The good citizen
In a democracy all citizens are members of the body politic. If that is the case than one would not be correct in referring to the United States as a democracy. In fact, most scholars seem to agree that the United States is a democratic republic with a Constitution that can be amended and a Bill of Rights that the majority cannot amend and impose on a minority. Historically, many citizens have not been equal members of the body politic. Voting rights of women, certain races, and those with a criminal history have been denied and/or restricted. Over the years, various changes have been instituted in an attempt to correct some of these inequalities. More recently, voting rights of those convicted of certain criminal offenses have been restored in some states.
Those who have full access to the voting booths and a venue which allows their voice to be heard have the ability to be active members of the body politic and, thus, to share in the decisions about how we care for each other without, at least in this country, unduly restricting the freedom of each of us to lead our lives. Of course, whether or not an action of one person or a group of people unfairly affects the rights of others can be hotly debated. The question about when it is permissible to carry and use lethal guns is often passionately debated and leads to a debate about how to interpret and apply the second amendment of the United States Constitution.
At what point does or should a fetus enjoy the full protection of the Constitution. What rights to parents have to teach OR discipline their children? How do these rights differ for foster parents? Should marriage be restricted to one man and one woman or can it include two men, two women, or a multitude of men and women?
Should the language of the body politic reflect the makeup of the body politic?
Are some actions political and some actions non-political? Should some areas of our life be considered political and some non-political? I was interested in reading the comments of many who were outraged by the fact that some of the individuals receiving Oscars in 2020 expressed an opinion about how the body politic or representatives of the body politic are or have been handling certain issues. It seems that many people want the Oscars Ceremony and, perhaps the movie/entertainment industry, to be free of “political speech” - free of opinions about how we should live together.
In my mind all of my actions (actions include inactions) affect the body politic. My language, the privileges I enjoy or do not enjoy, my willingness to profit off the labor of others, my decisions about what fuel to use, whether to use non-reusable or repurposed plastics, how I treat others In the board room or in the privacy of my home all have profound long term effects on the viability of the body politic.
In the late 1960s and the early ‘70s it was frequently proclaimed by those active in questioning how the body politic was functioning that the personal was political and the political was personal.
In more recent years there have been those who felt that the “political correctness” or lack of same became just one more way of discounting the concerns of an important segment of the population. It does seem to me that, at times, this has been the case. On the other hand, I have also heard some use the term political correctness as a derogatory term to make fun of those who have a sincere desire to create a body politic which is more inclusive. Language, for example, is very powerful. If accepted language reinforces, at any level, racism, sexism, classism or another behavior which denies or grants rights to members of the body politic perhaps we need to be more circumspect in how we use it. If certain behaviors are affecting the food supplies for future generations – our grandchildren and their children - perhaps we need to reduce or stop those behaviors. If one can hold a trial in the United States Senate or a hearing in the House of Representative and not allow witnesses or allow witnesses to refuse to testify might we, a family members or my neighbors, be tried without the possibility of witnesses?
These are just a few of the sorts of questions I am hoping we teach our children to ask in school, at home, and in all aspects of our shared lives. It is not enough to teach the skills to build a world in which the body politic resides. We must teach the children to question the kind of world – the purpose of the world – in which we will live as the body politic.
Written February 11, 2020
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
In a democracy all citizens are members of the body politic. If that is the case than one would not be correct in referring to the United States as a democracy. In fact, most scholars seem to agree that the United States is a democratic republic with a Constitution that can be amended and a Bill of Rights that the majority cannot amend and impose on a minority. Historically, many citizens have not been equal members of the body politic. Voting rights of women, certain races, and those with a criminal history have been denied and/or restricted. Over the years, various changes have been instituted in an attempt to correct some of these inequalities. More recently, voting rights of those convicted of certain criminal offenses have been restored in some states.
Those who have full access to the voting booths and a venue which allows their voice to be heard have the ability to be active members of the body politic and, thus, to share in the decisions about how we care for each other without, at least in this country, unduly restricting the freedom of each of us to lead our lives. Of course, whether or not an action of one person or a group of people unfairly affects the rights of others can be hotly debated. The question about when it is permissible to carry and use lethal guns is often passionately debated and leads to a debate about how to interpret and apply the second amendment of the United States Constitution.
At what point does or should a fetus enjoy the full protection of the Constitution. What rights to parents have to teach OR discipline their children? How do these rights differ for foster parents? Should marriage be restricted to one man and one woman or can it include two men, two women, or a multitude of men and women?
Should the language of the body politic reflect the makeup of the body politic?
Are some actions political and some actions non-political? Should some areas of our life be considered political and some non-political? I was interested in reading the comments of many who were outraged by the fact that some of the individuals receiving Oscars in 2020 expressed an opinion about how the body politic or representatives of the body politic are or have been handling certain issues. It seems that many people want the Oscars Ceremony and, perhaps the movie/entertainment industry, to be free of “political speech” - free of opinions about how we should live together.
In my mind all of my actions (actions include inactions) affect the body politic. My language, the privileges I enjoy or do not enjoy, my willingness to profit off the labor of others, my decisions about what fuel to use, whether to use non-reusable or repurposed plastics, how I treat others In the board room or in the privacy of my home all have profound long term effects on the viability of the body politic.
In the late 1960s and the early ‘70s it was frequently proclaimed by those active in questioning how the body politic was functioning that the personal was political and the political was personal.
In more recent years there have been those who felt that the “political correctness” or lack of same became just one more way of discounting the concerns of an important segment of the population. It does seem to me that, at times, this has been the case. On the other hand, I have also heard some use the term political correctness as a derogatory term to make fun of those who have a sincere desire to create a body politic which is more inclusive. Language, for example, is very powerful. If accepted language reinforces, at any level, racism, sexism, classism or another behavior which denies or grants rights to members of the body politic perhaps we need to be more circumspect in how we use it. If certain behaviors are affecting the food supplies for future generations – our grandchildren and their children - perhaps we need to reduce or stop those behaviors. If one can hold a trial in the United States Senate or a hearing in the House of Representative and not allow witnesses or allow witnesses to refuse to testify might we, a family members or my neighbors, be tried without the possibility of witnesses?
These are just a few of the sorts of questions I am hoping we teach our children to ask in school, at home, and in all aspects of our shared lives. It is not enough to teach the skills to build a world in which the body politic resides. We must teach the children to question the kind of world – the purpose of the world – in which we will live as the body politic.
Written February 11, 2020
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
RSS Feed