Land of the Free?
The United States of America is touted as the land of the free, but are we?
Our constitution and bill of rights uphold the freedom of speech, yet our courts and politicians seem to frown on the idea of prayer. Prayer is personal, not needing to be spoken. “Every thought of God is prayer. Holy, true and honest purposes are prayer. Earnest thought, search without vanity is prayer.” - Rahel Levin Varnhagen, letter to Count Custine, 1817. Are our legislators and legal system set on controlling our very thoughts?
Every person in America has the right of “the pursuit of happiness”, yet actions of our government’s administrators want a ban on the happiness of a minority, the gay community. Marriage has always been a union of a male and female, but there is nothing to say a civil union of two individuals of the same sex could not be legal. To declare such a union as illegal is an erosion of human rights.
Our governmental system is set up with an advantage to those individuals who are married. Why then are we depriving a minority group of this right? What will be next, a ban on marriage between ethic groups? What about age, would the union of two people with too many years difference become illegal, and who would decide? Is it more to the liking of our government that people just live together with no bonded rights?
We have in industry that thrives on individuals who are unmarried. The health insurance industry has a big business helping those individuals without partners with insurance to cover their needs. If a policy of domestic unions were enforced, many who are not now covered by insurance would be. This would take the burden on the public, who are now paying for it.
Our government is one of the most powerful in the world. In many cases, what we do first, others follow. Why not lead the world and show them we are not just a nation of words, but actions. That we are indeed the land of the free; that we have the freedom to practice our peaceful religious beliefs without governmental control. We have the right to pursue happiness in out domestic lives without government restrictions or intervention.
The only way this can happen is by the election of our political representatives. This means everyone needs to voice their opinion on Election Day and VOTE.
Our political election system is not perfect and needs reform, but it is the best we have. As the system is today, the Electoral College is in control when placing a president in office, not the people. When a majority of the voters in a state say one candidate should be president, all the electoral votes go to that person. This, in of itself, stops a third party candidate from becoming president. There is no way the Electoral College could be abolished, states with a smaller population would not ratify it, but that is not to say we cannot change it. Why not let the votes of the people really count; have the Electoral College votes split as the voters voted. If 48% of the state’s population wanted one candidate, 30% wanted another, and 22% still another, why not split the Electoral College vote the same way? Doing this would insure the people have their say and the old “two party” system could be done away with, or at the least, improved. People would not feel their vote is wasted on a third party candidate, their voice could be heard.
This nation was founded on religious principle, with human rights in mind. We have evolved in many ways to improve our view of what human rights and freedoms are. It is not now the time to digress and begin removing these rights. As a democratic republic each and every person should be equal under the law and have a voice. The right to prayer, marriage or civil union and the election of our governmental officials should fall on us, not the system. The constitution begins; “WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES,” it does not say; the system or the few of the United States. The pledge of allegiance sites “with liberty and justice of all”.
Hundreds of thousands of American lives have been spent to show the world what freedom truly is. Should we not show this same freedom to ourselves? Civil liberty is sacrosanct and should NOT be diminished one iota. Ordaining everyone should believe and behave the same is the death null to expression, knowledge and understanding.
When the rights of any individual group are impaired, all lose a little.
Ed Williams
©
Our constitution and bill of rights uphold the freedom of speech, yet our courts and politicians seem to frown on the idea of prayer. Prayer is personal, not needing to be spoken. “Every thought of God is prayer. Holy, true and honest purposes are prayer. Earnest thought, search without vanity is prayer.” - Rahel Levin Varnhagen, letter to Count Custine, 1817. Are our legislators and legal system set on controlling our very thoughts?
Every person in America has the right of “the pursuit of happiness”, yet actions of our government’s administrators want a ban on the happiness of a minority, the gay community. Marriage has always been a union of a male and female, but there is nothing to say a civil union of two individuals of the same sex could not be legal. To declare such a union as illegal is an erosion of human rights.
Our governmental system is set up with an advantage to those individuals who are married. Why then are we depriving a minority group of this right? What will be next, a ban on marriage between ethic groups? What about age, would the union of two people with too many years difference become illegal, and who would decide? Is it more to the liking of our government that people just live together with no bonded rights?
We have in industry that thrives on individuals who are unmarried. The health insurance industry has a big business helping those individuals without partners with insurance to cover their needs. If a policy of domestic unions were enforced, many who are not now covered by insurance would be. This would take the burden on the public, who are now paying for it.
Our government is one of the most powerful in the world. In many cases, what we do first, others follow. Why not lead the world and show them we are not just a nation of words, but actions. That we are indeed the land of the free; that we have the freedom to practice our peaceful religious beliefs without governmental control. We have the right to pursue happiness in out domestic lives without government restrictions or intervention.
The only way this can happen is by the election of our political representatives. This means everyone needs to voice their opinion on Election Day and VOTE.
Our political election system is not perfect and needs reform, but it is the best we have. As the system is today, the Electoral College is in control when placing a president in office, not the people. When a majority of the voters in a state say one candidate should be president, all the electoral votes go to that person. This, in of itself, stops a third party candidate from becoming president. There is no way the Electoral College could be abolished, states with a smaller population would not ratify it, but that is not to say we cannot change it. Why not let the votes of the people really count; have the Electoral College votes split as the voters voted. If 48% of the state’s population wanted one candidate, 30% wanted another, and 22% still another, why not split the Electoral College vote the same way? Doing this would insure the people have their say and the old “two party” system could be done away with, or at the least, improved. People would not feel their vote is wasted on a third party candidate, their voice could be heard.
This nation was founded on religious principle, with human rights in mind. We have evolved in many ways to improve our view of what human rights and freedoms are. It is not now the time to digress and begin removing these rights. As a democratic republic each and every person should be equal under the law and have a voice. The right to prayer, marriage or civil union and the election of our governmental officials should fall on us, not the system. The constitution begins; “WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES,” it does not say; the system or the few of the United States. The pledge of allegiance sites “with liberty and justice of all”.
Hundreds of thousands of American lives have been spent to show the world what freedom truly is. Should we not show this same freedom to ourselves? Civil liberty is sacrosanct and should NOT be diminished one iota. Ordaining everyone should believe and behave the same is the death null to expression, knowledge and understanding.
When the rights of any individual group are impaired, all lose a little.
Ed Williams
©
posted by Ed | 15:44
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