Grass

As natural (and as American, speaking of Independence Day) as it seems to have a front yard full of it, it is, in fact, quite unnatural and has to be procured, or it won't grow, and manicured or it won't stop growing. Grass does spring up naturally, yes, but not in such a concise and consistent fashion like it does in the prototypical American front lawn. When it does arise naturally, it grows in vast, sweeping meadows, like those in 'Lord of the Rings', or for reality's sake, New Zealand. If allowed to grow unchecked, invariably weeds tend to sprout up among the grass sprigs and then one has to get their Black and Decker rotary mechanism with flexible nylon projections, or for brevity' sake, weed eater, and chop the little infiltrates down (or if you're really progressive in all senses of the word, roll them up and smoke them). The point is, to have something like a manicured front lawn may seem like something natural - it is just green flora doing what it does if left alone right - but I assure the in-ground, time-mechanism equipped sprinkler system and the hefty water bill that comes with it beg to differ. Democracy, or a democratic republic, may seem like something natural, especially if that's all one has ever known, and something that can maintain itself if the gear is put in neutral - but neutral is not the gear you want to be in on a mountain descent highway...put it in low and cover the breaks! Though I don't have to agree with all of Benjamin Franklin's thinking to agree with part of it (after all, the only person o know that I agree with on everything is myself) he was right in saying in response Maryland's delegate at the Convention, Dr. James McHenry's question, "Well Doctor what have we got, a republic or a monarchy.” Franklin replied, “A republic . . . if you can keep it.” As I return today from the country my country rebelled against these 241 years ago, I am reminded of Franklin's warning and that of the Psalmist: "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Ps. 11:3)