eventually this nation will become as great as it can be and will be an example of the greatest joys and pursuits of the human race. I believe it WILL happen.

27th Principle of Freedom

The Burden of Debt is as Destructive to Freedom as Subjugation by Conquest.

So I did an internet search and found that the national debt as of 7 July 2009 is $11,523,843,053,689.95 (http://www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/BPDLogin?application=np). That is an increase of $3,272,817,666.58 since 6 July 2009. Just so you know that was an increase of $37,879.83 every second for that 24 hour period.

The United States of America population as of this writing is estimated at 306,867,949 (http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html). I divided the amount of the national debt by the number of people and that equals $37,553.10 for every single individual in the United States of America. That means that $225,318.60 is my family's share of the national debt.

If that doesn't frighten you: The United States' biggest foreign creditor, or owner of US debt, is China at $772 BILLION as of May 2009. Your individual debt to communist China is $2,515.74, or $15,094.44 for a family of six. I just have to wonder why China has purchased 24% of our foreign debt and Japan 20% when other nations only own 6% or less. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_public_debt)

I don't know about you, but if all the debts were called in, I would not have the ability to pay off my portion of the debt. Even if just China called in their debts, I'd be hard pressed to come up with $15,000. What strings are attached to this debt? What would happen if China suddenly demanded payment in full? How about China AND Japan? How would it affect your family if you were personally in unsecured debt in the amounts listed here for individuals and families? (I hope you're not.) I wouldn't feel free if I was facing that oppressive burden. I would have to work 4 1/2 years as a slave with my labor valued at $50,000 per year to pay off my family's portion of the national debt. That is NOT liberty, is not freedom.

By the way, if you happen to have eleven trillion, six-hundred billion dollars laying around, please make your check out to 'The Bureau of the Public Debt' and send it to:

Attn Dept G
Bureau of the Public Debt
P. O. Box 2188
Parkersburg, WV 26106-2188

Your donation would be greatly appreciated, but you must act fast before even that amount won't make a difference anymore.

26th Principle of Freedom

The Core Unit Which Determines the Strength of Any Society is the Family; Therefore, the Government Should Foster and Protect Its Integrity.

"...When the American retires from the turmoil of public life to the bosom of his family, he finds in it the image of order and of peace. There his pleasures are simple and natural, his joys are innocent and calm; and as he finds that an orderly life is the surest path to happiness, he accustoms himself easily to moderate his opinions as well as his tastes...the American derives from his own home that love of order which he afterwards carries with him into public affairs." (Alexis De Tocqueville quoted in The 5000 Year Leap pg. 282)

I love this chapter and believe in it wholeheartedly. Not only do I believe that "government should foster and protect" the integrity of the family, I also believe that government should not interfere with legitimate family relations. This is in accordance with what government is supposed to do, it is supposed to protect our rights and refrain from trampling our rights. These days we seem to find that too often government tramples some rights and refuses to protect other rights. "To secure these rights, governments are instituted among men...whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it..." (Declaration of Independence)

Government is failing to foster and protect the integrity of the family. They have failed to 'secure these rights.' Fortunately, we do not have to alter or abolish our form of government, it has already been altered and abolished. What we need to do is actually get back to our form of government that has already been set up.

25th Principle of Freedom

Peace, Commerce, and Honest Friendship with All Nations - Entangling Alliances with None.

While reading this chapter I was struck with the idea that America's responsibility was to be an example of peace, morality, virtue, economic soundness, etc. That America was to make sure our house was in order and to let our light shine. Such an example would surely inspire the people of the world to desire to follow our example. It reminds me of the Key of Education, "You Not Them". When America strayed from this idea of being the example of peace and turned to being the enforcer of peace, nations saw us as attempting to force our ideals on them and they became much less desirable. It is no wonder to me that there are terrorist organizations whose almost sole purpose is to destroy America, it is no wonder that hate abounds for us in many places. We have strayed from principles of righteousness and have sold our soul to please certain members of the 'international community.'

