9 November 2008

President-Elect Obama:

Sir, you will soon be asked to swear that you will uphold the ideals and laws contained in the founding documents of The United States Of America, all they stand for and to not alter or usurp them in any manner without due process.

I truly wish you to understand the depth of belief, passion and history being challenged when you and your staff espouse your views on many things uniquely American. In this missive, I shall concentrate specifically on two Amendments To The Constitution Of The United States Of America.

As a fast overview and put rather simply, The Constitution Of The United States Of America, along with The Amendments To The Constitution were created so that the federalized/national governing body could not weigh heavily on, nor overburden citizens’ life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Now then, to the first of two items herein, one which stirs an incredible level of conversation…….The Second Amendment To The Constitution Of The United States Of America.

The entire text of The Second Amendment To The Constitution Of The United States Of America is as follows: A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.

I am not a Constitutional Scholar, nor am I an attorney at law. However, as an educated American, I can see two clear delineations in The Second Amendment: The first being, A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State. That, Sir, is defined meaning the country as one shall keep a Standing Military Force to ensure national security, to repel all invaders.

On to the end half of The Second Amendment which states, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.

As a person who is concerned about the safety and security of individual Americans, along with my family and myself, I am well aware of potential negative impacts of having weapons of any type in my home. I am also acutely aware of my right as an individual to protect my life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. I therefore choose to legally own weapons, including firearms of varying types.

The State in which I live (Florida) highly encourages proper education in the handling, safe use and storage of all weapons, not just firearms. There are in-state statutes to uphold the belief that, while it is an individual’s right to own weapons systems of choice, there should be some means of ensuring persons of deviant behavior are not able to obtain said weapons systems Also, that the general population of weapons system owners are educated on more than just basic safety and handling aspects of their choice of weapons systems. I whole-heartedly agree with this, as I sincerely believe that all rights come with equal responsibilities of the individual.

As an explanation of my term ‘weapons systems’ in regard to licensing and/or registration measures, The State Of Florida includes (specifically) handguns, knives, electronic weapons or devices (Tasers, etc.), tear gas systems and ‘billies’ (nightsticks, etc.). Along with millions of other American citizens here in Florida, I have taken advantage of offered safety programs, weapons handling, operational safety courses and more, all in order to ensure my ability to safely make use of my Second Amendment right with good conscience.

At this point, we need to delve into the second item for why I am communicating with you, The First Amendment to The Constitution Of The United States Of America: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

My word, that is a lot to digest in one sentence! However, that lone sentence is the baseline foundation of all else, as well as our country’s laws, even though not part of the original Constitution.

Careful reading and thought on The First Amendment To The Constitution Of The United States Of America leaves one to realize the genius that comprised our country’s founders and first statesmen. The opening: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

Do you believe in God? If the answer is yes, or no, as a citizen of The United States Of America, you are free to worship or not to your choice. In many a Constitutional Scholar’s views, the right cannot be said more simply than that. The United States Of America was founded by deeply religious people who knew that man cannot grant rights to other men, but that God grants the same rights to all men and the first of those rights is your freedom to honor God as each individual sees fit, without any interference by government.

That one right documented for all is the basis for all other rights to follow, in that a moral and just person sees, regardless of religious beliefs, that to have freedom of religion, you must also have freedom of speech, the means to accomplish that free speech, a place or places to do so and if any of those rights are violated, there are avenues to seek remedy from those who would violate rights.

Taken one at a time, those rights are incredibly weighty and lofty ideals. But together, those rights forge together good and decent people who fully realize the enormous responsibilities of those rights as individuals.

Free speech covers all speech, no matter if it is liked, accepted, or disagreed with and certainly an individual does not and should not expect the wrath and force of any governmental agent or agency regarding opinions of the individual. Infringement of a right is a very serious matter to Americans. Results have gone the gamut from full-scale wars being fought over loss of rights, to courts currently overrun with multi-dimensional caseloads of supposed rights infringement, with supposedly impartial Judges apparently legislating from ‘the bench’, their decisions based on matters of political expediency.

My point to all of this basic explanation Sir, is that through all of this, our rights are not without cost. Personal responsibility of words chosen and deeds stated and/or accomplished are paramount to proper functioning of our rights as free individuals.

It is a guarantee that any attempt by you, your administration, or Congress to usurp, subjugate, or eliminate any rights of free people under The Constitution Of The United States and it’s Amendments will be met headlong with challenges not by a few, but by tens of millions of free people who refuse to allow their children’s and country’s future to be entwined in tyranny.

I am not anonymous, nor shall I hide behind any pseudonym on means of communication. I am an American and my voice shall be heard. I am not alone.

Kenneth L Solomon………
Pembroke Pines, Florida, USA