Why Individual Liberty is Everything
From time to time in our great nation we get into passionate battles that separate “red staters” from “blue staters” and I find these moments very sad. While the 2nd Amendment is the subject at the moment, health care liberty is another, and there will be new ones tomorrow. Many well-meaning neighbors ask simple questions like “what is wrong with banning assault weapons?” and cannot understand the impassioned reactions from people they might dismiss as knuckle-draggers. There is a simple reason why people so forcefully fight for individual liberties that has nothing to do with the NRA.
This history video by Dick Morris explains how the horrific Dred Scott decision (from the lawsuit 220px-Dred_Scott_photograph_(circa_1857)beginning in Missouri) had our majority, slave-holding Democrat Supreme Court deciding that blacks were property. This is why I so revere the bedrock principle enshrined in the Bill of Rights of individual liberty. No one should have the power to enslave you. Sadly, the Democrat Party then AS NOW, wanted to put foundational civil liberties up to popular vote or the rule of judges.
We must never forget that majorities of our forebearers voted away the actual humanity of our black brothers and sisters. By stripping an entire ethnic minority of their humanity the white Democrat majorities then had no qualms depriving blacks of their 2nd Amendment rights. These irreconcilable inconsistencies spurred the creation of the Republican Party which was founded on the bedrock belief that the Constitution that fails to protect any of us will fail to protect all of us.
It is with a tremendous expression of faith for so many to entrust any politicians, especially a Congress that never enjoys more than 20% popular support, with control over our health care or our right to self defense. If you are one of those who believes that individual liberties should be subjected to control by politicians or popular vote, remember Dred Scott and prepare to inherit the wind.