Speaker Martin R. Stephens
Opening Session Remarks
January 19, 2004
It is my pleasure to have the opportunity to take a few minutes as we begin this legislative session. It was 20 years ago this month that I began my elected service as a newly elected member of the Farr West City council. As I begin my last legislative session and perhaps my last year in elected office, I cannot help but reflect on how things have changed for our family.
Most of my family cannot remember a time when their dad was not involved politically. Two of our six children were born since I first held elected office and our oldest was only 6. Today, not only do Carole and I have only the two youngest at home – with Daniel, our youngest, graduating from high school in a few months – we also have 6 grandchildren.
As an aside, I might mention that apparently our daughter’s biological
clocks are even coordinated with the legislative schedule. Last year about
this time both of our daughters were expecting. Melanie had her first,
a son, the day before the session started, and Jen, our oldest daughter,
had her third, a daughter, the day after the session ended. I appreciate
their willingness to plan 9 months ahead so that things would be so well
coordinated. . .
Today, in my last opportunity to formally address the members of the House
in these historic chambers I would like to make a few brief remarks about
a subject that I think deserves more frequent and substantive consideration
as we deliberate the great issues of the day here in these chambers.
I would like to talk about Freedom and Liberty. Freedom and Liberty are the primary issues of interest in all of our founding documents.
The preamble to the Constitution of the United States lists six reasons the constitution was written. It goes something like this;
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America.
Again the sixth reason states; "To secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity....."
The Declaration of Independence says this in part; "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men
Again... "to secure these rights, i.e. Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, Governments are instituted among Men."
The preamble to our state constitution also contains similar language.
I quote; "Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we, the
people of Utah, in order to secure and perpetuate the principles of free
government, do ordain and establish this CONSTITUTION." [end quote]
(Preamble to the Utah Constitution)
So what does it mean to be Free? What does it mean to "secure the blessings of Liberty?" Who among us will ever forget one of the final scenes in the movie Braveheart where Sir William Wallace gives his life for his native land of Scotland. As he is being executed for leading the fight for the freedom of his people he screams out with his last ounce of energy the word FREEDOM.... It was what he lived for and it was what he died for.
Just as Sir William Wallace gave his life for his people, our forefathers likewise gave everything they had, even to their own lives to secure to us the blessings of freedom which we now enjoy.
How important was liberty to the founding fathers? In 1775 Patrick Henry put it this way; "Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"
We know from a review of the Declaration of Independence that Patrick Henry was not talking about slavery as we think of it today, but of a general over-regulation of society by the British Crown that they considered chains and slavery. This over-regulation led to the Boston Tea Party and in time to the Declaration of Independence.
John Adams in a letter to his wife Abigail also warned of governmental
encroachment on our liberties. He said;[quote] "Liberty once lost
is lost forever." [end qoute]
(John Adams, Letter to Abigail Adams, July 17, 1775)
Thomas Paine explained the importance of not just protecting your own
liberty, but also the liberty of your fellowmen if ultimately your liberty
is to be secure. He said this; [quote] "He that would make his own
liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates
this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself."[end
quote]
(Thomas Paine, Dissertation on the First Principles of Government, Dec.
23, 1791)
Again, in 1776 Thomas Paine talked about the high cost of Freedom. He said: [quote] "These are the times that try men’s souls; the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny like hell is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap we esteem too lightly; ‘tis dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price on its goods; and it would be strange indeed, if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.
After considerable thought and consideration I believe there are three ways that these freedoms and liberties which have been bought for us at so high a price can be lost. Let me suggest the following:
First, government itself can simply take these liberties and freedoms away if leaders are not careful and the people allow it. Let me share two quotes which I think explain what I mean.
