Untitled

Some of the men who penned our Constitution were  bounded by the European traditions, but not restricted regarding the expansive nature of their thoughts. Others - who were native born also held to these traditions rooted in the ethics of Judeo-Christian  beliefs. But more importantly, the vast majority were classically trained in the arts, letters, and humanities and aware of the Greco-Roman heritage which also infused Western thought.  What happened in the ancient Delphi, Athens, and Laconia of Greece mattered.   And the fortunes and misfortunes of the Roman Empire which were dependent on the wisdom or the whims of the emperors and their closest advisors also mattered.  History is the learning lab of the present, for those smart enough to embrace it. 

Our forefathers were not only engaged in writing a legal document. With each thought and stroke of the pen, they forged the identity of a nation.  And all of this was accomplished before the Republic even existed!  The fifty-five men who arrived at the Pennsylvania State House had been appointed and dispatched by their state legislatures.  Within this group, eight were signatories to the Declaration of Independence.  Almost fifty percent were veterans of the Revolutionary War.  Thomas Jefferson referred to them as an "assembly of demi-gods".  But there is no sufficient word in the English language which adequately describes these men.  

The delegation from Connecticut had men educated at Harvard, Princeton, and Yale.  New Hampshire gave us merchants and ship captains.  John Langdon was actually a ship builder!  New York gifted us with Alexander Hamilton - Columbia educated - and later assuming his place as Secretary of the Treasury.  Brilliant and passionate, he was killed by Aaron Burr in a duel; but not before he had left us with "The Federalist Papers", one of the most enjoyable readings, aside from Winston Churchill.

New Jersey sent three Princeton graduates and the odd man out, a Harvard graduate who had actually served as a Moravian missionary to the Mohawks.  Apparently, they let him keep his scalp.  Pennsylvania sent two men who had been born in Ireland, and of course Robert Morris, a man raised as an orphan. Let's not leave out Benjamin Franklin, a man of enormous wit and I.Q.  who had such a towering intellect it is easy to forget he was self-educated.  He was the anchor who provided firm guidance during the writing of our Constitution.  The others: from Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina are certainly remembered and honored by their own.  Forget Rhode Island.  Those folks have always been quite odd.  They refused to have any part of it.

Our Constitution - this remarkable document, a parchment infused with infinite wisdom, was secured when the British stormed Washington during the War of 1812.  It crossed the Potomac to the safety of Leesburg, Virginia.  Today this document is at the National Archives. It used to be displayed in bullet proof cases and placed in a vault at night to guard against nuclear blast.  Not sure how it is safe-guarded now.

Did I just say nuclear blast?

So that brings us to today.  To President Trump. To reflection on how an American President lacking any real classical training, a man with a strong skill set in business but not in foreign affairs, brought us from a starting point on 28 February to the point where we find ourselves today.   Our President spent two years at Fordham University and then graduated from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Economics.  Certainly, a sturdy and recognized degree.  But was it rounded out with the type of courses which inform a world view?  Everything he does is based on an understanding of negotiations... "We're going to make big money."  It all sounds so simple.  So believable. But unless the world view has embraced history with an understanding of how history sends such a strong echo through the generations, military might and negotiations alone may fail.  Simply put, a military win is not equivalent to a diplomatic win.  Personally, I would hate to be in Marco Rubio's shoes.

The concern was nuclear.  I certainly understand.  ( Do not be naive. Iran is not the only nation currently seeking nuclear enrichment.)  But it seems that in seeking to change the behavior of the one belligerent Iran (Isn't that what we all want?  It is a worthy goal.) President Trump has managed to change the behavior of the community of nations - both modern and primitive - and their sense of place in the world has changed in relation to our Republic.

Imaginations became blazing fires after 9/11.  Every hot-headed Muslim was emboldened to attack the West with ambushing suicide attacks, gun and knife attacks.  We witnessed the attack on the tube system in London, Charlie Hebdo... San Bernardino.... the Belgium Mother of Satan bombs... Paris.... It took the collective sane "WE" two decades to clamp the lid on this type of behavior, and it still exists.

Today - the imagination is much more subtly displayed but equally dangerous against my nation.  February 28th was the catalyst.  And now we have the blaze that we cannot extinguish as our POTUS has unwisely chastised NATO in public manner - telling them we can go it alone.  We don't need them. Taking their cue, nations are now moving away from the influence of our orbit, stating they no longer need us.

Italy has refused to host American aircraft at their base in Sicily.  Yemen, has decided to kick up the dirt and there is internal strife with active warfare in Marib between tribal groups and security services. I always wonder  where West Asia and Africa acquire their Toyota trucks.  It is what I call "Toyota Jihad". Other regions are torquing away from us with new alliances and priorities.  Their imaginations are fired. In less than two months, we have quick-sanded ourselves.  Surely Russia and China are salivating; and probably quietly financing Tehran as they continue to ignore us. 

Last night, Iran announced they are moving missiles into locations with dense civilian populations. They paraded a missile in Revolution Square.  Since they have killed tens of thousands of their own population, they might relish that we would target them, and in the process begin to really look like "The Great Satan".

I have not looked at the news since this morning.  These are just my evening thoughts and I really do not have any answers; and the fifty-five men who might have an answer are no longer with us.

 So I leave you with an image of the IRGC's swift boats.

Added to post: Because I was curious:

https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/security/a15895554/how-to-protect-the-declaration-of-independence/