Trial for Crimes

                The topic of discussion for this Constitution Monday comes from Article III, Section 2, and Clause 3:  “The Trial of All Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury….”  This provision informs us that individuals indicted for crimes have the right to a trial by jury; it also tells us that impeachment proceedings, which take place in the U.S. Senate, do not qualify for jury trials.

                Our Founding Fathers considered trials by jury to be important enough to include this clause in the Constitution.  W. Cleon Skousen gave the following explanation:  “Up until 1895 Americans enjoyed all of the powers of the original common law jury.  This was a far more powerful instrument of justice than the jury system today.  In fact, the Founders considered it the foremost defense in the American legal structure to protect the people against oppressive laws passed by the legislature or abusive judges deliberately misinterpreting the law.

                “The common law jury not only had power to `determine the facts,’ but it also had authority to `determine the law.’  It could determine what the law meant and whether or not the jury considered it constitutional.  The jury could even ignore the law if it felt it would cause an injustice if applied to the case at hand.

                “Under these circumstances the jury was allowed to hear the arguments of attorneys on both sides as to the meaning of the law and how it should be applied in that particular case.

                “Furthermore, although the judge interpreted the law for the jury, they were not bound to accept his interpretation.  In other words, the interpretation of the judge was merely `advisory.’  The jury was free to reach its own conclusions as to just what the law required.

                “Such were the powers of the original American common law jury” (The Making of America – The Substance and Meaning of the Constitution, pp. 614-615).

                Rachel E. Barkow at The Heritage Foundation gave further explanation:  “The American right to a trial by a jury of one’s peers traces its lineage back to 1297 and the Magna Carta.  By the mid-sixteenth century, the jury had already taken on the form it retains to this day in federal courts and some state courts – twelve citizens were summoned to sit in sworn judgment of the criminal allegations against one of their peers….

                “Because judges themselves were part of the government, many framers feared they would not be an adequate check on government abuse of the criminal process.  The jury, therefore, was made part of the original structure of government in order to provide a mechanism for ensuring that individuals would not lose their liberty under a criminal law until the people themselves concurred.

                “In many criminal cases in the nation’s early history, the jury not only applied the law to the fats it found, but decided questions of law themselves….

                “Over time, however, this power eroded.  In 1895, the Supreme Court concluded in Sparf and Hansen v. United States that the jury did not have the `right’ to decide legal questions.  As a result, today judges can – and do – instruct juries that they must accept the judge’s view of the law, and lawyers are no longer allowed to argue the merits of the law to the jury.  Because the jury possesses authority to issue an unreviewable general verdict of acquittal, the jury nevertheless retains the raw power to check general laws with which it disagrees in individual cases.  But because the trial judge does not instruct the jury that it has this authority, the jurors may not know that they have it.  In addition, even if the jurors are aware of this power, they must exercise it knowing it is contrary to the judge’s instructions, even when the jury itself disagrees with the law in question, with the judge’s interpretation of the law, or with the law’s application in the case before it.”

                Barkow stated that the power of the jury to check the government has eroded in other ways as well.  1) A defendant can now waive a jury trial in favor of a bench trial but could not do so prior to 1930.  2) The majority of cases never reach the jury because they are resolved by plea bargain.  3) Congress and state legislatures “identify blameworthy behavior and specify the criminal punishment for that behavior” and insist “that judges, not juries, apply these laws” (The Heritage Guide to the Constitution, pp. 262-263).

                These two explanations helped me to understand more clearly why some criminals are not forced to pay the price for their behavior and are set free to prey on the people once again.  It also makes clear how judges with their own agendas can do more damage to our society than would be done by a group of people who are the defendant’s peers.  The framers were very wise when they wrote the Constitution, but their founding document and instructions have been changed to suit the designs of evil men and women.

Ordinances and Covenants

                The power of God is manifest in the ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ (see Doctrine and Covenants 84:20).  Our Father in Heaven uses the ordinances and covenants of the gospel of Jesus Christ to teach us and to prepare us to live with Him.  Ordinances are sacred, formal acts performed under proper priesthood authority.  Ordinances symbolize gospel truths and teach us about Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation and the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  Ordinances also teach us about who we are and remind us of our duty to God.  There is symbolism in the ordinances and learning about that symbolism increases our understanding of the gospel more completely as well as to strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ.

                “In the Church, an ordinance is a sacred, formal act performed by the authority of the priesthood.  Some ordinances are essential to our exaltation.  These ordinances are called saving ordinances.  They include baptism, confirmation, ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood (for men), the temple endowment, and the marriage sealing.  With each of these ordinances, we enter into solemn covenants with the Lord.

                “Other ordinances, such as naming and blessing children, consecrating oil, and administering to the sick and afflicted, are also performed by priesthood authority.  While they are not essential to our salvation, they are important for our comfort, guidance, and encouragement.

                “Ordinances and covenants help us remember who we are.  They remind us of our duty to God.  The Lord has provided them to help us come unto Him and receive eternal life.  When we honor them, He strengthens us.