Charles A. Lindbergh, Sr. is quoted in The 5000 Year Leap referring to our 'entangling alliances' in world war 1, "There never was a nation that did a more unstatesmanlike thing than we did to enter the war. We came out without establishing a single principle for which we entered..." (pg. 276) America did not learn her lesson, and has increased her alliances at a rapid pace. We've come to the point that our leaders make decisions based on what's good for the 'international community' or 'the world' instead of what's good for us. And when they are spouting off doing what's good for the world, what they really mean, is the world that we have trade agreements and treaties with.

I, for one, am going to struggle and fight to get America back where it should be, "...a city...on an hill [that] cannot be hid." (Matt. 5:14) It's time for us to "Let [our] light so shine before men, that they may see [our] good works, and glorify [our] Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 5:16)

24th Principle of Freedom

A Free People Will Not Survive Unless They Stay Strong.

Benjamin Franklin says, "Make yourselves sheep, and the wolves will eat you." (quoted in The 5000 Year Leap pg. 261) He has also been quoted as saying something to the effect of, "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote." The strongest ALWAYS prevail. Now before I hear complaints that that is not true, before I hear about the revolutionary war, or anything else, let me turn your attention to a story in the Old Testament.

Syria desired to attack Israel. Elisha warned the king of Israel of the place of attack and Israel was able to avoid being slaughtered. When the King of Syria heard this, he sent spies to find Elisha. When they found where he was staying, the King sent "...thither horses, and chariots, and a great host..." (2 Kings 6:14) and they circled around the place where Elisha was at night. Elisha's servant, Gehazi, in fear ran to his master wondering what they were going to do. Elisha calmed him by saying, "...Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them." (2 Kings 6:16) Elisha then prayed and asked God to reveal the meaning of Elisha's words to Gehazi by letting him see what he meant, "...And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. And when they (the Syrians) came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smith this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha." (2 Kings 6:17-18) Elisha then led them to the King of Israel.

So I reiterate, the strongest always prevail. There are more ways than one to be the strongest. The founding fathers of course recognized this, and recognized that the citizens of the new republic must be moral and virtuous which would grant them blessing from heaven. However they also realized that without a prophet in their midst, they must make preparations themselves to fight against any threats to their rights of 'life, liberty, and [property,] the pursuit of happiness.' They knew that even Jesus warned, "...he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one." (Luke 22:36)

23rd Principle of Freedom

A Free Society Cannot Survive as a Republic Without a Broad Program of General Education.

Notice this is 'general education' not technical education. For some reason we have walked away from broad programs of general education in the belief that for the US to be 'ahead' of everyone else, we should cram as much technical jargon into a young person's head as we can possibly get into their before they're too old to learn anymore. Obviously, this takes so much time that children and young adults don't have time to think for themselves anymore, they only have time to meet the demands of their teachers and testing. And then they are expected to move off into various automated employment leaving them again with no time to think for themselves or to study.

Compare this with the founding fathers of this nation. Many were not learned in the way we might think today, having not attended any secondary schooling or even much elementary schooling. What they did receive was enough education in the three 'R's (Reading, wRiting, aRithmetic) to be able to read, study, and understand classics. They recognized the need for a great education, the need to ponder the great questions of mankind and to seek answers. They knew of natural laws or principles of right living, and they knew how to extract those principles from classics. They focused on their education with a sense of mission (so it seems) and became, in my opinion, possibly the greatest generation of men that ever lived.

We can only affect change by focusing on our circle of influence, and we can only increase our circle of influence by focusing directly in the center of that circle. Most of us don't have the influence to affect our school board's decisions, or to influence policies of the National Education Association, or the Department of Education. All of us DO have the influence to increase our own education, thus setting an example for our children. We do have the influence to teach our children enough 'Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic' to get them started on a path of self-education, a path of learning and wisdom so that when they are called upon to do something great, they will be ready.

