Constitutionally Unsound

Free speech is my right to say what you don't want to hear.

~ George Orwell

Today is Constitution Day. This might be an appropriate occasion to read that founding document, particularly the First Amendment guaranteeing freedom of speech. This is especially true since we now have political candidates claiming there's "no guarantee to free speech" when it comes to "misinformation" or "hate speech."

Actually, that's exactly what the First Amendment guarantees. The Founders knew we didn't need a law to protect speech we agree with; we need to protect opposing, even offensive, speakers. Look up the case of Skokie, Illinois in 1977. The Supreme Court ruled that the Nazi party did have the right to march peacefully in a largely Jewish community.

Less than a half century later, censorship has crept into every area of public discourse. That in itself is frightening. But who are the shadowy gatekeepers appointed to decide what is "misinformation" or "hate speech"? That question has become truly terrifying. The reality of government agencies, educational institutions, and media outlets curtailing our right to free speech is evidence that our republic is in a very bad way.

The free exercise of religion is also protected in the First Amendment. While it's still permitted, a daily prayer for America may be in order.

 

A Win for the Good

On September 11, 2001, the Vigiano family lost both of their sons--one was a police officer, the other a firefighter. 

Speaking as a parent, it's impossible to comprehend the enormity of this family's grief. Yet anyone who has suffered a great loss knows that life goes on, one way or another, regardless of tragedy or sorrow. The young first responders who died left families behind to face the coming years without them. Several of those orphaned children have stepped onto their fathers' career path, including Joe Vigiano Jr. Joe Vigiano Jr. is a newly graduated NYC police officer.

The Bible tells us that in the end, God wins the war against evil. We may still have a long time to wait for that joyous outcome. But there are ongoing quiet battles being waged in the meantime by uncounted courageous individuals who are fighting to bring light out of darkness. The brave Vigiano family can proudly claim one of those victories.

September 11, 2001 ~ Never Forget

Honoring Grandparents

Tomorrow is Grandparents Day. Since becoming a grandparent myself, I've become more tuned in to this often-overlooked holiday, probably because of the artwork I receive from my grandkids in honor of the occasion.

My own grandparents are models of the previous generations that built our country. All of them were teenaged immigrants, fleeing their impoverished childhoods in Ireland for the promise of a better life in America. A century ago, immigrants needed their checklist in order before entering the USA. From their firsthand accounts, I know that my grandparents were sponsored into the country by relatives already established here, who met them at the dock and served as escorts and witnesses to their identity. They needed to prove a place of residency and a job awaiting them, as well as pass a health exam, before being allowed off Ellis Island or out of any other US port of entry.

Sad to say, that's not quite our current immigration system.

I never met my firefighter grandfather. He died young, in the line of duty at the scene of a fire during the Great Depression. My other grandparents are vivid in my memory, especially my two grandmothers. It seems the older I become, the more I remember them, their inner strength, and the wisdom of their ways.

I can only hope and pray that I may hold a similar sweet spot in the memories of my own grandchildren.