First Amendment under fire

Today, the Senate held debates on a Constitutional amendment to give congress the authority to protect the flag. This, even after the Supreme Court ruled that flag burning, however heinous it may be, is still protected under free speech. The amendment failed by one vote. In over a 200 year history, the Constitution has only been amended 27 times, ten of which are the the Bill of rights, ratified shortly after the ratification of the original Articles of the Constitution. To counteract this amendment, proposed by the GOP, Dick Durbin, and sponsored by Hillary Rodham Clinton, suggested an initiative to make a law (not a Constitutional amendment) outlawing protesting at cemeteries during a funeral.

After the vote, Senator Barbara Boxer said the flag is a "reminder of our democracy". It is also a symbol of our history of fighting to preserve our fundamental right to freedom and liberty. Respect can only be earned, it cannot be forced. And the American flag has certainly earned the highest level of respect for every United States citizen. I do not believe the flag should be desecrated; however, respect for the flag and for our nation must be allowed to come to each American citizen of their own free will. During his first term, and sadly his last term inaugural speech, the great President John F. Kennedy said "[T]he rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God." And I believe that his words are just as true now as they were then. This amendment would have sent the message that personal freedom can only be granted by a fuhrer; moreover, it would have been a blaspheme to our forbears, and the foundation they so carefully poured.

I think I have figured out this administrations, and this Congresses hidden agenda for the year: to make the United States Constitution nothing more than a worthless rag. I can already see the Senate marching from Capitol Hill to the Museum where the Constitution is kept, and one by one defiling it, while singing gleefully.

This is another rally call for each and every one of us to fulfill our most basic duty as an American citizen: to vote. If we, ourselves, are not willing to give that much in defence of our freedom, then we will surely loose them; and we will have no one other than ourselves to blame. Encourage your friends and family to register, and when the day comes, to step into the booth and vote their conscious. No one else can do it for them. Celebrate your freedom!

Cody Hobbs

So long Stare Decisis

On Thursday, June 15, in a benchmark ruling, the Federal Supreme Court decided that evidence gathered in a "no knock" search can be used in court . Past decisions by the court has generally protected a citizens right to privacy by forcing police to forfeit evidence gained illegally. This decision was passed by a 5-4 margin, and is credited to the two new judges elected by President George Bush. Judge Sandra Day O'conner would have likely voted to uphold the ban on using evidence gathered in "no knock serches." Justice Antonin Scalia called the failure to knock a "preliminary misstep." No knock searches have been sanctified in cases where there is emanate danger; however, on the case decided on Thursday, Hudson, Jr., Petitioner v. Michigan, there was no imminent threat to the police officers. When asked why he thought it was appropriate, now, to break precedence, Scalia answered that "we are living in different times."

What is different about the "times" we are living in now? We are currently living in a generation where we are seeing our constitutional rights stripped away from us; our government makes no apologies for illegally wiretapping it's own citizens. (The FBI has also admitted to wiretapping members of the press who are NOT suspected terrorists.) Judge Scalia, isn't now the time that we the people need the most Judaical protection from our government?

Congressional midterm elections are just around the corner. Though California is not a key "battleground" state, we can continue to spread our voice. Our congress is supporting a tyrannical president. We are operating at our highest national deficit in the nations history. And worst of all, our constitutional rights are disappearing right before our eyes. Election day is the day for voters to send congress a message loud and clear that we demand the protection of our civil liberties.

Cody Hobbs

Senate to Vote on Constitutional amendment

The Senate will enter debates this week on a controversial constitutional amendment to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. President George Bush has kicked off a campaign in support of the amendment, saying that this message is necessary to protect marriage from the hands of "activist" judges.

In 2005, 11 states passed a measure to ban gay marriage; and in all 11 states, the bill passed by large margins. As a democracy, is not President Bush only acting to serve the will of the people? If the United states were strictly a Democracy, I suppose the latter statement would be correct; however, we are a constitutional state; and as such, minorities, such as African-Americans, Hispanics, and even homosexuals are protected equally, even if their fundamental right to the pursuit of happiness is not yet recognized by the people at large.

What if the "will of the people" is dangerous to society; like child molesters?

I am not exactly sure how people have made the blind jump from same-sex marriage to child molesters (and homosexuality has also been compared to other such savory pastimes as bestiality, rape, and murder) but I am ever hopeful that we, as a nation, have at least a grain more of common sense then to believe allowing two consenting adults whom wish to share their love with one another through the sanctity of marriage is not the rode to kiddy porn at prime-time.

I also wonder if President Bush has ever heard of the Warren Court, or knows the meaning of Civil rights. During the tumultuous sixties, then Chief Justice Earl Warren, set precedence barring discrimination in public places. In his most notable ruling, "Brown V. Board of Education", Judge Earl Warren struck to end segregation in public schools. In his ruling, he states that "[I]n the eyes of the law, justice was color-blind" Had it not been for this activist Judge, we may still have black and white drinking fountains.

Hurting America...

Is discrimination against gays hurting America? On memorial day, a group of anti-gay protesters from Westboro Baptist Church picketed Arlington Cemetery, holding signs that said: "God is Americas terror", and "Thank God for dead soldiers" What caused such hatred for Americas fallen Heroes? Margie Phelps, the spokeswoman for Wetboro Baptist Church said "America is doomed because she has institutionalized sin and exalted homosexuality" Frankly, this is disgusting. These soldiers her organization protest gave their lives so people like her could be free to believe in whatever they chose, and this is her thanks?

Our forbears envisioned a country where people of all walks of life could live freely. They designed a Government of restriction, and included a bill of rights into the constitution to give voice to the voiceless. It would truly be an assault on American liberty for this Amendment to pass.

Cody Hobbs