Background and History:

I chose the name for this blog as Common Sense for a few reasons which I will detail in a minute. I have wanted to start a blog for a long time and have only needed the time, the inspiration (a particular inspiration), and the name. My wife can tell you that names are very important to me. I would spend up to an hour sometimes thinking of titles for my college papers, which most teachers probably never paid much attention to anyway.

As I said, the name is inspired by a few things, the main inspirations for the name, though, are my desire to bring a level of common sense back to debate in this country. Too often our idea of debate is to call each other names, to shame each other by past actions of the individual (never addressing the actual points of their arguments), or by shouting down any opposing views in order that they not be heard. Frankly I find that type of debate to be base, annoying and outright childish, not to mention the fact that nothing is ever accomplished through those means. I will further discuss debating later in the monologue (for that is what this is, is it not?), but for now I want to stick to the name.

My second great inspiration for calling this blog Common Sense has to do with the much circulated document from 1776 of the same name by Thomas Paine (check the end of this post for that document in audio format). The pamphlet was read by most in the American Colonies and today is touted as a major contributor to the decision to pursue independence and freedom with abandon, never again to suckle at the teat of Great Britain. This document is passionate in its pursuit of its namesake, provocative in its thoughts and generally uplifting to the trodden soul of the oppressed. It was an inspiration to hundreds of thousands of readers, so much so that General George Washington ordered it read to his troops on December 25, 1776, just before crossing the Delaware to face the Brits. While I recognize that my ability to inspire may be shackled by my inability to express myself in the manner that I wish, I hope to influence people with the simple (or complex) arguments that I make in favor of common sense.

A few things I think anyone who reads this blog should understand before they are offended. I seek the truth as best I can understand it, I do not concern myself with offending people, as some will always be offended, whether you speak gently or firmly, for truth or falsity. I want everyone to know that I think political correctness has destroyed our ability to communicate effectively, speaking the truth, rather than dressing everything down so as not to offend, and that will not be the case on my blog. I will not tear people down for the sake of tearing them down. I will not, however, spare feelings at the expense of truth and honesty simply for the sake of sparing feelings.

I believe that we have lost the art of debate in this country, and I fear that, as John Adams said, the people will be swayed by the loudest, and not the most intelligent argument (that is, for you scholars out there, a paraphrase of his journal entry during his participation in the Second Continental Congress). In high school I participated in a number of debates in the Law and Government Academy, we stated our cases civilly and without raising our voices, and the most convincing won the day. These days it seems that it is a battle amongst the debaters over who can be the loudest rather than the most sensible. Who can be the rudest rather than the most convincing. I watch debates and hear talk show guests seek to cut each other off, yell at each other and call each other names, as if this was a civil way to argue ideas. This disease has even spread to the level of our President, and the candidates for President of the United States of America. It makes me ashamed!The Presidency is supposed to be honored and respected, whether you agree with the individual or not. (Side note: For those of you convinced I am defending George W. Bush, examine your hearts for hatred and contempt, for I have not mentioned any names, and those of you who would think I am speaking of William J. Clinton, do the same.) I call for the people of this great and glorious nation to remove from their hearts the hatred and disdain for each other and move forward in a spirit of love and respect for your fellow man (meaning mankind, I don’t think it sexist to use the phrase “man” to describe us all). To embrace our differences and love each other still is truly the goal of any great society. I think someone once said something to the order of: No one has ever been argued into changing their mind. Why do we still try then? I know that love and discussion works, not hate and yelling. Fear is another major detractor from bringing us together, fear of what we each need to decide in our own hearts.

While I don’t agree with many of Barrack Obama’s ideas of how we should move forward as a nation, I agree with him that “We are the change we have been waiting for.” One thing me and Mr. Obama would disagree on in regards to that phrase is that we have been waiting for others to institute that change for us, we don’t want to put forth the effort ourselves to create the change that is necessary. It is just common sense to know that we do not need a politician, any politician, to make the changes in our lives that we need to make. What we need to facilitate change is self-control, self-responsibility and loving generosity for our neighbors and those in need of some assistance. If everyone in the country took responsibility for their actions, from the corporate CEO to the single mother (or the man who got her pregnant), and everyone who had the means took it upon themselves to be the generosity incarnate that people need, we would be living in as close a condition to heaven as I dare say we can get on earth.

I believe that everyone on this planet deserves to be free, but most importantly, close to home I believe in our Constitution. I believe that every right guaranteed in that document, as well as in the Bill of Rights that followed shortly after, is guaranteed to us whether any one person likes it or not. I believe that every person has the right, imbued by that Constitution and its Bill of Rights to say what is on their mind, even if it is against the government, and to redress grievances or to gather and protest if their grievance is not being addressed. They have the right to practice whatever religion they choose and I have no right to tell them that they cannot. I believe that people have the right to own property and to be free of search or seizure of that property without due cause. I believe that everyone has the right to due process, that they cannot be forced to incriminate themselves or be forced to suffer two trials for the same accusation. Everyone has the right, when accused to confront their accuser, and to have a trial by a jury of their peers if taken to court, whether civilly or criminally. While they are on trial they have the right to fair and just bail amounts and if convicted they have the right to not be punished cruelly and unusually (which many may disagree on what that is but that is for another post). I believe that every person has the right to elect officials within their state that will act according to their desires, because the state has the right to decide on any issue that the Federal Government does not have jurisdiction over. But most importantly, I believe that every individual has the right to keep and bear arms, that they might use those arms, if necessary to protect the people from the government infringing on any of those other rights and to protect every ones right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, none of which is possible without the right to life.

You may not agree with me on everything, or anything, but please keep your messages to me civil and I will post every reply, regardless of position, on this board (as long as it is civil). More to follow, please feel free to contact me.

Common Sense Guy (Matt)

P.S. – Here are those audio files of Common Sense that I promised you.

Common Sense by Thomas Paine