Principle #8 - It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion.

“In a free and republican government, you cannot restrain the voice of the multitude; every man will speak as he thinks, or more properly without thinking.” George Washington

You know...I've tried to sit down and write this one several times and have been having trouble coming up with something to say. Not because it's unimportant or that it's not a big issue, but because it's one of those things that we should've been taught growing up. We should have been taught that it is not only our right to express disagreement with those in power, but it is our responsibility as Americans to express our dissent. This is exactly how we became an independent nation to begin with. We became fed up with the actions of the English government and declared "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it." If we bury our heads in the sand and allow our government to continue on unchecked by the governed, we are doomed to end up in the same type of oppressive situation we found ourselves in just 234 years ago. It is MY responsibility and it is YOUR responsibility as an American to speak out when those in authority step outside their bounds. It is also your responsibility and my responsibility to ensure everyone has the right to exercise that dissent. The founders of this country thought it so important that the ability to express your opinion was written into the Constitution as a protected right. It has also been the subject of countless lawsuits over the course of our history to ensure that right is not infringed upon. So why, if we make such a great effort to keep the government from stifling our ability to speak out and speak freely, would we allow our fellow citizens to stifle it?!? Keeping someone from speaking out only weakens our society by limiting the directions we can develop as a nation to the opinions of a select few. It is every individual's right to freely express their views, no matter how stupid or insightful they may be. Their arguments will stand or fall based on their merits. If you are someone who thinks any of the socialist or progressive ideals are good ideas, I think you're a babbling idiot and you probably think the same of me. That is perfectly fine, let the debate go on. I invite and encourage spirited debate. The facts will decide outcome, not who can shout the loudest or come up with the most creative put-down.

Principle #7 - I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable.

“It is not everyone who asketh that deserveth charity; all however, are worth of the inquiry or the deserving may suffer.” George Washington

It is a part of the good nature of the American spirit to give to charity and help those that are less fortunate than we. We, as a society, have always been one of the first to help out other countries in times of disaster. We also have founded countless non-profit organizations help our fellow Americans through everything from their next meal to fighting through their cancer treatments. America certainly does not lack the giving spirit. Why then, does the government feel the need to force us to be more charitable through all these forms of welfare? By doing so, they actually influence us to give less. Example…for those people like myself who generally tip our waitstaff more than the standard 15%, what is your first inclination when a restaurant automatically adds the tip onto the bill (large groups excluded)? For me, at least, it’s to leave the bill as is. Perhaps it’s just me being stubborn, but that is exactly why I, and no one else, should be in charge of the amount of money that I give away freely. It takes the decision of how charitable to be away from the individual and puts in the hands of a dispassionate entity that makes allocations and donations. When you choose to give money to someone or some cause, you have an invested emotion and give as much as your heart feels is right rather than how much someone tells you to.