On law and freedom
Now we know that the law is good, provided one uses it legitimately. We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral and homosexuals, for kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching based on the glorious gospel of the blessed God that was entrusted to me. I Timothy 1:8-11 HCSB
Steadily have our rights as US citizens been eroded. On the alter of “security” we have sacrificed huge portions of our Constitution, losing liberty and gaining nothing in terms of security. In today’s political climate, the fourth and fifth amendments are but shadows of their former selves, taunting those of us who remember that at one time the US was the bastion of freedom. But our leaders have forgotten the basic premise that a citizen should be considered innocent until proven guilty – and that the burden of proof is upon the government to prove wrongdoing, not upon the citizen to provide proof of innocence. Somewhere along the way folks forgot the obvious – the law should burden and punish the criminally inclined, NOT the honest citizen.
To attempt to reduce homicide and thievery, laws have been passed which prohibit formerly free men from possessing, carrying and utilizing the means of self protection. Our legislators have forgotten that those who are willing to break the most ancient of laws – that against the spilling of innocent blood – will NOT be hampered by attempts to obligate them to not obtain nor carry the means to spill that blood. Laws which hamper the honest citizen in his daily life, prohibiting him from protecting his life with formerly commonly available means, have no effect on the lawbreaker. By definition the lawbreaker breaks laws. DUH! Why would a law prohibiting the possession or use of a specific type of weapon be more sacred to the lawbreaker than the very law against the taking of innocent life?
What are we as citizens to do? The Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians and said “For you are called to freedom, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.” (Galatians 5:13) We, as citizens of the United States, were born to be free. We should use that freedom wisely, and we should guard it jealously. Our nation was founded up on Christian principles, upon the desire for freedom as a nation like the freedom that the Christ gives to His followers. That freedom should not be abused nor should laws be written that subject the law abiding to a curtailment of their freedom.
It is time we said “Enough!” It is time we demand punishment for those who do evil and freedom for those who do what is right. Let the government learn once more its place – that of servant to the people. Let those who would use their position of power to harm the law abiding be cast down. It is time for Freedom to ring once more.
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