National Chairman's Letter
Platform - Citizenship
June 2003
Dear Independent American friends,
I wish to comment on the Citizenship section of our IAP National Platform.
The third belief point of the Introduction section of our Platform says:
3. [Citizenship] We believe that patriotism,
civic duty and good character are essential to personal liberty and
responsibility in America.
The true patriot loves God, his family, and his country; loves freedom; and
loves the Constitution, the flag, and all that is good in America -- and is
willing to fight for them. A good citizen votes conscientiously, exerts his or
her influence on government, and gets involved in good causes. Good character
implicitly includes integrity, morality and personal responsibility.
The Citizenship or third numbered section of our Platform, includes
the subtopics Patriotism and Civic Duty, and begins:
3. CITIZENSHIP
Patriotism.
We consider patriotism as a
manifestation of how we express our love for this great country and each
other; its ideals and potentials in protecting and preserving our
Constitution, freedom, and all other fundamental rights and heritage for our
family and posterity.
We maintain that the need and urgency for active patriotism on a national
scale are even greater today than in the battle for our rights, freedoms,
and independence from Great Britain, or in any war since then.
We advocate involvement by each citizen to protect our heritage, the Bill
of Rights, the Constitution, and our national sovereignty and independence
which are each under severe legislative and political attack. (With today's
escalation in government tyranny, we are less free, more heavily taxed, and
governed worse than our ancestors while under British rule.)
We affirm that patriotism does not mean blind submission to government,
but rather vigilant action in the preservation and perpetuation of our
rights and liberties against government infringement, and against those in
or out of government attempting to pervert or overthrow our Constitution and
national independence.
Since the American flag is the symbol of our freedom and the sacrifice of
countless Americans, we strongly oppose any desecration of the flag.
Our early school textbooks included "The Lives of the Signers"
about their lives and sacrifices; and "Washington’s Farewell
Address" which emphasized the importance of religion and morality.
Americans once felt tears in their eyes at the sight of Old Glory and a lump in
their throat at the playing of the Star Spangled Banner.
But today there is a downgrading of American heroes and distorting of
American history. Kids read that our founders were atheists, agnostics or
deists; and land-owners with selfish interests. Many school functions allow no
Pledge of Allegiance. There is little respect for the flag or anthem. Liberals
are appalled that we might offend foreign visitors with any show of patriotism.
Civic Duty.
We favor community service, civic
and political involvement, and an understanding of the Constitution.
We consider it the duty of every American to inform self and others of
the domestic enemies to freedom, to sound the alert, and to stand up for
America while freedom can still be preserved.
We maintain that it is the civic duty of all Americans to be vocal and
vigilant in returning the size and powers of the federal government to the
limits of the Constitution, and in restoring all rights and powers belonging
to the states and to the people.
We favor informed and responsible voting. We also hold that continuing to
vote the status quo will perpetuate the same corruption, advance the
overthrow of our Constitution, and guarantee the surrender of all rights,
liberties and national independence to the tyranny and despotism of the U.N.
and the controls of economic globalists in any new world order.
We assert that it is our patriotic and protected civic duty, when the
government becomes destructive of our rights and liberties, to alter or
replace that form of government by Constitutional means.
Americans were once a civic-minded, hard-working, freedom-loving people who
took personal responsibility for their actions. They were law-abiding, involved
in community affairs, well-informed, and held sacred their "right to
vote." They were industrious and independent of government aid. They took
pride in their workmanship, whether they were craftsmen or farmers; and it was
this pride that spurred America on to economic greatness. They looked out for
their neighbors.
But today many voters are apathetic because of disillusionment; being turned
off by politics; a feeling of helplessness to do anything about it; and
indifference or ignorance. We no longer take personal responsibility for out
actions. Workers no longer take pride in their craft or employment. Free-loaders
avoid work to get government handouts and welfare. We blame anti-social and
violent behavior on disease, genetics, environment and victimization.
In the Pre-dawn darkness, March 14, 1964, New York City. A young woman, Kitty
Genovese, was stabbed to death near her apartment. She attempted to resist and
escape. Because of her struggling, it took her assailant over half-an-hour to
kill her. About 40 neighbors heard her screams for help, but no one came to her
aid. After it was too late someone finally called the police. This was the
beginning of a new trend in our society, and a story -- of indifference to the
plight of others -- that has repeated itself many times over.
The late Ezra Taft Benson, former Secretary of Agriculture and a religious
leader, asked: "Could many of our ills today have resulted from our failure
to train a strong citizenry from the only source we have -- the boys and girls
of each community? Have they grown up to believe in politics without principle,
pleasure without conscience, knowledge without effort, wealth without work,
business without morality, science without humanity, worship without
sacrifice?"
We vow as a political party to do all we can to restore true patriotism,
responsible citizenship and good character in America! These are vital elements
of our social fabric and for any great nation.
For God, Family and Country!
Bruce Bangerter
IAP National Chairman
