Natural Rights, IX

In his book on 'Natural Right and History,' Leo Strauss discusses 'The Crisis of Modern Natural Right' in Chapter VI. In this chapter, I conclude that the first two paragraphs of the U.S. Declaration of Independence and John Locke's social contract were removed from the body of U.S. laws by the U.S. Supreme Court when it removed prayer from public schools. In the 1970s, such Supreme Court actions were influenced by the Cato Institute. (click)

Earlier by concealing their identities with the ancient name of 'Cato,' two Englishmen, John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon influenced some colonists. These Englishmen were followers of Cato the Younger (95–46 B.C.), the foe of Julius Caesar and a champion of liberty and republican principles. Their 144 essays are published in Cato's Letters. (click)

By removing the Declaration of Independence, the anti-slavery statement, '... all Men are created equal, ...' was also eliminated by the U.S. Supreme Court. According to Strauss, Locke's social contract was converted to the social contract theory of Jean-Jacques Rousseau in which virtue is spoken of only as 'trade' and 'money.' These stupid words will not take any nation to another planet when our sun darkens.

If the Republican party and Tea party continue to promote Cato Letters nationally, they cannot be followers of Abe Lincoln's freedom and God.