First Amendment - Right to Assembly and Petition

Recently, I have had several people tell me that I am attempting to be “the moral authority”. My first though was that they must be nuts to even think that I might be the authority on morals. But as I considered what they were saying, I finally figured out how to determine what a moral authority just might be. Here are my thoughts:

Society has rules, which we call laws. These laws have been decided upon by the people in the form of a representative government which is called a Republic. These laws are what have always represented what I consider to be the “morals” of our country. As the moral values of our great country change, so do the laws.

Of course, when somebody such as myself hops on a soapbox, and exhorts people to follow the law, he gets criticized. I expect it, and in some masochistic manner, I even enjoy the criticism. I understand that people will try to take my words through their own viewpoint, and intentionally distort those words into whatever they want. I understand that some will try to play semantic word games to prove how ignorant and downright wrong I am. And Sometimes, I must admit, I make honest mistakes. These either come back as huge talking points from those who hold different opinions, but usually, they simply get overlooked because they are not obvious enough for the others to catch.

However, I never thought that anyone would ever think to call me a “moral authority”. Thus, it took me a while to figure out what a moral authority actually was. Keeping in mind that I hold our own laws to be a guide to moral authority, I think I may have come up with some reasons why people would accuse me of attempting to be one.

Maybe it’s because I feel that when the state legislature passes a law called sentencing guidelines, to help judges provide a standard sentence for a given crime throughout the state, the judge has an obligation to follow those guidelines except in extreme circumstances.

Maybe it is because I feel that if our current policy on legal immigration is good enough to keep, that maybe it’s also good enough to enforce.

Maybe it is because I feel that an individual has a right to hold their own opinions, and yes, to celebrate their own religion. I also believe that every individual has the right to speak their opinion, whether secular or religious, as long as the person is willing to accept the inevitable ‘slings and arrows’ that will come their way.

Maybe it is because I feel that those who cause harm, should be made to pay the price, not given an amnesty or a nod and a wink by a friendly judge.

Maybe it is because I regard prisons and jails as penal (as in the word “penalty”) institutions rather than rehabilitation centers.

Whatever the difference, many would be greatly appreciative if I would simply change the subject and talk about something else.

I tried that. I talk about America, and they talk about how I deride other people’s rights to protest (even with stones and bottles being thrown).

I tried to talk about the constitution, and all that most could discuss was how religion should be kept out of their sight.

There are millions of people in this country who disagree with my opinions. They think that activist judges have the right to rewrite the law. They claim to support freedom of private religion, yet warn of possible verbal attacks on any public display they find offensive.

We all do have a remedy however.

It is called a public and peaceful assembly. It’s called petitioning your government. These are the last two rights granted under the First Amendment to our Constitution. You have the right to gather in protest of what the government is doing/not doing, and if there are enough people who agree with you, then your updated morality standards will be passed.

There are many laws that I do not agree with. But I follow them. Those laws that I do not like, or those proposed changes to laws that I do not agree with, I contact my representatives in an attempt to get the changes made or not made. That is how the morality of America can be easily judged.

Personally, as most of you know, I am 100% against providing any amnesty for those have entered our country illegally. I will fight against any changes to the current law that would grant this amnesty. However, if a new law were passed, I would comply with it to the best of my ability despite the distaste in my mouth. I would also remember those who voted for the amnesty in the next election.

Why? Because that is truly the Traditional American way.

You can email Alan at alan@alanfernald.com twenty-four hours a day