Tuesday, November 30, 2010
A hearty well-done to Rabbi Shmuley Boteach for an excellent description of the essence of not only the Tea Party, but of the essence of American freedom and capitalism that sets us apart. The Rabbi understands that the miracle of America is that it provides the greatest platform for extending the reach of human achievement through individual freedom in human history: Why the Tea Party resonates with human dignity
...Lost in the debate about the morality of the Tea Party is any discussion about its underpinnings in human nature. The principle purpose of government is to provide the optimal conditions under which human beings can acquire their most important necessities, the highest of which is dignity.
Governments provide many essentials for their citizens, from law and order to social services, from good roads to education. If it's a socialist government, it may even provide cradle-to-grave benefits, or if it's a more Right-leaning government, it may emphasize robust national defense. But the one human essential that government cannot provide is human dignity.
Dignity is something acquired through personal effort. Dignity is the human aura that comes through self-reliance...
More.
[Via Legal Insurrection.]
"Resonates with human dignity".
Indeed, a succinct and fitting encapsulation of the primary energy and set of interests to be found in the "tea party" movement.