Lessons from Dickinson, Adams, and Polazhynets
(The first part of this post is an expansion of an earlier post: https://unwillingchild.wordpress.com/2018/07/10/i-say-ye-john-dickinson/)
John Dickinson is not the best-remembered of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America, and that is, in my not-so-humble (and almost always correct) opinion, a profound shame.
Dickinson was a member of the Pennsylvania delegation to the Second Continental Congress in 1776, and in that congress, he was the leading voice against American independence. In fact, when it came time for the members of Congress to sign the Declaration of Independence and to pledge to each other their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor, Dickinson resigned from Congress, refusing to sign.
His reasons for doing so, when viewed strictly through a modern lens, seem, at best, misguided, self-serving, unamerican, or, at worst, even treasonous. However, to view Dickinson’s actions through such a lens would be to do a great and loyal American a terrible disservice. Dickinson was a true American patriot and an honest and selfless man who laid his life on the line for his country. He argued forcibly that American independence was wrong at that time, because he believed the colonies could not win a war against the greatest military power in the world (Great Britain), he believed the colonies would need the help of a great foreign nation (and we did—France) before we could declare independence. He also believed we needed a national government in place before we could declare independence (he was one of the authors of the Articles of Confederation and insisted they be completed first), and he believed that violence was not the answer to settling the dispute. While I am grateful that the voices for independence won out (and that very narrowly and only by a miracle—and by that, I mean by Divine intervention), I can understand all of Dickinson’s arguments. A lot of what he said made a ton of sense when viewed through the lens of 1776. What Dickinson did, he did out of deeply held principles.
After refusing to sign the Declaration and resigning from the congress, John Dickinson enlisted in the militia and served with the Continental (that is, the American) Army. He served faithfully and bravely. In fact, at one point, he refused a commission as an officer and served as a lowly private. And after the revolution, he continued to serve his nation until the end of his life.
John Adams, the future second President of the United States, led the push for independence in congress, and he and Dickinson were bitter and vocal opponents. However, when Dickinson refused to sign the Declaration, Adams said of his opponent, “Mr. Dickinson’s alacrity and spirit certainly become his character and sets a fine example.” In other words, Adams praised his rival. Even though they were political enemies in a cause they both held to be of supreme importance, they respected each other as human beings.
Can we not learn from Dickinson’s and Adams’s examples? We can disagree strongly over issues we think to be of vital importance and still not resort to hatred and violence against those with whom we disagree. Dickinson was wrong, but he was sincerely and honestly wrong in his firmly held principles, and he was still an honorable and brave man.
Now, I’m an old (some might say very old) soldier. I served in the United States Air Force as an officer and pilot. I flew combat aircraft—the B-52 bomber, specifically. (There: I mentioned an aircraft.) While I was never called upon to drop a bomb in wartime, I was prepared to do so. I trained to do so. I risked my life over and over in that training.
I believed what I was doing was essential to preserve our liberties. I still do. And I have great respect and love for the men and women who stand between us and the darkness.
Many years ago, we hosted an exchange student from Ukraine. Her name is Olya. We grew to love her dearly, and she came to love us in return. After she finished her year and went home to Ukraine, we sponsored her to return to the U.S. and attend BYU. She joined the Church within a month of her return. She is now married in the temple of God and has two lovely children.
Her father, Yuri Polazhynets, was once a Major in the Soviet Rocket Forces in the former U.S.S.R. That means that he was in charge of nuclear missiles aimed at the United States. As a B-52 pilot, I was prepared, if called upon, to vaporize targets such as the missile base where Yuri served. He was, in other words, my enemy. Well, that’s not strictly true. The Soviet people were not my enemies, but their leadership was. To help me keep that distinction in my heart (between the Soviet people and the Soviet leadership), I made it a point to study the Russian language in college to better understand the people. I believe that learning a language can help me better understand how people think, how they form thoughts and ideas. But if I had ended up dropping a nuclear bomb on Yuri and his missile base, that distinction wouldn’t have mattered to him and his family. And if he had been responsible for launching a nuclear missile to wipe out my base and my family, I doubt that distinction would have mattered a whole lot to me either.
But despite that, there never has been any hatred between us.
Yuri and I are now friends.
So, having said that, I sincerely believe that there definitely are reasons to stand up and fight. We read in Alma 48: 11-13 and 17 about Captain Moroni, one of my personal heroes:
“And Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and slavery;
“Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and safety of his people.
“Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ, and he had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood.
“Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.”
So, yes, there are times and circumstances when it is necessary to stand and fight. But such times and circumstances rarely happen in our homes, our families, our neighborhoods, our wards and stakes, our workplaces, or in our daily lives. Most of the time, it is not the sword that is needed, but the heart.
The apostle John states in First John 4: 20 and 21,
“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
“And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”
In April 2023 General Conference, President Russell M. Nelson said,
“Anger never persuades. Hostility builds no one. Contention never leads to inspired solutions.”
He also said in April 2022,
“My call today, dear brothers and sisters, is to end conflicts that are raging in your heart, your home, and your life. Bury any and all inclinations to hurt others—whether those inclinations be a temper, a sharp tongue, or a resentment for someone who has hurt you. The Savior commanded us to turn the other cheek, to love our enemies, and to pray for those who despitefully use us.”
In John 13: 34 and 35, the Savior said,
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
Even when Yuri Polazhynets and I were military enemies, there was never any hatred between us. Now, there is only respect and friendship.
John Adams and John Dickinson were political enemies, but they respected one another, despite their differences.
How much more should we love and respect our spouses, our children, our siblings, our parents, our extended families, our neighbors, and those with whom we associate? Including those who have wronged us? Especially those who have wronged us?
As recorded in Luke 23: 34, in the midst of His agony on the cross, Jesus said of those who were killing Him,
“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
He had the power to smite them all, to take His just vengeance on His tormentors. But He forgave them. He asked His Father to forgive them. And I believe that the Father suffered too, watching His dearly beloved Son suffer. Jesus asked Him to forgive those who hurt His Son.
In D&C 64:10, he said,
“I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.”
All men. All women. Including those who hurt us and hurt those we love. There are no exceptions.
Sometimes the sword is the only remedy. It was during the days of Captain Moroni. And the days of John Adams. And the days of my maternal grandfather, Rufus Spann, who fought in World War II—including D-Day. But those times are few, and we earnestly pray that most of us will never live through such dark times.
No, the sword is rarely the answer. The answer is almost always Christ-like love.
