The New Era of Principle
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Alpha Beta Gamma Business Honor Society Initiation Keynote Speech
April 1, 2010
It's indeed an honor for me to share this time with you all and to be able to speak to you this evening. Ben Franklin once said, "He that speaks much is much mistaken," so tonight I'll do my best to be engaging yet relatively brief.
I won't try and deduce your thoughts and beliefs; I've found that assumptions often lead to a number of ills. I will, however, share my thoughts in the hopes that perhaps through this discourse you may begin to formulate your own circle of beliefs, which we'll talk more about shortly. My ultimate goal is nothing more than to make you think, and if I have done that, then my time with you this evening will have been productive.
Our nation is growing increasingly divided and I'm not sure if that's all bad.for the future of business and government in America that is. It does, however, challenge our personal sense of community.
The American people on the left and the right, liberals and conservatives are digging in their heels on a variety of issues, many of which directly relate to the long standing belief in the American dream, you know the idea that through hard work every American can have a better, richer, and fuller life. Also at issue is the idea of American exceptionalism - the belief that the United States holds a special place among the nation's of the world because of how from such diverse immigrant backgrounds we have been able to find a common bond in standing up for the inalienable rights of all mankind, those of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Such long accepted ideas are now the catalyst for much debate amongst the American public.
In the early 19th century, Alexis de Tocqueville, a Frenchman (yes, a Frenchman) wrote a major work entitled Democracy in America where he said,
"The position of the Americans is therefore quite exceptional, and it may be believed that no democratic people will ever be placed in a similar one.
Their strictly Puritanical origin, their exclusively commercial habits, even the country they inhabit, which seems to divert their minds from the pursuit of science, literature, and the arts, the proximity of Europe, which allows them to neglect these pursuits without relapsing into barbarism, a thousand special causes, of which I have only been able to point out the most important, have singularly concurred to fix the mind of the American upon purely practical objects.
His passions, his wants, his education, and everything about him seem to unite in drawing the native of the United States earthward; his religion alone bids him turn, from time to time, a transient and distracted glance to heaven.
Let us cease, then, to view all democratic nations under the example of the American people."
When was the last time you heard someone, anyone from another country speak in such awe of our America. Heck, when was the last time you heard an American speak with such reverence. I challenge you to listen objectively to the mainstream media. Pick any TV or radio station. See if you, too, sense the ever-widening rift between everyday America, where you and I live, and the perceived America propagated by the 24/7 media pundits and yes, Hollywood.
Yet, the great divide of our day is not as much about partisan politics as you might think; it is more about a system of basic American belief. If the divide was purely about politics, then bipartisanship would at times win the day. You see, in politics, everyone wants to win and no one wants to be hung out to dry by themselves if they can help it. Many a vote has changed out of fear of standing alone. Believe me, I have seen it first hand at City Hall.
For these reasons and more, I believe this divide goes much deeper than the usual scapegoat of politics. I am of the belief that America is rapidly exiting an era of compromise and entering an era of principle, not unlike the era which spurred the comments by Tocqueville. In this new era of principle, it will be up to us as individuals to search for truth diligently and to actively engage our communities, not necessarily to win their vote or approval, but to once again promote and instill the basic foundations of our uniquely American experience. It was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that once said, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." America matters.
I have learned in my brief, yet thankfully full years that there is a circle of beliefs, or philosophies, we each must cultivate within ourselves if we're going to be well rounded, engaged people in the society and time in which we live. Picture with me a circle with three points spaced equidistantly around the sphere. The three points represent one's philosophy of business, one's philosophy of government, and one's philosophy of community. As we put these philosophies into practice, they move around the circle and interact with the others. Each of these three philosophies in some measure influences the other two, often to a vast degree.
Take my circle of beliefs for example. My philosophy of business is rooted in the system of capitalism. And what is capitalism? The basic principle of capitalism is founded in the 17th and 18th century ideas that saw man as free moral agents with a free will to make decisions and ultimately control their own success or failure. Capitalism, by definition, is an economic system based on the private ownership (not government) of the means of production and distribution of goods, characterized by a free competitive market and motivation by profit. Capitalism encourages a person, a business owner to decide what type of business they operate, how they manage that business, and who their business will cater to.
I believe that free markets ultimately help to keep a people free. It is the uninhibited ingenuity of the entrepreneur, the capitalist that has been the backbone of our American society, from the mom and pop shops to the national chains, and has allowed our country to grow and expand more than any nation in the history of the world. As Calvin Coolidge once said, "The chief business of the American people is business."