22nd Principle of Freedom

A Free People Should be Governed by Law and Not by the Whims of Men.

We have (or had) a republic based on a written Constitution which states that it shall be considered the 'supreme law of the land' as well as any laws passed by Congress in accordance with it. Any legislation, executive orders, or legal precedents in violation of this constitution is done simply by the will of men. John Adams said, "No man will contend that a nation can be free that is not governed by fixed laws. ALL other government than that of permament known laws is the government of mere will and pleasure." (Quoted in The 5000 Year Leap, pg. 244. emphasis added)

We see this 'government of mere will and pleasure' in the United States today. When a supposedly free people in the state of California vote to protect marriage with proposition 22 in 2000 (in accordance with the 26th Principle of Freedom in The 5000 Year Leap which states, "The Core Unit Which Determines the Strength of Any Society is the Family; Therefore, the Government Should Foster and Protect Its Integrity) and the courts 8 years later suddenly decide (because of the judges mood that day) that the law is no longer constitutional, they are being governed by the whims of men, and are no longer free.

(By the way, it was struck down as unconstitutional because it violated the "equal protection" clause of their constitution. It does NOT violate the 'equal protection' clause because both homosexuals and heterosexuals have the same right, to marry on person of the opposite sex. I don't know why we don't see counter law-suits with this claim.)

Congratulations to the people of California, for they fought back. Since the law was deemed unconstitutional, they amended their constitution with the same wording as the law, so it is written in their constitution. (I have seen that several lawsuits are suing on the grounds that it is unconstitutional...but since it IS a part of their constitution now, I don't see how it can be unconstitutional, unless they can convince the courts that it is in violation of the US Constitution.) I don't know how to get back to rule of law. How do we get the governments to operate within their bounds once again? How do we make law important to people again?

21st Principle of Freedom

Strong Local Self-government is the Keystone to Preserving Human Freedom.

Keystone: 1.) the central wedge-shaped stone that supports all the others. 2.) The central supporting element of a whole. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/keystone

I've often wondered why the early citizens of the several states were so interested in liberty and freedom. After reading this chapter I believe that it's because they were so far away from British rule that they had to institute some form of self-government which then awakened within each citizen this desire to have a say in their government. It awakened a longing for freedom, they were in line with 'Natural Law' or principles and they saw the success of that. Once they tasted freedom, any attacks on that freedom were seen with disdain. Many were led to study principles of freedom, which led to our government set up according to Natural Law and limited to basic governmental functions with checks to prevent usurpation.

Since this is a keystone of preserving freedom, how can we institute strong local self-government again? How do we assert our right to self-governance when a central government is encroaching on that right, without causing civil war?

20th Principle of Freedom

Efficiency and Dispatch Require Government to Operate According to the Will of the Majority, but Constitutional Provisions Must be Made to Protect the Rights of the Minority.

I have been known to think that requiring unanimity in congress would have been a great idea because then they couldn't accomplish anything, they would be mired in trying to get 100% support for an idea, and that would severely limit an erosion of the protection of the rights of the people. However, I can see why this wouldn't work now. If unanimity were required, then a radical, small portion of congress could stop all progress on any bill. Because there are certain matters that must be addressed by law, the majority of congress would seek to appease the radical minorities. These radical minorities would ask for small changes to the bill, or support for their bill. The mainstream majority would do a little evil to do a lot of good (in their eyes). This kind of give and take over time, would lead to more destruction of the limits of governmental powers than the current system I think.

19th Principle of Freedom

Only Limited and Carefully Defined Powers Should be Delegated to Government, All Others Being Retained in the People.

The 'Bill of Rights' is improperly named. Those first ten amendments do not grant unto the people certain rights. They merely limit the government's ability to trample those rights. The first amendment does not grant unto us the right of free speech, the second does not grant unto us the right to keep and bear arms, they limit the government from being able to encroach upon those rights. It should be named the 'Bill of Limitations' or something similar. The same thing with the Constitution before the amendments, it does not grant unto the people any rights, neither does the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution merely grants and limits governmental powers and the Declaration merely states some of the God-given rights of man.

