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Show MERLE RICHE Are All Men Equal? The framers of the Declaration Declara-tion of Independence embodied in it the celebrated proposition that "all men are created cre-ated equal' '.This sentence may be interpreted in two different ways. It may be taken to mean that all men are equal in res -oect of their claim for justice, for humane treatment and the kindly feeling of their fellows, fel-lows, for opportunities to make the best of their powers of service and of happiness. On the other hand, it may be, and sometimes 'has been taken to mean, that all men are born with equal capacities for intellectual and moral development. devel-opment. There can be no doubt, I think, that the former interpretation interpre-tation is the true one. The untruth un-truth of the second is so obvious, and in all ages has been so obvious, ob-vious, that we do wrong to the great men who framed the proposition, prop-osition, if we assume that the second sec-ond meaning was intended by them. In the former sense, the proposition propos-ition conveys a great moral truth and a moral ideal which all men can accept as fundamental principle prin-ciple of conduct." (Dr. Wm. McDougall, Professor of Psychology. Psy-chology. Harvard Colleee.l - w f "Under Natural Law and Nature's Nat-ure's God, all men are created free and equal. Equal in what 7 In morals? No. Physically? No. Mentally? No. Racially? No. All men are equal only in the sense of their creation: the right to be free and live: equal, with all other men to gain that living. All else are grants, of gifts, by the Government...." Gov-ernment...." (Vattell, "The Laws of Nature and of Nations.") 'That all men are born to equal rights is true. Every being has a right to his own, as clear, as moral, mor-al, as sacred, as any other being has. This is as indubitable as a moral government in the universe. But to teach that all men are born with equal powers and faculties, fac-ulties, to equal influence in society to equal property and advantages through life, is as gross a frauc. as glaring an imposition on the credulity of the people as everwas practiced For honor's sake... for truth and virtue's sake, let American philosophers and politicians poli-ticians despise it.' (John Adams, a framer of the Constitution.) titution.) (cont. p. 4) l j Merle Riche, cont. fm. p. 2 In spite of this, comes now the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of Utah and points out, to quote a press report, that the national ideal is expressed in the belief that all men are created creat-ed equal. That here we should "move toward its practice in reality real-ity and the elimination of second t class citizenship." The reality of the situation is 1 that biologically there is not truth in the quotation that "all men are created equal." In the Christian sense it is also untrue and the phrase "Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of Man" is not found as such from one cover of the Bible to the other. Fatherhood and Brotherhood may be fine ideas and factual states but they do not solve social problems without regard to other, facts any more than they solve family problems. In reaching decisions on vital social problems we are ad- , monished to disregard "race, creed, color and national origin." Yet, these are all major facts of life. The great Jewish leader Benjamin Ben-jamin Disraeli, Prime Minister of Great Britain said: "No man will treat with indifference the principle prin-ciple of race: it is the key to history f and why history is so often confused is that it has been written by men who were ignorant of its principles and all the knowledge know-ledge that it involves." Do you suppose that the Chief Justice really believes that we can reach wise decisions through the process of disregarding major facts; reach wise decisions on the basis of cliches such as "second class citizens?" Courts are keen upon the intent. in-tent. The intent of the framers of the Constitution was not racial or social equality. Rather, as John Adams put it: "Inequalities of mind and body are so established by God Almighty in his constitution of human nature, that no art or policy can ever plane them down to a level." For honor's sake, for truth's sake and for virtue's sake let the Chief Justice remember it. |
