The minister who mentored me used to say, “Jim, don’t be afraid to trust the people.”
His reference, of course, was to the many decisions Baptist congregations make week in and week out. These decisions range from what color to paint the fellowship hall all the way to who will serve as leaders in the church.
“People who are committed to the well being of the church,” my mentor would say, “have a way of making the right decision.”
After serving Baptist churches now for over 30 years I have no reason to doubt that wisdom. People of good faith and good will can be trusted to do the right thing. We may not be perfect, but for the most part, we manage to stay on a good and faithful path.
I can’t help but believe that the same is true for larger and more diverse communities — like the state of Alabama for instance. I understand that there are special interest groups who are only interested in what affects their interests. I also know that these interest groups often hold great sway over our elected leaders and have significant resources for persuading the public at large. But I believe that most of the people in our state that are trying to live meaningful, are also capable of thinking for themselves.
So why not trust people to do what they think is right? I am thinking in particular of the bill that is before the state Senate right now that would allow Alabamians to decide for themselves whether or not to have a constitutional convention to re-write our outdated state constitution.
As we have public hearings on the bill, opponents of a constitutional convention will trot out all of their usual fear-mongering nonsense. They will invoke the tax increase boogey man and every other scare tactic they can think of to keep the Senate from passing the bill.
But the question I want answered is why are opponents of constitution reform afraid to allow the people of this state to decide for ourselves what we should do? Why are opponents to constitution reform afraid to put the matter before voters and let us vote up or down whether or not to re-write the constitution?
Opponents to the re-write can still do all the fear-mongering they need to. It may cost more money to monger fear during a referendum, but they can still invoke all the social boogey men they need to. Let the opposition make their case, and let proponents make theirs—then let the people decide.
What’s the problem with that?
Opponents to re-writing the state constitution almost seem adamant about not allowing the people of this state to choose on our own what to do. They seem overly reluctant to give the people of this state the chance to do away with the albatross that hangs around our collective necks. I wonder if it’s because they fear we just might do it. Could it be that those who profit most from our dysfunctional system don’t want to take the risk of seeing it end?
If that is so, then the whole issue is totally twisted. Because people of good will and good faith can be trusted to do the right thing, the only option the opposition has is to keep the matter out of the hands of the people.
Let me encourage you to call or write your state representatives and tell them to let us decide what to do. Tell them all, “Trust the people.”
James L. Evans, a syndicated columnist, also serves as pastor of Auburn First Baptist Church in Auburn, Ala.
A retired Baptist preacher living in Alabama. Over 35 years, he served churches in Alabama, North Carolina and Virginia. In support of his pastoral work, Evans published five books including “First and Second Corinthians: Immersion Bible Studies” (Abingdon Press (2011).
