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States Rights is often thought of as a purely conservative tool and thus liberals are opposed to any mention of it. But this is not true. States Rights is what allows the people of Nevada to choose for themselves how they are governed in regard to gambling for instance. States Rights is what allows liberals in California to approve medical marijuana legislation. States Rights played a major role in protecting environmental legislation that the people of New England wanted for themselves. This is no skin off of my nose because I do not have to live there, pay for it, or deal with the consequences.

Likewise, the 14th Amendment is seen as purely a liberal sledgehammer. Not so, recently the Sons of Confederate Veterans in Virginia were being oppressed by their State. The State was prohibiting them from exercising the same free speech rights as liberal groups or the same character enjoyed on State organizational license plates. Their license plate was refused because liberal State bureaucrats perceived a political message that they did not agree with. The Federal government in the form of a Federal judge preserved these people's Liberty by 'gently' pointing out to the State that they were violating the 14th Amendment. Tyranny can come from nearby as well as far away in Washington.

States Rights and the 14th Amendment are both useful tools for preserving liberty, whoever you are and whatever your political persuasion. We have gotten into trouble with these two tools when they have been used to supress liberty rather than promote it.