top of page

It is not enough to believe in your values, you must act on them

Extremely American

Updated: Mar 17, 2021


Call-to-Action: act on, promote, and defend your beliefs and values


It is one thing to have a strong set of beliefs and values; it is another thing to act on your beliefs and values. In an era where progressive and “woke thought bullies” apply contemptuous tactics of intimidation, ridicule, and “cancellation” to push their agenda, it is easy to fall silent on what you believe in. Going all the way back to the greatest classical philosophers, it has been noted that beliefs that are not displayed are often lost in silence. It has also always been known that the void left by the silence of good men and women create an opening for society’s moral rogues to exploit and plunder.


Drawing from the writings of Greek philosophers like Aristotle and Socrates, the word “hexis” has been used to denote moral value (as translated from ancient Greek text). But the word “hexis” is not passive in nature as it translates into an active condition, one that implies the concept of “moral value’ is more than a silent idea but rather an active expression of morality and virtue. (IEP Website – Joe Sachs)


Virtues and beliefs, therefore, manifest themselves in the form of action. And this “action” of morality and virtue constitutes true character only when expressed in physical and visible displays of such moral beliefs. According to Aristotle, it is only in the “habit of acting” and in the “principles of action” that the soul can allow the beauty of virtues and beliefs to flourish and remain preserved, this state of morality cannot be sustained in silence. (IEP Website – Joe Sachs) These references are not intended to be an ancient history lesson but rather to underscore the importance of expressing one’s beliefs and values to protect them and ensure that good prevails over evil. If there was ever a time to actively express and demonstrate our beliefs, values, and principles, this is the moment.

Admittedly, I like to fall back on the words of great thinkers in history as their words have survived the test of time. As we review the EA’s call-to-action and suggestions worth considering, I share these inspirational quotes from Aristotle to help motivate and wrap “action” around your values and beliefs:


- “Moral excellence comes about because of habit. We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts.”

- “To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.”

- “Be a free thinker and don’t accept everything you hear as truth. Be critical and evaluate what you believe in.”

- “You will never do anything in this world without the courage to act. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor.”

- “Virtue belongs with virtuous behavior and virtue is only known by its acts.”


With this as the backdrop to our call-to-action, EA encourages our community to consider the following ideas to follow your values and beliefs and embody them in actions that you are comfortable taking. Assuming you are prepared to act on your beliefs, the following list will provide you and your family with several ways to protect your God-given rights and defend your national heritage and traditions:


- Proudly and confidently exercise your freedom to openly speak, think and believe

- Firmly disregard the validity of cancel culture and those who exploit it as a weapon

- Find support in communities and circles of friends that shares your beliefs, morals, and ethics

- Find creative ways to act on your beliefs and values (its not enough just to have beliefs, it is important to act on them visibly and vocally)

- Dismiss people and entities that attempt to shame, suppress, or silence what you believe in

- Tilt your balance of extracurricular activities more towards exercise and outdoor activities and away from mainstream tv and social media

- Boycott cultural segments that are notorious for pushing progressivism, socialism, and communism (notably the entertainment industry and professional sports industries)

- Volunteer with organizations, associations, and movements that reflect your beliefs and traditional values

- Take charge of and form your own grass-roots community organizations to protect your values and beliefs

- Migrate from mainstream media to alternative sources; leverage alternative sources of news and journalism (new independent news networks, online streaming, podcasts, respected independent online journalists)

- Migrate from tech tyrant social media platforms; leverage secure and independent social media platforms and solutions (EA has covered this topic extensively in several articles)

- Identify and support small independent businesses and other larger businesses that operate based on respected principles

- Boycott any companies (and their products/services) that are linked to communist regimes (the CCP in particular)

- Consider home-schooling for your children in whole or in part to mitigate the effects of socialist indoctrination

- Consider relocating to municipalities, states, provinces, and/or countries that are known to respect traditional and conservative ways of living (rural, semi-rural, countryside, non-urban, conservatively governed municipalities/states/province/countries)

- Increased volunteer involvement in local government and school boards

- Run for local or state/province level office


This is not meant to be an exhaustive list, but it intended to be a thought starter. It is hoped that members of our EA community will embrace the idea of acting on their beliefs and principles. Every person can make a huge difference in defining a stronger community of patriots geared towards protecting our rights and freedoms against an increasingly hostile and intolerant “progressive” left. By: Extremely American Colin Wright



Comments


bottom of page