As the unfortunate events of a few weeks ago have led to the current debate over the second amendment and so forth, there’s a lot of merit on both sides of the argument. This isn’t the first time that something so seemingly fundamental as the constitution has been debated, and it certainly won’t be the last.

My purpose isn’t to debate or lobby for one side or the other on a given issue, except to make an observation on why it seems like these kind of debates in recent years have gotten more bitter, more divided and much harder to find middle ground.

Why the Constitution Has Worked for 200+ Years

I firmly believe in the words revealed to the prophet Joseph Smith that, “[The Lord] have suffered [the laws and constitution of the people] to be established, and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles;”

“And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood,” (D&C 124: 77,80).

Speaking of those wise men, consider the words of John Adams on the subject,

 “We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion . . . Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other,” (Speech to the Military, 1798).

Behind why we struggle to find common ground

Of course, over the past two hundred plus years, it has not been all roses. There have been many issues that come down to how we view and interpret the constitution.  So here we are entering 2013 and consider all the different debates that continue to be hot topics:

• Death Penalty
• Abortion
• Definition of Marriage
• Gun Control
• Privacy
• Debt Crisis
• Role of Religion in Society

In saying what I am about to say, I hope to say it tentatively without trying to say which side is right or wrong. But it would seem that many of these issues would not be as much of an issue if morality and religion had a more significant place in the hearts of individuals.

Consider the current gun control debate and why we struggle to agree on interpreting the second amendment. Part of the challenge is that there is an increasing trend of individuals who struggle to adhere to a fundamental societal moral conveyed in the Judeo-Christian commandment, Thou Shalt Not Kill.  As incivility manifests itself in escalating proportions, as a society we disagree on the course of action to take to try to right those offenses.

So where do morals, respect, compassion and civility come from? Where are they learned? What I truly hope to advocate is the ever-increasing importance of the home and the impact it can have on a society that is struggling to find its way forward.

I am absolutely positive that if we strengthen and support the home and family, many of the issues that beget so many of the political and policy driven debates we have today would diminish.

Is that too idealistic? Is that to simple? The best day to plant an apple tree was 25 years ago, the second best day is today. Doing more today to strengthen our respective homes and families may not yield the societal peace we strive for immediately, but it will begin the process of investing in a future that is more secure and bright. More importantly we can give a secure and stable footing for our children.

Let’s consider what we can do to plant the seeds in our respective home and family environments today.