Civis Jones

Tracts and pamphlets were once a common way for Americans to speak their mind. During the Revolution, the pamphleteers were legendary: "Publius," "Cato," "Brutus," "A Farmer in Pennsylvania," and so on, but tract writing has always been a part of our national discussion. Today, it is expressed as "blogging." Our freedom to think, to speak, and to write, is an important part of what it means to be an American.

Writing is good for the soul because it forces us to think slowly, and while "thinking fast" is a necessary skill for debating effectively, "thinking slow" is necessary for seriousness as a person and a citizen. No matter who we are, or what we think, our thoughts become more thorough when we bother to write them down.

Civis Jones is my pen name for now. My views have evolved over time. I am no longer a Democrat but much more of a democrat. Specifically, I am a Christian democrat. Although I know this is an Enlightenment republic, I see the benefit of weaving the Christian faith into our civic life—and I know the value of weaving the Christianity into my own life.

On the economic side, I cannot delude myself into thinking that unbridled capitalism leads to any place other than oligarchy, and that oligarchy works against the kind of Jeffersonian, middle-class country which is the American Dream. Most of all, I think we need a constitutional democracy which represents and respects the people of the United States. Our current "constitutional republic" has hijacked government from us.

I am "Civis Jones" because I am nothing special and American citizenship is the most important thing about me. Here are some tracts I have written over the years. My views have evolved, just as your views evolve, but I hope you find them interesting.