Free Republic

I wrote and published this article on December 27, 2011. Providing historical perspectives on the constitutional ramifications of the war, it has had more than 46,000 views. Perhaps it may provide useful perspectives now, as we seem to be heading toward another potentially more deadly and divisive civil war.Only we can prevent another civil war. Will we?Formerly great universities, once bastions of constitutionally protected free speech, are now trying -- often successfully -- to kill it. Fake news abounds increasingly in our "mainstream" media, which neglect or minimize legitimate news. Our history, good and bad, are being relegated to the...

I am regularly taken aback by those who think our freedoms should depend on the character of those we elect to political office. If such men exist, then a simple assembly of these angels would do for a government. Grant a few hundred virtuous intellectuals the legislative, executive, and judicial power and be done with it. Why not? In fact, if such men exist, why not empower just one man with the three broad functions? To rely on the virtue alone of our rulers, Article V opponents guarantee a nation not of law, but of men and tyranny. Those who...

There is a pervasive idea doing the rounds in the media (and also stated by Mr. Piers Morgan), that the First Amendment Right to Free Speech should not cover Nazis or sentiments related to racism. But limits of ANY kind are a stepping stone to censorship and tyranny. It verges on the ludicrous to suggest that “free speech applies for all, except fascists” is a measured response. When one group of people (or group of ideas) is forbidden from open speech, it sets a very dangerous precedent. If today, we say that speech from “X “ is banned, then all...

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed an executive order late Friday halting demonstrations at Lee Monument in Richmond for the next 90 days. That order violates the First Amendment. “In spite of weeks of preparation, the city of Charlottesville was the target of an act of domestic terrorism that cost one woman her life, and had a helicopter accident lead to the deaths of two state troopers,” McAuliffe said in a statement that accompanied the executive order:

The conversation about monuments — particularly which should stay and which should go — has eclipsed nearly all other conversations in the week following a rally-turned-near-riot in Charlottesville, Virginia. CNN's Kate Bolduan spoke to liberal analyst Angela Rye on Thursday, asking her whether the uproar was truly just about the monuments. Rye claimed that the problem ran much deeper than that: .. Rye concluded her argument by asserting that America was very close to once again being a nation of slavery: “We definitely need to learn about it so that we don't repeat it, because we're very close to repeating...

Now that we’ve had a few days to cool down over the riot last Saturday in Charlottesville, we can look at the matter a little more dispassionately and discern a pattern working its way out. The people who organized the so-called “Unite the Right” rally are members of a fringe group that, for better or worse, has come to be called the “alt-right.” Their core ideology appear­s to be that “white men,” that is, those of northwest European heritage, are the bearers of civilization and all that is noble, and are presently under assault by the Left. When President Trump...

I wonder how many of the counter-protesters at the Charlottesville event even had any idea who Robert E. Lee was. He was a major hero of the Mexican-American War. He fought for the Confederacy against the Union, but at the time he did it, it was not illegal. Slavery was — while 100 percent evil — completely protected by law as of 1861. When Lee went to work to defend his native Virginia, he was not violating any law. When the Army of Northern Virginia surrendered at Appomattox Court House in the spring of 1865, some officers of Lee’s Army...

CHICAGO (CBS) — A Chicago pastor has asked the Emanuel administration to remove the names of two presidents who owned slaves from parks on the South Side, saying the city should not honor slave owners in black communities. A bronze statue of George Washington on horseback stands at the corner of 51st and King Drive, at the northwest entrance to Washington Park. Bishop James Dukes, pastor of Liberation Christian Center, said he wants the statue gone, and he wants George Washington’s name removed from the park.

VANITY I watched the very long video in which Scalia spoke of interpreting the U.S. Constitution (Constitution) These are my notes: The due process clause in the Constitution provides that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without “due process”. It does not mean rights are absolute. A fundamental right used to be one that is rooted in the traditions of the American people. Ultimately “fundamental rights” no longer have to be “rooted in tradition”. For example, “abortion” which is now considered to be a fundamental right was not only not rooted in tradition but it was...

Wife unit and I just completed painting our childrens rooms. Theme should be between K-3 , boy and girl. What posters/themes centered on education and religion would you put in their room? Below is a small list I have brainstormed, and I am interested in things that just ARENT taught as much anymore or not emphasized enough. When I was growing up my room was filled with posters to keep my mind going......most were hand made by mom. I'm sure there are nice ones that homeschoolers and teachers use that maybe I'm not thinking of. Thanks! FReegards!