With such a philosophy of business, it is fairly easy to discern my philosophy of government. In my mind, a government primarily exists to protect us from each other and from outside threats, not to protect us from ourselves. To paraphrase Thomas Paine, government, even in its best state, is a necessary evil and in its worst, an intolerable one. Government, then, must be limited in its reach to ensure that it does not infringe on the rights of its citizens.
Government's role is to provide equal opportunity for all to succeed, not mandate that we all succeed equally. You see, government isn't meant to be the savior of its people, to ensure its people never face struggles or hardships. The inalienable rights of man must include the right to fail. Without failure, there is no opportunity for success. Even as hard as failing may be, there is something liberating about standing on your own two feet without a crutch. Failing makes you appreciate and respect success, but not expect it or feel you are entitled to succeed to the same extent as your neighbor - it's up to you. Thomas Jefferson said, "Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have."
I also believe that you and I know what to do with our money better than the government, which is why my philosophy of government calls for limited, low taxation on all levels, from city halls to state capitols to Congress. I do not espouse the belief that just because someone earns more than me that they should be taxed more than me; I don't buy into such a Robin Hood mentality. The problem is, you eventually run out of other people's money. Robin Hood was a great children's story, but it makes for terrible economic and government policy. Why should anyone, regardless of their earnings, be penalized for working hard and succeeding in America? When the government requires less, every American has more. There are more jobs, more free market competition, and more charitable giving, which is where my philosophy of community comes in.
My philosophy of community is centered in my personal belief in the Creator God who I believe instills in each of us the yearning to support and care for our fellow man. I believe it is the responsibility of the local community through neighbor helping neighbor, communities of faith, charitable organizations, and the like to take up the reigns where government should leave off. Local people know far better what the needs are of those in their community. You see, the idea here is that we all can do more for the people in need in our local communities when we recognize the value of giving and engage passionately in service, rather than being forced by a government that will impose the redistribution of wealth and forced taxation for similar means. Are you more willing to fully invest yourself into a project or work if you are told or commanded to or if you offer your hand willingly and freely?
It seems we now have a culture that fears the spirit of the American people so the inclination is to mandate and regulate morality and caring through government programs. But living in fear is easier than understanding. We foster goodwill and public sympathy not by force, but through freedom. In general, the more people have, the more they are willing to give. That's why it is paramount that we require less of government and instill in our citizens a positive, active, and caring philosophy of community. An individual that freely invests their all into understanding and caring for their fellow man can do more for society than any government mandated program ever will.
So that's my personal circle of beliefs. Each of my philosophies, whether business, government, or community, is influenced by the other two. Together they produce the guiding principles upon which I live my life, which brings us back to the first part of our discussion. I said at the outset that our nation is growing increasingly divided and I'm not sure if that's all bad, that is, for the future of business and government in America. I also said that such division does, however, challenge our personal sense of community.
I am of the belief that the division we are seeing today within the minds of the American people will have one of two effects: either our nation will spiral down the slippery slope toward European style socialism with the further nationalization of private business (such as the banks, auto dealers, health providers, and student lenders), increased government intrusion in individual freedoms (from sin taxes to dictating what you buy and at what cost to restrictions on food, medicine, cars, etc.), and an ever growing national deficit, or the sleeping giant that is the American people will awaken and will rise up to once again instill the principles upon which our nation was founded - limited government, free market economics, limited taxation, community involvement - all leading to a resurgence of the American spirit, with a hope in the American dream and a belief in the exceptionalism of the American nation. Whatever the path, it is up to each of us to maintain civility and rapport as we continue to refine this uniquely American experiment.
So as we leave an era of compromise and enter this new era of principle, I encourage you to actively cultivate your philosophies of business, government, and community now so you will be prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow head on by choosing principles over pragmatism or power. As the next generation of business leaders here in South Mississippi and America, you must consider your own circle of beliefs and put them into practice; don't wait until you're out of school or in the workforce or have a family of your own. Search diligently for the truth now and invest yourself in our collective future.
Let me leave you with one final word. To quote Ronald Reagan,
"I'm convinced that today the majority of Americans want what those first Americans wanted: A better life for themselves and their children; a minimum of government authority. Very simply, they want to be left alone in peace and safety to take care of the family by earning an honest dollar and putting away some savings. This may not sound too exciting, but there is something magnificent about it. On the farm, on the street corner, in the factory and in the kitchen, millions of us ask nothing more, but certainly nothing less than to live our own lives according to our values - at peace with ourselves, our neighbors and the world."
You future business leaders are the tip of the spear in this new era of principle. What you do in your profession, your innovation, your ingenuity, your spirit will buoy our nation into the future. Don't go quietly into the night; set the pace so others will follow.
Thank for you for the opportunity to share in your special evening and for your attention.
Given by Frank Corder, Pascagoula City Councilman
