Give Me Liberty: The Fallacy of Opening America
As protesters rage across the US demanding their own “liberty” at the price of other lives, as they claim “free speech” to condemn fellow citizens to death, based on their “rights” we, the other citizens, need to push back. Push back hard with facts, the law and, the actual writ of the Constitution.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America
This is the actual and verbatim preamble of the US Constitution. And, “We, the People” are pushing back against the lies, dis-information and downright destruction of what is left of this, our Union and democratic experiment.
The educational divide is one of the driving forces behind the current unrest rippling across this country. Education or the lack of it, have always been tools in the hands of politicians and religious leaders. They both bear a common trait of cherry-picking their words, out of context, from the guiding directives of their populations. The Bible, Koran ,Talmud or, US Constitution. Call it a Federal Machiavallian plot or conspiracy theory if you choose. Vanishing down those rabbit holes is your “right”. Coupled with a dedicated campaign of dis-information and fake news, it is small wonder, we have reached this point in a few short weeks. My right, as an XGen Journalist, is to seek and apply facts to a situation and report it.
Factually, it is not written in current law or, the Constitution that another citizen has the “right” to demand I die for their job or conception of “liberty”. These are not unenumerated rights. To date, we are not in a civil war. Yet. Factually, travel has been restricted, for the safety of all citizens of this Union, but it has not been banned. If you want to go to New York or Florida, go to New York or Florida or, elsewhere.
As of this article, today, April 24th 2020, in the USA, we topped out at 50,000 deaths and the count grimly goes forward. We have not flattened the curve, yet. Yesterday, deaths were up +3,185 from the previous days count of 1,706. In simple math, the numbers are going up not, down. Fast. And, if a person chooses to die to ensure “herd immunity” that would be their right IF it did not impinge on my right to live.
Protesters seem to enjoy dragging fragments of the Constitution to their rallies. It brings some form of personal vindication to wave the flag and shout about liberty. Understanding the complex relationships of liberty and a functional society or history are obviously irrelevant issues when one hasn’t been to the hair salon for 4 weeks. It’s all about individual priorities and neither justice or equality are attending the rallies with them.
Two of the most favoured and maligned US Constitutional Articles/Amendments at these events tend to be;
Article [I] (Amendment 1 — Freedom of expression and religion)
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Note the simple clarity, of especially; “the right of the people to Peaceably assemble”. It doesn’t give anyone the “Right” to threaten others with death, guns or any other implements that can cause harm to citizens who may choose to disagree with them. The equality of choice is seemingly not allowed to fellow citizens who do not bellow their speech or follow their herd.
Then there is;
Article [II] (Amendment 2 — Bearing Arms)
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
These are the “fighting words” for various groups of gun owners protesting across the country. It begs the question, what exactly are they defending themselves from? Nobody is taking their guns. In fact, gun and ammo sales have increased over 80% since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. What constitutional right has been violated? Having a job is not a constitutional “Right”. I just fact checked that one to be sure…
A “militia” is actually, a military force raised from civilians to supplement the regular army, usually in an emergency. Supplement. As in, work as a team and support the regular army. Our army and military forces. Sons, daughters, fathers and mothers- family. Forces that are currently represented with soldiers from all 50 states in this Union. For which we all pay, as a nation and as individual citizens, via a portion of Federal taxes, to support. Together.
The National Defense Corp, NDC is a listed militia. It was established to support first responders in emergencies. This particular militia uses education and training via organizations such as FEMA, Infragard and CERT to be prepared and, useful. Additionally, their Citizen Corps mission aims to “harness the power of every individual through education, training, and volunteer service to make communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to the threats of terrorism, crime, public health issues, and disasters”.
No talk about throwing “weaker” fellow citizens to the wolves anywhere. The SPLC (Southern Poverty Law Center) lists, as of 2016, 165 private “militias” in the US. The majority of these have no direct relationship for support with any level of the standing military, even though they have ex-military members. I have friends and patriots in the US military forces who have fought and died to protect this country, and I would trust the NDC with their support over a 3%er on any given day to have the training and discipline to save the lives of all citizens in this Union. Not a “chosen” herd. And, before panties start twisting, I learned to shoot and handle a gun from my father, when I was 12. My sons are also trained and certified because we live in, “Murica”.
This is not the time to fly the flag of Us Vs Them tirades. We are constitutionally a Union of fifty states. We are The People…. ALL the people. A Union. Liberty, Equality and Justice are the balancing triad that supports all of us and our constitutional ideal and, “a house divided cannot stand”. We are testing our democratic experiment and have only two choices. To stand together in this crisis or, splinter into factions. To succeed or, fail. To live or, die.
It’s your Right to choose, now.