The founders carefully and deliberately defined the First Amendment so that only a village idiot at the time could mistake its meaning. "Congress shall make no law..." is about as clear a statement of intent as can be found in the document.

One of the less understood yet revolutionary features of our governing forms is the built-in retention of the sovereign people’s authority to affect peaceful improvements to our state and national governments. Our new contribution to politics was the idea of provisions for reformation, of enabling society to return to first principles. As opposed to the beliefs of Article V opponents, this first principle of the American Revolution, is, per James Wilson, “Not a principle of discord, rancor, or war; it is a principle of melioration, contentment and peace.” Article V institutionalized and legitimated peaceful revolution. Somewhere along the way, our...

“If the central government has the authority to tell a state it must accept permits from all the other states, then it also has the authority to tell a state it may not accept a concealed permit from any other states. If the central government can do these things it can set up a national concealed carry permit scheme and in essence bring into existence a national arms registry. That is exactly where this is headed.” Attorney Richard D. Fry 1 Some are touting the federal Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 (HR 38) as a bill which would expand...

Next month delegations of state lawmakers will travel to Phoenix, Arizona, to attend what organizers say will be the first formal convention of states since the Civil War. They’ll gather at the capitol, inside the turquoise-carpeted House chamber, and draw up rules for a hoped-for future meeting: a convention to draft an amendment to the U.S. Constitution.No “amendment convention” has taken place since the Constitution was written over 200 years ago. But the idea is gaining steam now, stoked by groups on the left and right that say amendments drafted and ratified by states are the last, best hope for...

A leftist Wisconsin group, Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort (WAVE) is opposing teaching children gun safety in schools. They prefer that children not be taught about gun safety, because if they learn about guns, they may decide that guns can be fun and useful.From wrn.com: A group dedicated to preventing gun violence has concerns, over a bill that could have Wisconsin high schools teaching kids how to safely handle guns. The legislation from Republican lawmakers requires the Departments of Public Instruction, and Natural Resources to develop the curriculum. “Our concern is that it’s not actually firearms safety, it’s really about teaching...

A group of men identifying themselves as Venezuelan soldiers published a video on social media calling for an overthrow of the socialist regime of dictator Nicolás Maduro, shortly before the government announced it had quelled an uprising in Carabobo state on Sunday. The incident, which Maduro claims was orchestrated by the American Department of State and unspecified Colombian agents, has added more intrigue to the increasingly chaotic situation in what was once Latin America’s wealthiest state, following Maduro’s imposition of a parallel socialist legislature tasked with drafting a new constitution more favorable to his regime.

Wake up everyone, the 2018 off year election cycle begins Tuesday in Alabama, and unless you are clueless as to what is going on, the swamp is attempting to steal the first Senate seat up for grabs. Now is not the time to sit back and just watch what will happen next Tuesday. It's time to get as involved as you can to make sure the right man heads to Washington. We don't want anyone who will feel comfortable getting along with those living in the swamp. We want a man who will make the swamp dwellers feel so...

Sen. John McCain said Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s threat against North Korea was a bit of bluster that fell short of the example set by previous American presidents. The Arizona Republican, one of Congress’ most vocal exponents of U.S. military power, told Phoenix radio station KTAR News 92.3 that Trump should be more measured in his rhetoric on North Korea.

Former Governor Mike Hucakbee and Col. Allen West believe it could. Gov. Huckabee pointed out in a tweet last week that repealing the 17th Amendment, which instituted the popular election of Senators, would ensure that Senators work for their states and respect the 10th Amendment. "Time to repeal 17th Amendment," he said on July 28th. "Founders had it right-Senators chosen by state legislatures. Will work for their states and respect 10th amid." Col. Allen West made a similar point in a much longer piece on his website: Imagine if those GOP senators who blocked the repeal of Obamacare could be...

Hundreds of articles and blog posts since the COS movement emerged a few years ago deal with the impossibility of reform emerging from those who profit so well from DC corruption. Other posts, like those scattered about this ArticleVBlog, examined the historic foundations of free government from the 17th century English philosophers down to our Revolution and Constitution. When taken together, all the events and ideas which shaped the American psyche since publication of the King James Bible in 1611 may be grouped together by the term, ‘Tradition’. Today, I appeal to that which gets so little attention, but is...