Government as servant

President Trump mentioned America's exceptionalism in his State of the Union speech. How is America exceptional? America is exceptional because the Founding Fathers turned the government on its head.

Up to that point, everyone worked for the king or whatever ruling body they had. The people had to do what they were told or bear the consequences (usually torture and/or death). But the Founding Fathers did something only a Christian would do. They put the government as the servant of the people.

Just as Jesus washed his disciples' feet as an example, leaders must be at the service of those they are responsible for. The people working in the government, from president to your local town, are public servants. Without the example of Jesus washing his disciples feet, I doubt anyone would have conceived of an up-side-down government that we have.

Yes, our form of government is the exception to the rule and that make us exceptional.

John Zitkus

Mundelein