Letter Three

Dear Citizen,

I am writing you with a deep concern for our country's Constitution. One of our founding fathers, Samuel Adams, stated, "The liberties of our country, the freedoms of our civil Constitution are worth defending at all hazards; it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors. They purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood. It will bring a mark of everlasting infamy on the present generation—enlightened as it is—if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or to be cheated out of them by the artifices of designing men."

In our day some people have the idea that the Constitution is outdated and that its application should not apply in a traditional sense due to the ever-changing world around us. In The Audacity of Hope, Barack Obama sides with Supreme Court Justice Breyer, saying, "Ultimately, though, I have to side with Justice Breyer’s view of the Constitution—that it is not a static but rather a living document,[s1] and must be read in the context of an ever-changing world. He points out further that, "Finally, anyone looking to resolve our modern constitutional dispute through strict construction has one more problem: The Founders and ratifiers themselves disagreed profoundly, vehemently, on the meaning of their masterpiece.[s2] Let’s examine what a few Founders thought about the Constitution.

James Madison, who is known as the Father of the Constitution, said, "Do not separate text from historical background. If you do, you will have perverted and subverted the Constitution, which can only end in a distorted, bastardized form of illegitimate government."

John Adams, the second president of the United States and an ardent contributor to the cause of freedom and to the American Revolution, expressed, "Statesmen, my dear Sir, may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is religion and morality alone,[s3] which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free Constitution is pure virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People [s4] in a greater Measure[s5] than they have it now, they may change their rulers and the forms of government, but they will not obtain a lasting liberty."

Now let’s think about a few hot issues in politics today: morals and religion. Do you know that John Adams’ statement was somewhat prophetic? I have compiled a short list of some of the decisions that the Supreme Court has made that have supported John Adams' words. (If you don't know, the Supreme Court is the highest judicial body in the United States, and its rulings become the official interpretation of the Constitution.[s6] ) Here's The List.

1962- Prayers in school are ruled unconstitutional

1963- Reading Bibles in school s ruled unconstitutional

1968- Teaching evolution n school[s7] is ruled unconstitutional

1973- Abortions are ruled in favor of women's choice

1980- [s8] Posting the Ten Commandments n school is ruled unconstitutional

The funny thing is that all those laws but one still stands concrete. The teaching of evolution in schools is a different matter. For example, a Federal Court in California stated, “The Supreme Court has held unequivocally that while belief in a Divine Creator of the universe is a religious belief, the scientific theory that higher forms of life evolved from lower ones is not." Most people either believe in God or they believe in science and some believe in nothing. However let’s focus on the fact that the battle between religion and science in the classroom should have stopped in 1968 when the Supreme Court said it was unconstitutional to teach evolution. My reasoning behind that statement is that nowadays most people either believe in God or in scientific theory as to how they were created. So how is science not a religion? I would argue that that is exactly what it has become.

The sole responsibility of a Supreme Court Justice is to decipher laws and guarantee that the United States remains a land guided and governed by its most fundamental body of law—the Constitution. Yet one of our Supreme Court justices, Elena Kagan, has stated, "What my political views or my constitutional views are just doesn't matter."

I know 2+2=4; shouldn't Supreme Court Justice = Defender of the Constitution?

I would like to end with a statement from J. Reuben Clark, a former ambassador to Mexico In regards to the Constitution and our duty to uphold it, he declared,

"God provided that in this land of liberty, our political allegiance shall run not to individuals, that is, to government officials, no matter how great or how small they may be. Under His plan our allegiance and the only allegiance we owe as citizens or denizens of the United States,[s9] runs to our inspired Constitution which God Himself set up. So runs the oath of office of those who participate in government. A certain loyalty we do owe to the office which a man holds, but even here we owe, just by reason of our citizenship, no loyalty to the man himself. In other countries it is to the individual that allegiance runs. This principle of allegiance to the Constitution is basic to our freedom. It is one of the great principles that distinguishes this ‘land of liberty’ from other countries. Thus God added to His priceless blessings to us."

Let us uphold the Constitution even if it is not popular. If you haven't read it, I challenge you to do so.

Best wishes in the fight for freedom and virtue,

Justen Daniel

Letter Two

Dear Citizen,

Today I would like to open and end today's letter with a letter itself. These are the words of Thomas Jefferson, a man who I would argue was God fearing and not a athiest like so many secularlists claim. The background of the letter is as follows. A friend asked Jefferson to give some advice to his son, who was young at the time, and happened to be named after Jefferson. Jefferson wrote a letter that was to be shown to the boy, when he became of an age to better understand and value what was said. I would like you to think of of it as Jefferson speaking from the dust, to you and I.

