Land of the Free
Since 1814, America has been known as the “land of the free and the home of the brave.” But there is a city that has become the “land of the fearful and the home of the cowardly.” There is an organization that has become “the land of the fear-mongers and the home of the bullies”: Washington, D.C., and the NRA.
Those senators and representatives who have sold their souls to the NRA for the sake of funding a reelection campaign should be compelled to defend the indefensible position that allows felons, mental incompetents, and spousal abusers, among others, to obtain certain firearms that have no place in a civilized society.
Lest any person believe that I advocate the dismantling of the Second Amendment, which is a human invention, and not, as some have claimed, “a God-given right,” I say I do not. But this does not mean that it is cast in stone and should never be interpreted to reflect the dramatic changes that have taken place in America since 1791. Even the First Amendment has been abridged by our government. The time has come to look realistically at what “the right to keep and bear arms” means today, and how it must function in modern society.
The Supreme Court has ruled many times on the Second Amendment. In District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U.S. 570 (2008), the Supreme Court ruled that “the right is not unlimited. It is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose.”
I urge our elected officials to look into the eyes of those who have lost loved ones due to rampant gun violence. Who among you wants to tell your constituents that you had the opportunity to help make their lives safer, but you cared more about your “good grade” from the NRA than you cared about their safety?
Be not the fearful and the cowardly, but be the free and the brave.
Paul Spaesl
A Circle of Peace
Dear friends,
We must sing side by side. I want a Circle of Peace. Can’t we all get along?
Let’s take all the energy of fighting each other and work together for the good of our children. I do believe everyone is wanting that. Let’s sit down together and listen and wonder, and explore what is possible.
Let us be together the village that it takes to raise a child. The focus of our school—what is the best we can do for our children? The focus of our village—how can we make this the safe, loving, nurturing environment that allows each of us to be the best we can be. So many talents and skills. How can we tap into so many resources? How can we recognize and appreciate so many gifts? Stars in my eyes.
Bernice Pomeroy