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THE AMERICAN IDEAL
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HON. VIRGINIA FOXX
of north carolina
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, July 20, 2021
Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, recently, I received an impassioned letter from Elizabeth Bradley of Bessemer City, North Carolina, about the American ideal.
In her letter she writes, ``The American ideal is the revolutionary thought that it is not by government, nor wealth, nor any human intervention that people have rights, but by the divine power of God.''
Ms. Bradley is exactly right, Madam Speaker.
The American ideal has withstood the test of time because of those who put their faith in God's plan rather than their own.
Madam Speaker, let us never forget that we are one nation under God, and the freedoms we proudly espouse are a gift that He has bestowed upon us.
The American Ideal
My name is Elizabeth Bradley, and I am 18 years old. Recently the President challenged anyone to define America, claiming that it could not be done. I felt lead to write this short essay, not only defining what is truly American and outlining the most basic steps towards restoring us to our former glory. I encourage the reader to share the ideas presented in this essay at any and every opportunity, and I thank the reader in advance for taking the time to read them.
It comes upon my conscience this day, July 2, 2021, to make note of the American Ideal, which is the very thing that has been the cornerstone of my upbringing and second only in my very identity to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am inclined to write this not only for myself but for the multitude like me who are filled with anguish at the state of the nation in which we live. I struggled in my younger years with the idea that my country is so divided against itself. I have many times over feared the self-division or conquering of the U.S. by a foreign power. But it occurs to me now that America is not and never, in concept or reality, has been a particular plot of land. The United States as we call it is only the land in which the American Ideal has been allowed to flourish. And while it will be a dismal day when the current government and land are inevitably overrun, America is not a thing that can truly be destroyed. America is an idea, a rather great one, in which people are by Providence allowed to protect and fight for their God given rights.
The American ideal is the revolutionary thought that it is not by government, nor wealth, nor any human intervention that people have rights, but by the divine power of God. And it is for this very reason that we have been uniquely and divinely blessed thus far in our pursuits as a nation. It is my firm belief that it was no man, but God Himself who turned the tide of the American revolution. Through a myriad of miracles, lives improbably saved, and weather, God lead an army of untrained and largely uneducated patriots to the most unlikely victory in all of human history. God's plan for America was vested in the very foundation of its ideals and laws. The American ideal acknowledges the fact that ``All men are created equal'' and that ``They are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights''. The American ideal puts the liberty and responsibility of preserving life, enjoying liberty, and the pursuit of happiness on the people of a nation. In turn the government respects those rights and protects them. It is made clear in the American Ideal that these certain rights; among them being free speech, freedom of religion, freedom to keep and bear arms, privacy from government intervention and the right to a fair trial and fair treatment throughout any judicial proceedings, among others; are not capable of being given or taken away at the hands of any man but given by God alone in His mercies and through the provision of death of Jesus Christ.
The American Ideal is one, and governmentally the only one, that is constructed in a way that can glorify God. It is for this reason that God has supported this great American experiment. It is my unfavorable duty at this point to note that the governmental body of these United States has long strayed from this ideal and its purpose. Through centuries of corruption and societal changes, some of which were necessary and some of which were orchestrated by the enemy to divide our people, American society has forgotten its foundation in Providence. The government, which is now lead by a people who are led by partisan politics, is a shell of what it used to and rightly should be. The leaders of this nation have taken to voting only for what they believe will get them re-elected. Worse than that, some leaders in this nation have decided to vote in accordance with whatever will oppose God's Truth and the Providential American Ideal. The enemy has not only taken hold in the government but in all aspects of the American life. Business, entertainment, and even many churches have fallen short of God's plan for this nation. Wealthy and vicious people now monopolize almost all forms of communication and consumers allow themselves to be silenced. Churches no longer speak Gods Truth, but pander to a modern audience that insists upon the acceptance and glorification of sin. The doctrines of free speech and religion have been distorted and abused in a way that benefits those who are against the common people. The poor are intentionally kept down for the political gain of those who oppress them most. And the enemy, with his many minions in this world are attempting to erase God's name from the societal conscience of Americans.
The hope that we may all hold to is in this verse ``If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and I will heal their land.'' 2 Chronicles 7:14. We the people, who believe in the American Ideal by nature are God's people. We must take heed, not only of the hope held in this verse but also of the effort that we must put in to achieve this goal. We must humble ourselves. We must not be blinded by our pride, in ourselves, our party affiliation, or in our own ideas. Conversely, we must humble ourselves and ask only what God would have us do, think, say, or vote. We must seek God's plan for us and our nation through prayer, and we must be vigilant in this effort. We must pray for forgiveness for our collective sins, and we must turn from those things which we hold dear that we know are not morally right. We must turn both from personal sin and do all we can to hinder our national sins. If we are to hold onto the nation that we love, and properly protect the American Ideal we must, as a people, place our faith in the sole Almighty God of Israel and America.
While it appalls and amazes me that there are those that do not hold this nation and this Ideal the way I do, I often feel that there are a precious few that see the American Ideal the way I do. In recent times many of those who claim the title of patriot are unwilling to give up even the smallest convenience to divest power from those who seek to oppress us. Our forefathers, and in fact many influential women of the American Revolution began their revolution by giving up their dearest luxuries. It may not seem so dear a cost to us now to give up the drinking of tea, but what if Amazon Prime was put in that place? How many are truly willing to give up something, never mind everything to make the American Ideal once again thrive? And, while there is much explosive drivel strewn across the internet about patriotism, I challenge the reader to find a single person who is both unwilling to stop buying from Google and willing to give their very life for the cause.
Nevertheless, this is written not to discourage the truly American people but to bring them hope. The essence of America is within the hearts and minds of those who know and believe the American Ideal. The belief in God given freedoms, personal liberty and the responsibilities therein, and the truth that any man can become successful when the proper work is put in; that is the American Ideal. And this Ideal can not be lost, it can not be altered, and it can not be destroyed. No matter how hard the enemy tries, he can not destroy what God has created and blessed. The battle is won against the Washington oligarchy, against the immoral CEOs, against those who seek to silence us, against the bitter hatred among brothers, against the sex culture, against drug culture, against Satan himself. It is done. Therefore, I urge the reader to get on your knees tonight and pray over this nation. Pray with confidence in the One you are speaking to. Pray for the leaders of our churches, schools, and government. Pray over what roll God has for you in the next chapter of this American experiment, put on the armor of Christ and stand prepared for the coming battle.--Elizabeth S. Bradley
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 127
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
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