One miracle of this idea of strong states and a strong central government is that a state cannot trample on our rights either. If it wasn't for the constant power struggle between the federal and state governments, any state could quickly fall into anarchy or tyranny. These two powers are a check on each other, not just a check on federal government.

Do you think the founding fathers were clear enough in their wording in limiting federal power? Do you think they could have done more in limiting state power?

18th Principle of Freedom

The Unalienable Rights of the People are Most Likely to be Preserved if the Principles of Government are Set Forth in a Written Constitution.

And the rights of the people are most likely to be preserved if that Constitution represents the wisdom and input of many individuals rather than just one or two people.

One thing that is mentioned in this chapter that I wasn't familiar with before was the 'Fundamental Orders of Connecticut' established in 1639 (Gregorian Calander). This document states that, "where a people are gathered together the word of God requires that to maintain the peace and union of such a people there should be an orderly and decent Government established according to God..."(http://www.constitution.org/bcp/fo_1639.htm).

They referred to God as their highest power and directly involved with them. They did not place 'the crown' or anything else between them and their Creator. I know why the founders did not reference God, but I think it would have prevented God from being removed from government, schools, and society in general. And if our society hadn't forgotten God, and placed him as the highest authority, a lot of our current ills would have never been realized.

17th Principle of Freedom

A System of Checks and Balances Should be Adopted to Prevent the Abuse of Power.

This principle seems obvious, that someone should have the ability to check those in power. This power ultimately lies in the people. However, our founding fathers recognized (in their own 'checking' of power) that leaving check and balance solely in the people can result in bloodshed when tyrants are overthrown, which can often lead to anarchy, which leads people to seek a dictator to establish peace, who becomes a tyrant, thus starting the cycle over.

Another important part of this check and balance system instituted by the Constitution is that the different branches of government are prohibited from usurping the responsibilites and powers of the other branches. Judges are prohibited from legislating from the bench (interpreting old laws in new ways), the Executive officer (President) is prohibited from legislating from the white house (Executive Orders). The legislature can't execute their laws, they can only pass them.

It seems to me as I think about the usurping of authority that the Executive Branch is usurping legislative authority from the Legislative Branch. The Judicial Branch is usurping legislative authority and executive authority from the other two branches. Since power is being usurped from the legislative branch, they are in turn usurping power from the people. I'm sure there are ways that the legislative is usurping power from the judicial and executive, and ways that the executive is usurping power from the judicial branch, but I don't recognize them clearly like I do the other's mentioned. Can you think of some ways? Can you think of a better system of checks and balances? The other important thing to remember is that if we leave the federal government alone to check itself, even if they are divided into three branches, they won't always check themselves. What can we do to check government?

16th Principle of Freedom

The Government Should be Separated into Three Branches - Legislative, Executive, and Judicial.

I don't know what to write about this principle. What I was surprised to read is that many of the founding fathers were against separated government at the federal level, even though many of them used it at the state level. It seems to me that the best way to prevent a monarchy is to separate each government process (legislating, executing law, and judging law) into three separate bodies (President, Congress, Courts). I do know that many fear an aristocracy more than a monarchy, one tyrant is better than 500.

Do you think three branches are better for Federal Government? Would it be better if legislating and judging the law were left to the States and executing those laws was reserved for a president at the federal level? Would it give the States more control over Federal Government? And would that be a good thing?

15th Principle of Freedom

The Highest Level of Prosperity Occurs when there is a Free-market Economy and a Minimum of Government Regulations.

I only have one topic I would like to cover concerning this principle. Preventing "debauchery of the cultural standards and moral fiber of society by commercial exploitation of vice - pornography, obscenity, drugs, liquor, prostitution, [and] commercial gambling" is listed as an area "of legitimate responsibility which properly [belongs] to the government." (The 5000 Year Leap pg. 181) This is one of the few areas that the government is to be allowed to regulate commerce.

