American socialism and the lessons we should have learned...
...from the little red hen
Many of us have read books like "Atlas Shrugged" and "Animal Farm" and look to them as examples of what happens when government becomes corrupt and overbearing, and when that government runs roughshod over people's rights to own the product of their labor. As I was reflecting on this recently, it struck me that many of us, at least of the older set, learned this moral truth in at least one story from childhood, and we should be reading this story to our children. Perhaps a failure to read "The Little Red Hen" to kids is partly responsible for the transfer-of-wealth mentality that exists among many younger Americans today.
For those who have never read this short children's fable, and for those who may have forgotten, "The Little Red Hen" is a tale of, well, a red hen living on a farm. This hen had chicks, and she dutifully provides for them by picketty-pecking and scratching up worms for herself and her little ones. Meanwhile, a fat pig lies around just eating what he is able and otherwise sleeping, and the lazy cat relaxes while a thieving rat freely runs around. One day, while foraging for food, the hen picks up what she discovers to be a wheat stalk. Torn between her responsibility to her children and the thought that it will take a lot of work to plant and cultivate the wheat, she asks who would be willing to plant it. "Not I," is the response from each of the apathetic trio. The hen decides the rewards are worth the effort, and in addition caring for her younglings, she takes upon herself the work of planting the wheat.
This same back-and-forth occurs as well when it comes time to cut the wheat, to take the wheat to the mill for grinding, to knead the dough, and to bake the bread. Each time the hen seeks one who might assist, and the refrain from each of the tiresome trio remains, "not I."
Finally realizing the fruits of her labor, the hen asks, "who will eat the bread?" At this, the three sluggards seize the opportunity to volunteer. Then the hen says, "no, you won't. I will," and rightly so. All along the way, though given several opportunities, none partook of the labor necessary to produce the bread, and therefore, none had any right to it.
This story illustrates the biggest fallacy in government taking from one to give to another: the recipient of the government's benevolence has earned nothing and has no right to that which is received, the product of someone else's labor. Likewise, the victim of the government's seizure has essentially been looted. There can be no argument to prove such an occurrence either moral or ethical. Being forced at the barrel of a gun to give up what you have earned so that someone else who did not earn it may receive it is theft.
Some might argue that a Christian should see things otherwise, and that such charity is commanded by God. This line of thinking comes from a blatant ignorance of the teachings of the Bible. While Christians are called to care for those who are unable to care for themselves (those most often mentioned in Scripture are widows and orphans), it directly and unabashedly rejects the modern concept of the redistribution of wealth.
First, scripture teaches that giving should NOT be under compulsion:
"The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work." - 2 Cor. 9:6-8 (ESV)
Scripture also teaches that people should work for that which they receive:
"For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living." - 2 Thes. 3:7-12 (ESV)
Taking from one to give to another is immoral. This is a lesson we should learn as children and carry into adulthood and then pass on to our children. Forgetting this lesson is why our country is sliding so rapidly into socialism. Never let anyone try to convince you otherwise.
*For those who wish to read "The Little Red Hen," it can be found here, among other places:
https://americanliterature.com/childrens-stories/the-little-red-hen
It is hard to learn the moral of the story when you were never taught about morals in the first place. Too many youg people are being raised by people who have no moral fiber of their own. For several decades now I have noticed that there are children raising children. Girls have been getting pregnant at extremely young ages and they have not finished learning enough of life's lessons themselves in order to instill in their children any moral standards. There was a time when girls as young as 13 or 14 were getting married and starting families, but they had elder family members surrounding them to help compete THEIR lessons to pass on to the next generation. Sadly, those elders are no longer part of the household to help with those valuable lessons of life. The "family" has been dismantled by the push for single motherhood. There are other factors that are at play here that have been introduced slowly over time via music, video and all forms of media. This PUSH to get away from God has left many in this country wandering aimlessly with no moral compass to guide them. Without Him, they are lost completely.