In The New York Times, a newspaper I honor and respect, the lead editorial raises the question: “America started over once. Can we do it again?”
The editorial focuses on America’s 14th Amendment, which redefined America 150 years ago after the civil war that tore the nation apart.
Noted the Times:
Another truth soon became self-evident: If America was to survive, it would have to be reborn. That rebirth was embodied — after 80 years and a brutal civil war — in the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments, which together represented a radical recommitment to our first and highest principles. They outlawed slavery, made the newly freed slaves American citizens and guaranteed their right to vote.
The 150th anniversary of ratification of the 14th Amendment arrives Monday, July 9, also the day that controversial and contentious president Donald John Trump promises to announced his selection as nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court justice Antony Kennedy.
That nominee will be a hard-core conservative destined to turn the highest court in the land into a right-wing body expected to overturn legal abortion in this country, strip the right of same-sex couples to marry and rollback many other rulings in the coming months and years.
During his campaign for the presidency, Trump said “the 14th Amendment is very questionable as to whether or not somebody can come over and have a baby and immediately that baby is a citizen, O.K.?”
American law guarantees “birthright citizenship” but our president routinely ignores laws he doesn’t like if they get in his way, which many often do. He embraces “white nationalism” and is a known racist and bigot. He has worked to pack federal courts of all levels with those who embrace his racist views.
For example, more than half a dozen of Trump’s federal judicial nominees went on record to disagree with the Supreme Court’s landmark decision of Brown v. Board of Education, which outlawed racial segregation of public schools.
As we try to celebrate America’s birthday, let’s remember that Trump, in his campaign, promised to seek removal of the 14th Amendment “in my second term.”
And what does this 14th Amendment say? This:
All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Donald Trump wants that amendment removed from the U.S. Constitution. On Monday, he will nominate a man he hopes will make that happen.
In America today, we pause to celebrate a nation currently led by a racist, a bigot, a hater and…a traitor.
We should be in mourning.
Better yet, we must work night and day to drive this traitor from our government our beloved nation and our lives.
That, and only that, will make America great again.
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Copyright © 2018 Capitol Hill Blue
2 thoughts on “It’s mourning in America on this July 4th”
Perhaps, Dale, but they can rule in ways to make rights either irrelevant or so wildly difficult to assert that they become irrelevant. For example, it’s established that one is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law and that the police need probable cause; except at a drunk driving checkpoint, where you are required to prove your innocence before proceeding (or forfeit your car, any cargo in it, driver’s license, &c). Personally, the only one I’ve driven up to I was waved past, but the principle is highly objectionable. Still, the Supreme Court said ‘that’s okay’.
But there is hope. There are lights out there. We shall see if they continue to burn or are smothered under a bleak darkness of religious absolutism. One of them’s Doug Thompson and his Capitol Hill Blue website. Thank you, Sir. ‘s appreciated.
Jon
Well Doug, at least the good news is that the Supreme Court cannot remove a Constitutional amendment on their own.
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