In a colloquium on the Declaration of Independence I held my ground that government should not legislate against pornography, that it would open a floodgate of legislation allowing the government to hinder any type of business they would like. Through study of 'The 500o Year Leap' and internal pondering, I realize I was wrong. I do think that it could possibly open such a floodgate, but that is because the moral fiber of the people has gone down the tubes, and few know anything about Natural Law, or how to tell what is natural law and what is not. Individuals have forgotten to listen to the Spirit of God within them, revealing truth. If we, as the general public were to turn back to natural law, then we would elect those who understand natural law and then they would legislate according to natural law. This can only be achieved through education, self-education...You, Not Them.

PS. I do have a question for anyone that would like to comment. The US Constitution states that Congress has power "To coin money, regulate the value therof..." (Article I, Section IIX). Instead they have delegated that responsibility to a private bank, the Federal Reserve. Would Congress do a better job than the Federal Reserve? Why?

14th Principle of Freedom

Life and Liberty are Secure Only so Long as the Right to Property is Secure.

I tried and tried to write a blog on this principle, but I found myself simply summarizing this chapter. So, because I think this chapter was so great, I must refer you to the text rather than write a lengthy discourse (The 5000 Year Leap, pp. 169-177). I can't even find one or two things that really stuck out to me because I would then commence summarizing the entire chapter again.

13th Principle of Freedom

A Constitution Should be Structured to Permanently Protect the People from the Human Frailties of their Rulers.

As a boy scout I was taught to make a fire break around my campfire. All flammables were to be removed in a 10 foot ring around the fire, some sort of fire ring, such as large stones should be erected. A campfire should have a limited amount of fuel to produce the heat needed for heating and cooking. Compare this to a fire started in the midst of a heavy forest with large amounts of fuel. Imagine the devastation this would cause for anyone in the surround area. "Government...like fire...is a dangerous servant and a fearful master." (George Washington quoted in The 5000 Year Leap pg. 165)

Government is like fire. It provides a very useful service to mankind but if not restricted to it's proper place, with limited amounts of fuel, the devastation is very great indeed. We must always be wary of those in power while respecting them as individuals.

I know myself enough to know that everyone should distrust my motives from time to time. I am a child of God with a fallen nature. As such I am subject to moments of greatness and moments of 'worseness', or wickedness. We should be wary of ourselves and constantly work to produce the 'child of God' within us rather than manifesting our fallen nature. Then we will have leaders worth electing, they might be you.

12th Principle of Freedom

The United States of America Shall be a Republic.

Skousen lays out why a Republic guards freedom better than a Democracy. The most obvious to me is that a true republic consisting of 300,000,000 Americans as a legislative body would be very unwieldy. I could see the general public texting their vote on each piece of legislation just like they do for candidates on American Idol. Because each of us have lives to live, we wouldn't be able to focus on each issue and would choose according to the best information we had at the time, which might be only our mood at the moment. This is not the best way. Unfortunately, too many of our legislators currently have the same attitude when it comes to legislating.

Neal A. Maxwell, a religious leader, shared in his biography his experience working for a member of congress. He explains that one day the congress member rushed in at the last minute before a vote on a certain measure and asked, "How am I voting on this again?" before rushing off to cast it. This is appalling to me. This obviously is a problem with the majority of the American people. If the best are not being voted into office, it is because people are not at their best. As was pointed out to me in a comment from Jody Tate, "...we have precious few citizens who are virtuous or moral, let alone political leaders. 'But neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt.' (Samuel Adams, quoted in The 5000 Year Leap, p 59)"

Our Republic has guaranteed our liberties for a long time, but people are becoming corrupt, forgetting everything, and everyone, but themselves. This is the day of MYspace, I-phones, I-pods, me, me, me, me. I think we can save our Republic if we begin to adopt the motto, "God, Family, Republic", instead of Me, Mine, My.

