The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

As one person told me when I asked which Freedom came to mind when you think about your rights, “There are so many of them. Our right to have Freedom. I guess.”

Actually, that sentence, “There are so many of them,” was repeated numerous times.

Some had difficulty putting their thoughts into words, but I understood. It is the “Freedom to do things. The Freedom of choice.” And as an afterthought, they told me, “to remember to say thanks to all those who protect our rights.”

The truth is we don’t stop to think about our rights that often. I asked them to tell me what they thought was the most essential right. Several people said, “I’ll need to get back to you on that.”

But others had an immediate response. “The press. The whole thing about the fake news, the press has been attacked. You have networks now that manufacture everything that they put out. Without a doubt, it’s the press, and it goes hand and hand with that fact that people’s opinion is true and that real truth has to be wrong.”

“Voting, everything hinges on that. The right to assemble, the right for free speech.”

“Speech.” And again, “our speech.”

“Our Speech”

“Speech, you know me. Because I’m a loudmouth, don’t put that in there. I say what I want and what I feel.”

One high school kid said, “I plead the fifth.”

“All of them. It’s why we have a free country. We had wars fought over these principles. People have died for these freedoms.”

I remember the first time I saw Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms; Freedom from Want, Freedom from Fear, Freedom of Speech, and Freedom of worship. Norman Rockwell was inspired by FDR’s speech on the Four Freedoms, and he wanted to find a way to express them. At a local town meeting where a man stood up to express an unpopular opinion amongst his town’s residence, Rockwell decided to use his own town as an example. He used that meeting to paint Freedom of Speech. I love all the paintings. Freedom from fear has parents looking down on their small children while the dad holds a paper with an article of war across the top. Freedom from want has a family sitting down to a large family meal, and Freedom to Worship has “Each to the dictates of his own conscience” across the top.

One person said, “Freedom of being with your family.”

“We can do everything we want.”

“The freedom to live in a small community.”

Someone once asked me if I had ever read the 10 Amendments known as the Bill of Rights. I have and write them here for your consideration. The first ten were ratified in 1791. They are:

First Amendment: Freedom of speech, Freedom of the press, Freedom of religion, Freedom of Assembly, and the Right to petition the government.

Second: Right to bear arms to support a militia

Third: Protection against housing soldiers in civilian homes

Fourth: Protection against unreasonable search and seizure, and Protection against the issuing of warrants without probable cause

Fifth: Protection against --Trial without indictment, Double jeopardy, Self-incrimination, and Property seizure

Sixth: Right to a speedy trial, Right to be confronted by witnesses, Right to call witnesses, and the Right to legal counsel

Seventh: Right to trial by jury

Eighth: Protection against--Excessive bail, Excessive fines, and Cruel and unusual punishment

Ninth: Rights granted in the Constitution shall not infringe on other rights.

Tenth: Powers not granted to the Federal Government in the Constitution belong to the states of the people.

The following were added in different years. They are:

11: Denial of Jurisdiction for US Courts in Certain Classes 1795

12: Presidential/Vice Presidential Election 1804

13 : Abolition of Slavery 1865

14: Limitations on the States 1868

15 : Denial of Right to Vote on Account of Race 1870

16: Income Tax 1913

17: Popular Election of US Senators 1913

18: Prohibition 1919

19: Women get the right to vote in 1920

20: Dates for end of Terms of President, Vice President, Congress, Presidential Succession 1933

21: Repeal of Prohibition 1933

22: No third term for the President 1951

23 : Right to vote for President/Vice President for the district of Columbia 1961

24 : Prohibition on Poll Tax for Voting 1964

25 : Presidential Disability, Vacancy in Vice Presidency 1967

26: Lowering Voting age to 18. 1971

27: Congressional Pay Raises 1992

This July 4th, during picnic and family gatherings, take a moment to think about our rights. And

when the fireworks start, remember the wars fought over these rights.