James Madison said; [quote] "I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpations... This danger ought to be wisely guarded against." [end quote]
And President Andrew Jackson in his final public address said; [quote]
"It is well known that there have always been those amongst us who
wish to enlarge the powers of the General Government; and experience would
seem to indicate that there is a tendency on the part of this government
to overstep the boundaries marked out for it by the Constitution. Every
attempt to exercise power beyond these limits should be promptly and firmly
opposed..." [end quote]
(President Andrew Jackson, Valedictory, March 4, 1837)
We must recognize that; through the legislative branch of government
through the passage of laws, through the executive branch of government
through the implementation of administrative rules, and through the judicial
branch of government through unjust rulings that become common law, government
has the power to take people’s freedoms and liberties away from
them. As has been mentioned previously, history has shown that [quote]
"there are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the
people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power, than by
violent and sudden usurpations" [end quote]
We must be very careful in our deliberations and in our stewardship of the freedoms of the people to be protectors of individual freedoms and liberties rather than takers of those freedoms and liberties.
The second way freedom and liberties can be lost is by a lack of individual responsibility. There is a direct tie between freedom and individual responsibility. We cannot have freedom while asking government to provide for us what we can and should provide for ourselves. In order for government to provide these wants for us they must take more and more of our resources and freedoms in order to provide these wants. We can be free and responsible or we can give up some freedoms and have government provide us with security. We cannot have both freedom and government provided security. We must choose.
Let me share a few quotes to illustrate what I mean.
Abraham Lincoln said; "This love of liberty which God has planted in us constitutes the bulwark of our liberty and independence. . . Our defense is in the spirit which prizes liberty as the heritage of all men, in all lands, everywhere. Destroy this spirit, and we have planted the seed of despotism at our very doors."
You notice that he even put liberty and independence in the same sentence. The two are inexorably tied together.
Nearly every one of the founding fathers understood that you cannot have freedom, you cannot have liberty, without individual responsibility.
Benjamin Franklin explained that many times people must choose temporary safety provided by government or liberty, but they cannot have both. He said this; [quote] "They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."[ end quote]
A noted religious leader said; [quote] "People are bargaining their liberty for a chimera of equality and security, not realizing that the more power you give the central government, the more you curtail your individual freedom." [end quote]David O. McKay
And Thomas Jefferson said; [quote] "If you can prevent the government
from wasting the labors of the people under pretense of caring for them,
they will be happy." [end quote]
There are times in our lives when we all need help. However, today we
seem to look at outside assistance first instead of trying to work things
out for ourselves. It is much harder to be individually responsible rather
than immediately turning to others for help. It requires personal sacrifice,
hard work, thrift, and prudence.
However, if we eliminate the penalty for slothfulness, what reward is there for hard work? If we eliminate the penalty for overspending, what reward is there for thrift? If we eliminate the penalty for reckless behavior what reward is there for prudence?
Our society and system of government is rooted in morality and individual responsibility. If we weaken these roots, the tree holding our freedoms cannot stand.
To continue as a free society we must understand that there of necessity must be consequences to our actions. Without these consequences there are no incentives for morality and personal responsibility and our great country with its constitutionally guaranteed freedoms will not stand.
If we desire freedom and liberty, if we desire success in business, if we desire success in life, we must be individually responsible. If we fail in business - we are responsible. If we fail in a relationship - we are responsible. If we fail to prepare in times of plenty for times of want - we are responsible.
A significant part of being responsible and free is being willing to accept the consequences of our decisions.
In the business world if we do not work hard or complete assignments in a way that adds value to the organization, we need to understand that we may soon lose our employment, or in times of economic downturn we may be the first to be let go from our jobs. It is our responsibility to be good workers, to add value to the business, and to do our best.
In our personal lives if we fail to save for our future and choose instead to spend more today - we must realize that we may have to suffer the consequences of a meager income in our later years. It is only by being individually responsible and knowing that we will have to suffer the consequences of our decisions, that we will be motivated to choose wisely.
However, with that accountability comes the freedom to choose. We can have freedom and individual responsibility or we can give up some of our freedoms and have government provide us with security, but we cannot have governmental security and freedom. The two are mutually exclusive.
