I’ve been involved in the fight for our country’s culture long enough to know when liberals start using phrases like “People’s Rights,” it’s time to get downright scared. That’s because, when they feel the need to explicitly use the word “rights,” they’re getting ready to strip real rights from free people. The same principle is at play here as when my granddaddy used to tell me that “those who have money don’t have to flaunt it, but those who have nothing will pretend they have everything.” That’s a little anecdotal way to say insecurity causes people to put up a pretty strong front. In the case of the secular socialists in this country, it typically means they’re only insecure as it pertains to public support. That’s why when Nancy Pelosi and her leftist allies in Congress decided it’s high time that conservatives were sat down and shut up, they put forth something as sweet sounding as the “People’s Rights Amendment.”
Don’t let this title fool you, for this proposed amendment protects freedom of religion and expression at about the same level the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea protects human rights. For, as with the North Koreans, all the verbiage about democracy, rights, etc, is a cover for what they’re really up to. The so called “People’s Rights Amendment,” introduced to Congress by Representative Jim McGovern (D-Mass) and co-sponsored by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), is a fabulous example of false advertising. That’s because, under the proposed amendment to the Constitution, the First Amendment would be amended to extend only to one’s individual activities. Now, while this may sound fine at first blush, allow me to explain just how individual they want these “individual rights” to be. Under the legislation, the definition of freedom of expression would be restricted only to individual political activity, not to freedom of association, which is an extension of individual rights under our current Constitution.
Freedom of association is essential to freedom of religion, speech, expression and the “right to petition the government for the redress of grievances” guaranteed under the First Amendment. That’s because, in most cases, the exercise of religion is in a congregation and the exercise of political rights is through an organization, entity or party. This means that, using one’s individual rights, folks freely associate with other like-minded individuals with whom they share values and / or principles. Under the McGovern-Pelosi proposal, however, this will no longer be the case. Freedom of association will, effectively, be struck from the intent of the First Amendment, and individual freedom will be restricted only to an individual acting alone. This means that, while you may agree with other gun owners, you cannot express your political support for the Second Amendment by joining the NRA and making financial contributions to that organization without being subject to increased Federal regulation. That would be accomplished through the wording of the proposed “People’s Rights Amendment,” which reads “People, person or persons as used in this Constitution does not include corporations, limited liability companies or other corporate entities.” Unfortunately, this includes virtually all political action organizations like the NRA and pro-family groups.
Furthermore, the proposed amendment gives virtually unchecked power to Congress to regulate the activities of individuals acting in concert with other like-minded individuals. Thus, you may pray in front of a courthouse for God to bless America, but pray with a group of concerned citizens and run the risk of governmental harassment. This is the beginning of the end of freedom of religion, expression and association in America, all under the guise of protecting individual rights. Though I’ve been a little put out by Chief Justice John Roberts since his incoherent logic in upholding Obamacare, he articulated opposition to such a proposal more succinctly than I’ve seen elsewhere. In his opinion upholding free speech against the McCain-Feingold Act in the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission case in 2010, Roberts wrote “The First Amendment protects more than just the individual on a soapbox and the lonely pamphleteer.”
My fellow citizens, while I do not believe the so-called “People’s Rights Amendment” has any serious chance of passing Congress under GOP control; I think it’s time for us to take notice. We must no longer be naïve to the fact that there are enemies of freedom in our own government who are working to whittle away the rights of free Americans to control America. Let us be not deceived by such devious tactics and titling, and let us, the people of the United States, stand up at the ballot box against those who would undermine our Constitution’s original intent.
