Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Make America Great


Make America Great Again



Of course, at the time of this writing, all readers will recognize the title of this discourse as the political slogan of Donald Trump. Hillary Clinton, his democratic opponent, states that America is already and has been “great”; she just needs to be made “whole”. When I think of America's “greatness” I think of French historian Alexis de Tocqueville's evaluation set forth in his book Democracy In America. Below is his summation regarding the source of America's greatness:

I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her ample rivers - it was not there; in her fertile fields and boundless prairies, and it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast world commerce, and it was not there.  Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits ablaze with righteousness did I meet the secret of her genius and power.  America is great because she is good, and if America ceases to be good, she will cease to be great. Alexis de Tocqueville, French historian and political author, Democracy In America, 1835

The “genius and power” of America's greatness is her “goodness”--the goodness that was, and still is, being proclaimed from the pulpits of her churches. This is an amazing statement and conclusion. No arrogance, power mongering, intelligence, military might or political savvy will maintain America's greatness; only her goodness, the goodness of Jesus Christ, will do so. All other pathways are regressive.

Mark Graham

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