11th Principle of Freedom

The Majority of the People May Alter or Abolish a Government Which has Become Tyrannical.

"...whenever the legislators endeavour to take away and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they [the officials of government] put themselves into a state of war with the people, who are thereupon absolved from any further obedience..." (John Locke quoted in The 5000 Year Leap, pg. 148)

"...when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their RIGHT, it is their DUTY, to throw off such government and to provide new guards for their future security." (Declaration of Independence Emphasis Added)

Though our 'right' and 'duty' may be to 'throw off' a tyrannical government, though we may be 'absolved from any further obedience' to such government in our opinion, because we have agreed to be citizens, along with our fellow-citizens, we must do all things in wisdom. It is not in accordance with principles for the minority to rise up in revolt without consent of the majority. Our responsibility, as a minority, lies then in educating the majority until the majority see the 'long train of abuses and usurpations'.

Though revolt of the minority is not a right, does not feel right, I do believe that the minority has the right to remove themselves from a tyrannical situation. This is in accordance to 'Natural Law', or according to inspiration from the Spirit of God which bears witness with my spirit. So, we have our options. I choose to keep educating the majority.

10th Principle of Freedom

The God-given Right to Govern is Vested in the Sovereign Authority of the Whole People.

How often do we say, or feel, "You can't tell me what to do!" or "You have no right?" This is because this is a principle, a 'Natural Law' and as such comes from inside of us naturally.

William Wallace (of Braveheart fame) claimed that he was no traitor to the English King because he had never pledged allegience to him. His allegience was always with Scotland (In Freedom's Cause by George Alfred Henty). He led a valiant attempt to free Scotland from the rule of a usurper. He was executed by the king, but his cause continued after his death with Sir Archibald Forbes, and Robert the Bruce who later became the rightful king of Scotland (I think...I haven't finished the book yet.) Forbes also claimed, when brought before the king, that he could not be called a traitor because he had never sworn allegience to the English crown. He had the fortune to escape his imprisonment after King Edward's death. Both of these freedom fighters were putting forth this correct principle, that the right to govern comes from the people, and the people of Scotland hadn't given that right to the English.

If the people have determined how someone is to be appointed to positions of honor and authority to 'rule' over them, and a person gets into power in violation of what the people have determined, then the people are under no obligation to follow that person. Not only must the majority of a people consent to an individual retaining power over them, that person must do it in accordance with the 'supreme law' of the land, which comes from the people. If someone takes power in violation of the supreme law, or does not meet the requirements of the supreme law set up by the people, that person has no right to be called the President, or the King, or whatever the position of leadership is titled. That person is entitled to no title until the people both consent to their leadership AND alter/abolish their form of government so that their form of government allows such and such person.

9th Principle of Freedom

To Protect Man's Rights, God has Revealed Certain Principles of Divine Law.

God's law is the supreme law of the land, of the world. Any law enacted contrary to His laws are inappropriate and are of no force. Now they can be enforced by those in power, but they are still not law when they are in direct violation of a higher law. The US Constitution was to be only one check on government and is referred to within itself as "the supreme law of the land". All laws enacted that are in agreement with the Constitution are also to be the supreme law of the land. These statements, taken together with the principle of "the laws of nature and of nature's God" as stated in the Declaration of Independence, are another check on the wanton legislation of government and guarantee in writing that any law in violation of these 'supreme laws' has no effect.

Naturally we must be wise and determine whether the cost of running against an illegitimate government and it's laws is worth it, or if our families, associates, and the human race in general would be better served if we patiently endure what we must put up with now so that we can work for a better future. To me there are some things worth fighting for, others worth dying for, and others are not worth either, especially if I can save the time and energy for more effective and productive pursuits. I can break myself trying to stop the wave, or I can ride the waves that come while working on a levee that will keep the waves at bay in the future. I'll leave it to you to decide which is more effective.