This letter will, to you, be as one from the dead. The writer will be in the grave before you can weigh its counsels. Your affectionate and excellent father has requested that I would address to you something which might possibly have a favorable influence on the course of life you have to run: and I too, as a namesake, feel an interest in that course. Few words will be necessary, with good dispositions on your part. Adore God, Reverence and cherish your parents. Love your neighbor as yourself, and your country more than yourself. Be just. Be true. Murmur not at the ways of Providence. So shall the life into which you have entered, be the portal to one of eternal and ineffiable bliss. And if to the dead it is permitted to care for the things of this world, every action of your life will be under my regard. Farewell.

I challenge us all to live up to Jefferson's counsel.

Best Wishes In The Fight For Freedom And Virtue, Justen Daniel

Letter One Of, The Dear Citizen Blog

Dear Citizen,

It seems appropriate for me to draft a letter addressing the issues facing our country today. For many people seem to think the prevailing crisis against our rights and values, is of no consequence until it kicks in the front door, and threatens their livelihood on more intimate grounds. The physical plagues of our era, are nothing compared to the pandemic of complacency that has infected our nation as a whole. The banners of ethics and morality have been set ablaze, until all that remains is a pile of ashes and soot. You know something isn't right when being politically correct is held in higher regard then simply telling the truth. So lets talk about the truth.

The Bill Of Rights contains the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. It's purpose was to limit the power of the federal government, and protect the natural rights of you and me, including freedom of speech, a free press, free assembly, and free association, as well as the right to bear arms.

Today is January 13, 2011. A man by the name of Jacob Volkmann, an MMA Fighter, who teaches part time wrestling at a high school, was put on paid leave for a comment he made about President Barack Obama. After a fight, he was asked who he wanted to fight next. He said, "Obama. He's not to bright. Someone's got to knock some sense into that idiot." A Secret Service visit followed, even though, as Jacob Volkmann stated, the comment was, "tongue in cheek". If you don't see where there is a problem here, I suggest you stop reading, and continue living in your bubble.

Freedom Of Speech is better here, then it is in the U.K. though. For example, last year in May of 2010 Dale McAlpine a Baptist preacher, was arrested for "harassment and alarm or distress" for saying same sex relationships were a sin. He spent seven hours in a cell. In his words, "My freedom was taken away on the hearsay of someone who disliked what I said, and I was charged under a law that doesn't apply."

If you haven't guessed by now, I'm a conservative and I strongly believe this nation was founded on Judeo-Christian principles. Let's talk about that for a moment. Lets go back to a document known as the Declaration of Independence. The first version did not read "We hold these truths to be self evident". What it actually read was, "We hold these truths to be sacred and undeniable". The word sacred comes from the Latin word sacrum, which refers to God's or anything with in His power. Secularists get on their high horse time and time again, declaring Jefferson a atheist. I pose the question why would a well read atheist, scribe the word sacred on a document he very well knew could change the course of history, when he also knew the word sacred referred to holier things, things of a religious nature. Due to the advice of Benjamin Franklin, the Declaration Of Independence stands as it does today, "We hold these truths to be self evident".

George Washington the first President of The United States declared, "It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible." He also said, “The propitious(which means gracious) smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained." Moses the most well known Prophet of the Old Testament is engraved on the Supreme Court Building, holding the Ten Commandments. 52 of the 55 founding fathers of The Constitution were members of established orthodox churches in the colonies. How can you dispute this nation was not found upon Christian roots? Pull out your wallet, does your money have a little saying that reads "In God We Trust." Does our Congress start its daily sessions with a prayer... only for the last few centuries.

And remember it's still January 13, 2011. I took a two hour break to clear my head. I came back to find that, Janoe Devlin a fourteen year old girl, wore rosary beads around her neck to school today, because she said they remind her of her grandmother. Well that didn't fly for the principal at the school, who said she violated the dress code, and gave her the choice to take them off or be suspended. Devlin chose to be suspended.

It seems too many people have developed, to one degree or another, the same idea as Karl Marx when it comes to religion, when he said, “The first requisite for the happiness of the people is the abolition of religion." Why is that? Religion has become whatever you want it to be, whatever makes you comfortable, whatever gives you a sense of acceptance. And not just religion, but morality as well.

Don't wait for a strong wind to knock a tree down and have it fall on your house. Study the facts. Stand your moral ground. Inform others. Do not sit on the FENCE! In the words of the great writer C.S. Lewis. “There is no neutral ground in the universe; every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counter-claimed by Satan”

Best Wishes In The Fight For Freedom And Virtue, Justen Daniel