"Our Rights-Our Responsibilities"
By Jerry Stewart
There's a lot of talk in
America today about our basic rights as US
citizens, and our founding fathers were
certainly concerned. That's why they came up
with what we know as the Bill of Rights. Our
founding fathers believed that we as citizens
must have this Bill of Rights to protect us. But
are these rights now being abused and distorted?
For example, the freedom of the press and free
speech - they were given to us to protect us so
that another King George III could never stop
our right to speak out. It was never meant to be
a protection for those who want to fill our
country with pornography. Freedom of religion
never had anything to do with the separation of
church and state. It was meant to protect the
churches and the people from a repressive
government. It was never meant to limit prayer
from our public schools or the 10 commandments
from our government buildings; the Constitution
gives us these rights, but with rights, come
responsibilities - the responsibility to stand
up and do the right thing, not to take advantage
or abuse these rights, and our founding fathers
believed in this idea of a new America, a free
America. But even more, they believed that we
could only make it work with the help of
Almighty God.
Thomas Jefferson said "the Bible is the
cornerstone for American liberty." Benjamin
Franklin said "if a sparrow cannot fall to the
ground without God's knowledge, how can an
empire rise without His aid?" It was George
Washington who said "let us raise a standard to
which the wise and honest can repair; the rest
is in the Hands of God."
Patrick Henry said "Our country was founded on
the Gospel of Jesus Christ". The very
Declaration of Independence itself said "this
nation would persist and prevail only with the
help of Almighty God". You might say they
believed that to win the war for freedom in
America that we must work as if everything
depended on us, and to pray as if everything
depends on God.
This day, this moment, let us realize that our
rights as American citizens are so very
important. That we must let no government, no
authority take away our unalienable for life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But, even
more important, let us realize that with rights
comes responsibilities.
Like what? The responsibility to stand up for
what is good right and true. It was our first US
chaplain Peter Marshall who said, "Those who do
not stand for something are doomed to fall for
everything." Abraham Lincoln said "once you know
what is right, stand firm". My own dad used to
tell me "son, the only thing in the middle of
the road are yellow stripes and dead armadillos
- get out of the middle of the road".
We have the responsibility to be self reliant so
as not to rely heavily on any Government
authority.
Finally, we have the responsibility to protect
those who cannot protect themselves. With the
help of God, and the help of all of us all
working together, let us all take on the
responsibility to save our America.
We've all heard someone say that something is a "flash in the pan." Just where did that's saying come from?
If something or someone appears to be a big deal, but instead, turns out to be a dud or flop, it's called a "flash in the pan."
Why? Well, this saying actually began hundreds of years ago with our first colonists. Most all men owned and carried the old muzzle loader rifles. To fire it they would pour gunpowder into a pan which traveled to the flint. When the hammer struck the flint and ignited this trail of powder, it would flash up, travel to the barrel, and the gun would fire. But if the gunpowder flashed and the gun did not fire, it was just a flash in the pan.
And the message here? Don't be a flash in the pan.