Eugene Holman puts it this way; [quote] "There is a price tag on human liberty. That price tag is the willingness to assume the responsibilities of being free men. Payment of this price is a personal matter with each of us. To let others carry the responsibilities of freedom and the work and worry that accompany them while we share in the benefits, may be a very human impulse, but it is likely to be fatal." [end quote]
The third and final way that freedoms and liberties can be lost is through a loss of morality in the people.
George Washington said this; [quote] "There is no truth more thoroughly
established than that there exists in the economy and course of nature
an indissoluble union between virtue and happiness." [end quote].
He also said; "The foundation of our national policy will be laid
in the pure and immutable principles of private morality."
James Madison, the Father of the U.S. Constitution said; [quote] "We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government; upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain according to the Ten Commandments of God." [end quote]
Samuel Adams added; [quote] "We may look up to armies for our defense,
but virtue is our best security. It is not possible that any state should
long remain free, where virtue is not supremely honored." [end quote]
(Samuel Adams, Rediscovering the Ideas of Liberty, pg. xvi)
And finally Benjamin Franklin, I think explained it best when he said;
[quote] "Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations
become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters."[end
quote]
(Smyth, Writings of Benjamin Franklin, Vol. 9, pg. 569)
These "masters" Dr. Franklin is talking about are laws. More laws to protect the innocent from the corrupt. More laws mean less freedom and liberty. Our freedoms and liberties even our very system of government are wholly dependent on a moral people. A people without moral integrity cannot continue to have the freedoms and liberties secured by our founding fathers. Our founding fathers knew this and warned us against the danger.
Let me conclude this third point with a quote from President James E.
Faust, a former member of this great body. He said; [quote] "There
seems to be developing a new civil religion. The civil religion I refer
to is a secular religion. It has no moral absolutes. It is non-denominational.
It is non-theistic. It is politically focused. It is antagonistic to religion.
It rejects the historic religious traditions of this nation. It feels
strange. If this trend continues, non-belief will be more honored than
belief. While all beliefs must be protected, are atheism, agnosticism,
cynicism, and moral relativism to be more safeguarded and valued than
Christianity, Judaism, and the tenets of Islam which hold that there is
a Supreme Being and that mortals are accountable to him? If so, this would,
in my opinion, place this nation in great moral jeopardy. [end quote]
(James E. Faust, "A New Civil Religion", Pioneer Day Fireside,
Ogden, Utah, 19 July, 1992)
In summary, the protection of freedom and the security of liberty to ourselves and our posterity was the goal and ambition of our founding fathers. It should also be our goal today. In order to protect these freedoms we must understand how they can be lost.
First, government itself can simply take these liberties and freedoms away if leaders are not careful and the people allow it.
Second, freedom and liberty can be lost by a lack of individual responsibility in the people of this great country.
And third, freedoms and liberties can be lost through an absence of morality in the people.
It is my hope that we will, as was so eloquently stated in the preamble to the Constitution, continue to; [quote] "secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity."[end quote] that we may enjoy the greatness of this Constitution which has been our inheritance. That is our charge.
I would like to conclude my remarks today with the final lines from Thomas Jefferson’s second inaugural address which I hope will set the tone as we begin our deliberations during this legislative session.
He said in closing his remarks; "I shall need, too, the favor of
that Being in whose hands we are, who led our fathers, as Israel of old,
from their native land and planted them in a country flowing with all
the necessaries and comforts of life; who has covered our infancy with
His providence and our riper years with His wisdom and power, and to whose
goodness I ask you to join in supplications with me that He will so enlighten
the minds of your servants, guide their councils, and prosper their measures
that whatsoever they do shall result in your good, and shall secure to
you the peace, friendship, and approbation of all . . .
Thomas Jefferson, Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1805
That we will be eternally vigilant against those who would try to diminish our freedoms and liberties whether intentionally or unintentionally through ignorance; and that we may be beneficiaries of the wisdom, enlightenment, and guidance which President Jefferson describes is my humble prayer.
Thank you.