The United States of America was founded on the principles of Christianity. Some may not be Christians or even believe in God. But the truth is, all men were created equal. In that equality, we all have a certain set of "inalienable" or "natural" rights. These "natural" rights come directly from God.
These natural rights have never been put into a complete list. Simply because it was presumed at the time of the Constitution that people knew what these rights were. For the sake of trying to prevent the Government they were trying to establish, the founding fathers put a few on paper.
This is known as the Bill of Rights.
The first 10 listed in the Bill of Rights are a pretty straight forward and simple list. What many people may not know, is that there is a bigger list of substantive rights. These substantive rights are the extension of the basic rights listed. For example, Freedom of Speech gives us the right to say what we want, when we want it. What people may not realise is that they also, under freedom of speech, have the right to: freedom to assemble, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom to petition. All of the minute and infinite rights that are protected under those are considered to be substantive.
These substantive rights are vitally important to the continued success of the American people and the "dream" that is America. For example, imagine the loss of the right to petition. We would no longer have the right to gather signatures for important matters. This would effectively stop the citizens from helping to create legislation. Imagine the havoc that would create and the doors it would open for the Government to bring in a different style of government.
So, in understanding that we have a need to fight for our rights and to protect them. Even if it means that a law that "feels good" or looks good on paper needs to not be passed, it's the greater good of protecting our rights that is more important.
Complacency breeds a need for bigger government, more "security", and allows us to turn on our fellow men.
Complacency by the people will be the downfall of this great nation.
Do not let complacency rule your life. Can you imagine what will happen if you keep on with the same things you are doing? Can you imagine what will happen if you don't stand up for your rights?
It reminds me of a poem I know of:
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;I was not a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out...
Are you going to allow this to happen to you?
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1 comment:
The American people need to be aware of their rights and have a better in depth understanding of their Constitution and the rights we lose as a whole daily...the issue at hand, IMO, is this: until they feel the wrath of being violated and realizing they have no constitutional protection they will not care, which as your article reminds us is "complacency"...They the people must want change and demand it as our politicians at any level are their to serve the people and protect our civil liberties and tragically the only thing they seem to be serving is their own moral corruptness.
Mary
www.rickyslife.com
www.derekoftexas.blogspot.com
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