The 9-12 Project
So I was reading the principles and values of the 9-12 Project, founded by Glenn Beck. The explanation of why I was there in the first place I will leave to a particular XKCD. While there is a comment section there, I didn't think it was easily useable, and this way my comment is not under their editorial control.
First, the problem in general with pithy formulations is that they are open to interpretation. In order to be unambiguously clear as to your meaning, you need a lot of words, and then people say "too long; didn't read". Two easy examples of the brief, inspiring, central sorts of documents: Bill of Rights and (l'havdil) the Ten Commandments. But there are wide swaths of possible meaning for both. So some of these principles and all of the values will be agreed upon by everyone. So in the absence of greater clarity the values are nearly meaningless.
9 Principles, 12 Values
The 9 Principles
1.America Is Good. Good has several possible meanings, from effective (Bobby Fisher is a good chess player) to moral (Bobby Fischer is not a good person). It is hard to be critical of a country if one of your founding principles is that it is morally good.
I want America to be good, in that it chooses moral activities and does them effectively. However, I do not hold as a principle that America will always live up to this dream.2.I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life. God “The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained.” from George Washington’s first Inaugural address. If you are a religious person and your morality is shaped by that, I'd expect you to want your country to behave in accord with the morality that is shaped by your faith. 3.I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday. Honesty “I hope that I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider to be the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.” George Washington I'll assume Beck doesn't mean honest-to-a-fault, and say this one is just great as is.4.The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government. Marriage/Family “It is in the love of one’s family only that heartfelt happiness is known. By a law of our nature, we cannot be happy without the endearing connections of a family.” Thomas Jefferson The ultimate authority on what? I assume this is aimed at education of children or gay marriage, but it is very unclear. It could be read to support any family made decision, even if that is illegal. So if I think my child will sleep better with a shot of rum before bed, fine. Is that really what you are saying, Glenn?
As for Jefferson, first of all, happiness can be found outside of one's family. And if one thinks that Jefferson is here comparing family to government, I quote you: "Adore God. Reverence and cherish your parents. Love your neighbor as yourself, and your country more than yourself" - Thomas Jefferson I found that on a site linked from the 9-12 Project, Homemakers for America. 5.If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it. Justice “I deem one of the essential principles of our government… equal and exact justice to all men of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political.” Thomas Jefferson Great platitude. I'll let someone else research places where it seems not to be followed by Mr Beck (defending Republicans accussed of crimes? Mandatory minimums? etc) 6.I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results. Life, Liberty, & The Pursuit of Happiness “Everyone has a natural right to choose that vocation in life which he thinks most likely to give him comfortable subsistence.” Thomas Jefferson The balance between the two clauses of this compound sentence will be vital to defining its meaning. What constitutes ensuring one's right to pursue happiness and what constitutes an unfair guarantee of equal results?7.I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable. Charity “It is not everyone who asketh that deserveth charity; all however, are worth of the inquiry or the deserving may suffer.” George Washington The first sentence would be better if it ended "with whom I choose". Also, the government CAN force one to be charitable, as it now does. Beck is arguing that it should not.
Some would argue that the policies refered to as charity are not charity but insurance. Unemployment is actually called insurance, but welfare, medicaid and several other entitlement programs serve the same function. Can the government force you to be insured? It does with regard to insuring your car. There is an arguable benefit to all from everyone being insured against unemployment or destitution, for example, companies need not give as much in severance packages, nor will they suffer as much negative press from firing or laying off employees. It is not only charity that mandates that we fund welfare.8.It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion. On your right to disagree “In a free and republican government, you cannot restrain the voice of the multitude; every man will speak as he thinks, or more properly without thinking.” George Washington Agreed. Speaking your opinion without thinking is as American as apple pie.9.The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me. Who works for whom? “I consider the people who constitute a society or a nation as the source of all authority in that nation.” Thomas Jefferson
Again, to what extent? The police force is paid from the public coffers, into which all tax-payers contribute. This does not allow me to ignore speeding laws, or to fire the police officer who gave me a speeding ticket.
The 12 Values
* Honesty
* Reverence
* Hope
* Thrift
* Humility
* Charity
* Sincerity
* Moderation
* Hard Work
* Courage
* Personal Responsibility
* Gratitude
To all of these: under what circumstances?
One should be dishonest to the ugly bride regarding her beauty (and if you are the groom, she is always a bride).
Reverence for what? Dr Temperance Brennan (a fictional atheist) said she had faith in cause-and-effect. Everyone reveres something.
Hope is a good thing, but false hope is a bad thing. Being prepared for sometyhing other than the hoped for result can often be helpful.
Thrift is good, but greed is bad. Where is the border?
etc.