I just listened to the a debate on how to treat terrorists either as enemy combatants or as criminals and one point came up that I thought was excellent. Millitary members vow to support and defend the constitution of the United States. Not to defend the people.
This demonstrates the power and importance of ideas. The point was that we as a people need to hold to our highest ideals because they are what make us great.
On the other hand without the people there are no ideals to hold up. It is important then to realize what our military is meant to defend, the ideas and ideals of a nation. And the role that you need to take in the forming of those ideals. The fact that it takes so long for something to become constitutional is a testament to how important a government and its workings are to us.
I think what I thought was most right is that people are not as important as the institutions they serve and the ideas they carry. It seems to me that the two are inseparable.
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