Clarence Thomas is an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. The following is an excerpt from a speech he gave at Hillsdale College on May 14, 2016.
“I knew no one who was surprised at President Kennedy’s famous exhortation in his 1961 Inaugural Address: ‘Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.’ That sentiment was as common as saying the Pledge of Allegiance or singing the National Anthem. Today there is much more focus on our rights and what we are owed, and much less on our obligations and duties – unless, of course, it is about our duty to submit to some new proposed policy.
My grandfather often reminded us that if we didn’t work we didn’t eat, and that if we didn’t plant, we couldn’t harvest. There is always a relationship between responsibilities and benefits. In agrarian societies, that is more obvious. As society becomes more complex and specialized, it is more difficult to discern. But it is equally true. If you continue to run up charges on your credit card, at some point you reach your credit limit. If you continue to make withdrawals from your savings account, you eventually deplete your funds.
Likewise, if we continue to consume the benefits of a free society without replenishing or nourishing that society, we will eventually deplete that as well. If we are content to let others do the work of replenishing and defending liberty while we consume the benefits, we will someday run out of other people’s willingness to sacrifice – or even out of courageous people willing to make the sacrifice.”
An absolute truth. Politician are attempting to give our country away for votes. (Power)
My grandfather used to tell me “ learn more, earn more “ but we must be willing to do the work ! They grew up during the “ Great Depression”
I love the message of personal responsibility. It was true when we were kids…and true now as well.
I love this post.
If my Mom was able to survive during summer breaks in a makeshift trailer home parked in front of an empty lot, with us (3 girls), while my carpenter dad was working on building a home from all the pennies (Romanian currency-LEI) my mom saved up, others can make it too.
It did take about 10 years and a lot of weeding in the garden before we were able to call it a home but working hard does produce results, including blisters, pride and self confidence.
It is up to us to make sure our Children learn these values and hopefully pass on to their Children. It is becoming more difficult in this world for them to get it anywhere else.
Thanks for the post. Great reminder for us all in our responsibilties.
Well said, Larry.
Well said Larry! The Clarance Thomas quote is worthy of being shared. Freedom, wealth, prosperity, good will, responsible charity, and even peace is augmented in a society where personal responsibility is foundational. A society of entitlement minded, irresponsible people becomes weak, dependent, and unhappy. It doesn’t take long to deplete the wealth, destroy the opportunity for prosperity, and then surrender our personal freedoms once we as a society are brain washed by the media into walking down the road of irresponsibility and begin embracing our so called “rights & entitlements”. A “right” that depends on others giving up their rights is not a right at all. “Rights” that depend on the government to plunder your neighbor and take the fruits of his labor and planning are not rights at all! Redistribution of wealth by government is not only legalized thievery it is horribly inefficient and wasteful!