Looks like on beat up on my friend Douglas a bit too quickly. Today's Hartford Courant reveals that contrary to the remark by Babinski, I do not live in the People's Republic of Eastford, but on an island of red in the sea of Connecticut blue.
http://www.courant.com/media/acrobat/2008-11/43270443.pdf
I fear that I have not been a good enough Democrat, a Democrat that has forgotten the lessons of the past and how to win elections. I should have figured out how to vote more than once to sink the Isle of Eastford into the sea of blue.
All is not lost. Douglas blogged from Colorado's version of Helm's Deep that there is a scriptural basis for a different type of society than the one he fears that is coming. One that relies on Christian principled communal sharing rather than government coercion (that is taxation) to provide for the needs of the many.
Indeed there seems to be at least one of my ancient New England neighbors that unifies the two themes and suggested that the city on upon the hill DOES need to be based on being each others keepers:
John Winthrop - City Upon A Hill, 1630
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_upon_a_hill
...We must entertain each other in brotherly affection. We must be willing to abridge ourselves of our superfluities, for the supply of others’ necessities. We must uphold a familiar commerce together in all meekness, gentleness, patience and liberality. We must delight in each other; make others’ conditions our own; rejoice together, mourn together, labor and suffer together, always having before our eyes our commission and community in the work, as members of the same body. So shall we keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. .... We shall find that the God of Israel is among us, when ten of us shall be able to resist a thousand of our enemies; when He shall make us a praise and glory that men shall say of succeeding plantations, "may the Lord make it like that of New England." For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us...
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1 comment:
Thank you for this historical note. I like it.
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