Principal and principle: the difference between the words is a letter at the end. In elementary school, a distinct memory of the head of my school telling kids just how easy it was to spot the difference between the words: his spelling ended in “pal," that's how you could tell the difference, because he was our friend.

But what of the other word? What does “principle” really mean in the American English lexicon? In the way of things for children, I recall trying to piece together the meaning of that second word from how it was used. My father would say things like, “a man has to stand behind his principles,” and it would be said with the same intense and uncompromising brevity from which he would tell me that “a man’s word is worth more than his weight in gold.” Other uses came from my conservative history teacher: “America was founded on principles," and from television: "it's the principle of the matter.”

"Principles must be very important," so the child me reasoned, "my father and my teachers and everyone speaks about them like they are sacred," so it went. But what truly is the word? Oxford defines it as, “a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning.” Further defining that definition, a ‘proposition’ is “a statement or assertion that expresses a judgement or opinion.”

One key principle directly led to the birth of the United States: there can be no taxation by a government, on a people, unless those people are represented in the government. “No taxation without representation," was the call to arms from the Thirteen Colonies, which was heard around the world. Of all politics in the United States, left or right, center or nihilist, that sole principle is the keystone foundation of our entire Republic.

What would Nebraska be, but a slave-state if we all had to pay taxes to the federal government with no Representatives or Senators to fight for the needs of Nebraskans? Or even on a smaller scale, like Omaha?

It was abhorrent, reading that U.S. Representative Adelita Grijalva heartedly won her election in Arizona and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson refused to swear her in, saying that her being sworn in to represent her constituents would only happen after Democrats agreed to Republican legislation.

So, petty blackmail?

Over 800,000 Arizonans are without representation in our government. Democrats and Republicans both, are without a person to represent their interests in the House. Going on longer than a month, now. Where is the principle which is the core keystone of the nation, but seemingly gone from Republicans’ set of ever-slimming values? Following their disabusing of free speech in hunting people who say mean things about Charlie Kirk, to stripping birthright citizenship and going after copyright law itself so that people may no longer profit from their own inventions.

Is simply “Jesus,” the answer to the core of their values? I wouldn’t even say that. Maybe sure the ‘name’ or ‘title’ of Jesus to be used as a cudgel, but in practice? Jesus who said in Mathew 6:24,

“You cannot serve both God and money.”

Mathew 22:39,

“Love your neighbor as you love yourself."

Adjusting the Oxford definition of "principle” for the layman, it would be:

“An inner-most, core-truth or assertion which is the bedrock of a belief, or for a path of logic.”

No taxation without representation.

Jesus said in Mathew 23:23,

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your mint, dill and cumin, but you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, while not neglecting the former.”

Austin Petak is an aspiring novelist and freelance journalist who loves seeking stories and the quiet passions of the soul. If you are interested in reaching out to him to cover a story, you may find him at austinpetak@gmail.com.

Opinions expressed by columnists in The Daily Record are not necessarily those of its management or staff, and do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation. Any errors or omissions should be called to our attention so that they may be corrected. Contact us at news@omahadailyrecord.com.