- a weekly column published in the Pioneer Press

There are many things in life worth fighting for. I also believe that there are some things greater than ourselves worth dying for. On this Veteran’s Day, we acknowledge and honor the men and women who have served in our Armed Forces. The freedom and security we enjoy in America have been purchased with their personal commitment and sacrifice. Our veterans deserve our respect and appreciation.

The idea that all men were born with fundamental rights originating from their Creator and not from their government is a key American idea. We recognize that these natural rights are a part of each person and cannot be taken from them. So, we call them “unalienable.” In contrast, we also have “alienable” rights or civil rights that are granted by government. An example of a civil right would be the right to vote or to run for public office. 

The first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States, or “Bill of Rights,” is not a grant of rights. Rather, the amendments are intended to specifically prohibit the federal government from making laws that would encroach upon our natural individual rights.

The individual rights protected from federal regulation include:

(1)   The right to practice a religion of individual choice – that the federal government won’t establish a religion. The right to freedom of speech and of the press. The right to peaceably assemble and to petition the federal government for a “redress of grievances”;

(2)   The right to keep and bear arms;

(3)   In times of peace, the right of a homeowner to chose whether a soldier is housed in their home;  

(4)   The right to individual privacy and security – that federal searches and seizures of evidence from one’s body, house, papers and things requires a warrant based upon probable cause of a crime committed;  

(5)   The right to fair compensation when private property is taken for public use – that no one will have their life, liberty or property without due process of the law. In capital offenses, the right to a hearing before a grand jury with the issuance of formal charges. The right not to be forced to testify against oneself in a criminal case. The right not to be tried twice in federal court for the same offense;

(6)   In criminal cases, the right to a speedy and public trial by a jury in the state or district in which a crime was committed. The right of the accused to be informed as to the nature of the crime with which they are charged. The right of an accused to counsel in their defense and the right to confront and question witnesses against them. The right of an accused to require witnesses in their defense to testify;

(7)   The right to a trial by jury where the value of a suit exceeds $20. The right to have the facts in a case as found by a jury remain unchallenged during an appeal process;

(8)   The right from excessive bails and fines or from cruel and unusual punishment for a crime;

(9)   The Bill of Rights acknowledges that the individual may have other natural rights not specifically mentioned;

(10) The Bill of Rights acknowledges that Constitutional powers not specifically given to the federal government or specifically prohibited to the States either belong to the States or are kept by the People.

The recognition of natural individual rights, the protection of these rights from encroachment by federal law and the assurance of a republican (representative) form of government serve to ensure individual freedom in America. These are core beliefs that the United States represents. These are beliefs greater than ourselves carried by our Armed Forces, sometimes across international boundaries.

I know that the freedom I enjoy every day was secured for me by American veterans. I offer you all my personal thanks. As a former Navy wife, I know some of what life can be like in the service of country. I send my deepest gratitude to those currently active in the service, and the families at home who support them.