Of purity and principle…I’ve included the definitions of both words below because I, for one, believe that definitions matter. Too often words are used without the necessary respect for what, in purity and in principle, they actually mean causing confusion and misunderstanding. I hate that. In my commitment to clarity I will try my best to stay in tune. So, take a moment and become acquainted with pure and principle.
Full Definition of pure
purer purest
-
1a (1) : unmixed with any other matter <pure gold> (2) : free from dust, dirt, or taint <pure spring water> (3) : spotless, stainless b : free from harshness or roughness and being in tune —used of a musical tone c of a vowel : characterized by no appreciable alteration of articulation during utterance
-
2a : being thus and no other : sheer, unmitigated <pure folly>b (1) : abstract, theoretical <pure research> (2) : a priori <pure mechanics>c : not directed toward exposition of reality or solution of practical problems <pure literature>d : being nonobjective and to be appraised on formal and technical qualities only <pure form>
-
3a (1) : free from what vitiates, weakens, or pollutes (2) : containing nothing that does not properly belong b : free from moral fault or guilt c : marked by chastity : continent d (1) : of pure blood and unmixed ancestry (2) : homozygous in and breeding true for one or more characters e : ritually clean
-
4: having exactly the talents or skills needed for a particular role <a pure shooter in basketball>
Full Definition of principle
-
1a : a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption b (1) : a rule or code of conduct (2) : habitual devotion to right principles <a man of principle>c : the laws or facts of nature underlying the working of an artificial device
-
2: a primary source : origin 3a : an underlying faculty or endowment <such principles of human nature as greed and curiosity>b : an ingredient (as a chemical) that exhibits or imparts a characteristic quality
In particular, I want to focus on 3a (1) of pure: free from what vitiates, weakens, or pollutes. And from 1a of principle: a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption. OK, now let’s look at the four principles of our American Constitution:
- All people are created equal,
- All people are endowed with basic rights that cannot be taken away,
- The power the government has to make decisions and protect the rights of people comes from the people, and
- When the government does not protect the rights of the people, the people have the right to change or remove the government.
In order to keep these principles pure, that is free from what vitiates, weakens or pollutes them, we have to master and appreciate them in order. Any politician who would work against these fundamental principles, cannot in the purest, most principled sense of the definition represent the people effectively. You don’t pick someone for office to defeat someone else. You pick someone who is best suited for the job.
Section 4 of the definition of pure states:having exactly the talents or skills needed for a particular role. Anyone running for office, in order to defend our most sacred principles, must embrace and defend ALL of the citizenry. If a primary goal is not to unify and work with the entire populace, then they don’t have the requisite talent for the job. Campaigns should be based on the habitual devotion to right principles, those laid out in our constitution, the hows of which should be defined by now…and are not.
America, we are a diverse and free people. We will never all think alike or agree. A two party system is one way to balance that diversity. But I wonder, though, how many people are actually acquainted with the principles that define these parties. Both have some noble ideals, and it is those ideals that need to remain pure, especially from the standpoint of a campaign. Because if the behavior of those running for office, run contrary to the purity of those principles, then no one wins.
It’s about time we hold ourselves to a higher standard. We need problem solvers, visionaries, peace makers and dreamers. We need someone who inspires us to face difficulty without fear, because we know we are not alone in this. We all need to trust that anyone charged to be our commander in chief knows that we are a government of the people, by the people and for the people. The sacred trust that they hold in purest principle is that they must be devoted, in service to us.
