Posted by
David on Wednesday, August 06, 2008 7:20:55 AM
This blog posted previously in 3 parts on Dave's Worldview
This post may end up more a list of "Random Thoughts" than direct comments on the current blog, but I think they'll be relevant.
Let me begin with a couple of quotes (I apologize if I'm repeating myself from earlier posts).
A few from Thomas Jefferson
1) "A free people [claim] their rights as derived from the laws of nature, and not as the gift of their chief magistrate." --Thomas Jefferson: Rights of British America, 1774. ME 1:209, Papers 1:134
2) "Nothing is ours, which another may deprive us of." --Thomas Jefferson to Maria Cosway, 1786. ME 5:440
3) "The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that... it is their right and duty to be at all times armed." --Thomas Jefferson to John Cartwright, 1824. ME 16:45
And now one from George Washington
4) Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.
As to the first quote, far too many people misunderstand the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution limits the powers of the Federal government to infringe on individual (and States) rights. It does not "spell out" your individual rights. The question is not "Where in the Constitution do you have this right?", the correct question is "Where in the Constitution is the Federal government granted the power to infringe on your inherent rights?".
As to quote #2, I'll just ask you to consider the Kelo v New London decision by the Supreme Court. I wonder if the original phrasing of "...the right to Life, Liberty and Property..." may have been more correct?
Quote #3? Well, SCOTUS seems to get it right sometimes. (Yes, I'm aware he said State Constitutions, but if you don't understand the aforementioned...)
Quote #4? I remember when it used to be sort of a joke, if someone ticked you off, you would holler "There oughta be a law!". Now, at the slightest hint of "being offended", Congress is hard at work crafting new laws to soothe the offended. People are now looking for the Federal government to solve everything. (As an aside, I find it interesting that you didn't here any (or at least as many) complaints from Mississippi and Alabama after Katrina, even though they were hit just as hard as New Orleans. Hmmmm???)
Maybe this is why our "public schools", or as one of my favorite radio hosts refers to them, "government indoctrination centers", are spending more time teaching recycling rather than reading. If the people can't read the Constitution, then they don't know what it says.
There is also a serious lack of history being taught in schools these days (in my opinion). It seems far too many people think slavery began in the United States and didn't end until Martin Luther King, Jr. Can anyone give me any time or place in history (other than the Garden of Eden) where slavery did not exist? Are any schoolkids being taught that worldwide slavery did not come to an end until the United States and England (I believe England may have been first) began to abolish it? Well, not exactly a worldwide end, it still continues in North Africa, but that may be "politically incorrect" to point out.
So much more to say but time is short!
Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est.
Knowledge is power. - Francis Bacon