Conscience vs. Convenience

"Is there not a sort of blood shed when the conscience is wounded? Through this wound a man's real manhood and immortality flow out, and he bleeds to an everlasting death." - Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience

If anything fails the test of the Golden Rule and an idea advocates violating the life, liberty, and property of others, dare to question it instead of "going along to get along." It takes one courageous individual to stand on principle as an example for others, so don't wait for someone else to take that first step. Never make the mistake of substituting outside authority of any sort for what you know is right in your deepest soul.

Too many people will surrender their conscience to "authority" no matter what the consequences may be. Obedience isn't virtue if you obey evil commands. Democracy can't over-rule morality, and legality is irrelevant to rational discourse. Remember that the Underground Railroad was "illegal," while slavery was "legal." Later, Jim Crow was "the law," while Rosa Parks was a "lawbreaker."

Principles matter. Test your ideas. Question your preconceptions. Expose your excuses and examine your exceptions. Be willing to challenge popular opinion, because progress toward liberty never results from appealing to the status quo. When your conscience tingles, take a step back and ask why. Is it possible we may reach bad conclusions? That depends on our premises and our thought process. However, history records the undeniable death and destruction wrought by surrendering such duties to political actors and self-professed experts.