Bill of Rights Day.

December 15 is Bill of Rights Day. As this day comes close on the heals of Thanksgiving day, let me give thanks to God for endowing us with the inalienable rights listed in the first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States. Secondly, let me give thanks to our founding fathers for the wisdom to enshrine these rights in a bill of rights. Many who opposed the creation of the Bill of Rights were opposed upon the basis that the such a declaration was unnecessary. Their position was that the existence of these rights were self evident. However, by codifying this list of rights the founders created an important bulwark against the constant erosion of our God given rights.

Without the bill of rights your right to keep and bear arms would not have merely been reduced to the right to keep and bear arms, unless you happen to have a felony conviction, live within the city limits of most cities in the United States, want to bear certain arms that are prohibited by law, or meet one of several other limitations on your right to bear arms. It would be non existent.

Without the bill of rights your right to free speech would not merely have been reduced to a right to free speech so long as it is not speech (or other non verbal communications) which violates the McCain Feingold campaign finance laws, expresses thoughts which the government deems to be hate thoughts (renderering your speech to be a hate crime), or is politically incorrect and therefore shunned into silence by official and non offical means. Without the bill of rights your right to free speech would be non existent.

Without the Bill of Rights your right to freedom of religion would not merely have been reduced to exercise of religion so long as it is merely exercised in the privacy of your own heart and home and not exercised in the public square, public school or anywhere else where it may ostensibly offend some other citizen. Without the Bill of Rights your right to freedom of religion would be non existent.

Without the Bill of Rights your right to be secure in your persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures would not have merely been diminished to the point at which you can be ordered to turn over your DNA containing your most personal of information merely because the government accuses you of a felony. Without the Bill of Rights your right to be secure in your persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures would be non existent.

Above are simply some examples of your rights under attack. Without the Bill of Rights the erosion of your rights under the law would certainly be deeper and more pronounced than you currently endure.

The Constitution of the United States specifies three branches of Government. The Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary. There is a fourth branch of government. You, the people. It is to this fourth branch of the government that the preservation of the Bill of Rights and our inalienable rights is entrusted. We have a duty to exercise our rights and stand firm against the erosion of our rights and those of our neighbors. A right not protected and not exercised is a right which the other branches of government will see as ripe for erosion.

The legislature is primarily concerned with designating what you can and can not do. It is a branch of government that has very little natural concern for preserving the rights of the citizenry.

The executive Branch is concerned with the implementation, or execution, of the laws passed by the legislature. It's primary concern is the exercise of governmental power, not the protection of individual rights.

The Judiciary is the branch which is most associated with the defense of the rights of the citizens. However, in reality, this is a branch of government which is mostly concerned with balancing the interests and rights of various people, government entities and corporations. Even when the Judiciary is inclined to protect the rights of the individual it is unable to do so if the individual does not assert the right.

So, it falls to you, the people of the United States, to assert your rights, to exercise your rights, to defend the rights of others and to jealously guard against any infringement upon your rights and the rights of others. Your right to be secure in your person, papers and effects has no value when you consent to having some government agent enter into your house, rifle through your papers and seize or detain your person. Every such act is a disservice to yourself, your fellow citizens and to your country.

Happy Bill of Rights Day.