                “You may receive many opportunities to participate in priesthood ordinances.  Whenever you have such an opportunity, do all you can to prepare yourself, whether you are performing the ordinance or receiving it.  You can prepare by praying, fasting, counseling with priesthood leaders, and studying the scriptures and the words of latter-day prophets.  If you are a priesthood holder, you should always be spiritually prepared to perform an ordinance.  Live a clean, worthy life, and strive to receive the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.

                “Additional references:  D&C 84:19-21; Articles of Faith 1:3-5” (True to the Faith, “Ordinances,” pp. 109-110).

                The ordinances of the gospel teach about the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  One example is the ordinance of baptism by immersion.  When we are immersed or buried in the water and then brought up out of the water, it symbolizes the death and resurrection of Christ as well as our own spiritual rebirth.  (See Romans 6:3-6 and Doctrine and Covenants 76:51.)

                “Baptism is the first saving ordinance of the gospel (see Articles of Faith 1:4).  Through baptism and confirmation by priesthood authority, you became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

                “When you were baptized, you showed your willingness to follow the Savior’s example.  He too was baptized, even though He was without sin.  As He explained to John the Baptist, He needed to be baptized in order to `fulfill all righteousness’ (see Matthew 3:13-17).

                “All who seek eternal life must follow the example of the Savior by being baptized and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.  The prophet Nephi said that the Savior showed us `the gate by which [we] should enter.  For the gate by which [we] should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of [our] sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.  And then are [we] in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life’ (2 Nephi 31:17-18).  We will receive eternal life if we endure to the end, keeping our covenants and receiving other ordinances of salvation” (True to the Faith, “Entering the Path to Eternal Life,” pp. 21-22).

                The sacrament is another ordinance that teaches about the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  The sacrament represents the body and blood of the Savior.  (See Luke 22:19-20 and 3 Nephi 18:1-11.)

                “The sacrament provides an opportunity for you to remember with gratitude the life, ministry, and Atonement of the Son of God.

                “With broken bread, you remember His body. You can be mindful of His physical suffering – especially His suffering on the cross.  You can remember that through His mercy and grace, all people will be resurrected and given the opportunity for eternal life with God.

                “With a small cup of water, you can remember that the Savior shed His blood in intense spiritual suffering and anguish, beginning in the Garden of Gethsemane.  There He said, `My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death’ (Matthew 26:38).  Submitting to the will of the Father, He suffered more than we can comprehend:  `Blood [came] from every pore, so great [was] his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people’ (Mosiah 3:7).  You can remember that through the shedding of His blood, Jesus Christ saved you and all other people from what the scriptures call the `original guilt’ of Adam’s transgression (Moses 6:54).  You can remember that He also suffered for the sins, sorrows, and pains of all Heavenly Father’s children, providing remission of sins for those who repent and live the gospel (see 2 Nephi 9:21-23)” (True to the Faith, “Remembering the Savior and His Atonement,” pp. 147-148).

                When we understand the symbolism of baptism and the sacrament and how they teach about the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we will understand more fully the importance of the ordinances themselves.

                Jesus Christ taught His gospel using parables and symbols.  Parables illustrate meaning with words, and symbols are simply objects that represent something else.  To illustrate that ordinances and covenants are inseparable, we can use a simple coin.  While displaying a coin, we can ask “which side of the coin is more important?”  Just as neither side of the coin is more important, both ordinances and covenants are important.  They are inseparable and are both necessary for admission into God’s presence.

                There are eternal truths or principles taught through the ordinances of baptism and the sacrament.  Some of those truths are: 

1) Baptism by immersion symbolizes the death and resurrection of Christ and our own spiritual rebirth.  2) Every person who reaches the age of accountability must be baptized in order to enter the kingdom of God.  Not even Jesus Christ was exempt from this requirement.  3) We renew our baptismal covenant each time we partake of the sacrament.  4) The sacrament represents the body and blood of the Savior.  5) Both baptism and partaking of the sacrament help us to become clean and worthy to enter God’s presence. 

When we learn to understand the symbolism in the ordinances of the gospel, we are prepared to gain more understanding.  With this preparation, we can better understand the temple ordinances because the teaching in the temples is done in symbolic fashion.

                President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, taught:  “Before going to the temple for the first time, or even after many times, it may help you to realize that the teaching in the temples is done in symbolic fashion.  The Lord, the Master Teacher, gave much of His instruction in this way.

                “The temple is a great school.  It is a house of learning.  In the temples the atmosphere is maintained so that it is ideal for instruction on matters that are deeply spiritual….

                “If you will go to the temple and remember that the teaching is symbolic, you will never go in the proper spirit without coming away with your vision extended, feeling a little more exalted, with your knowledge increased as to things that are spiritual.  The teaching plan is superb.  It is inspired.  The Lord Himself, the Master Teacher, taught His disciples constantly in parables – a verbal way to represent symbolically things that might otherwise be difficult to understand.

                “The temple itself becomes a symbol.  If you have seen one of the temples at night, fully lighted, you know what an impressive sight that can be.  The house of the Lord, bathed in light, standing out in the darkness, becomes symbolic of the power and the inspiration of the gospel of Jesus Christ standing as a beacon in a world that sinks ever further into spiritual darkness.

                “Upon entering the temple, you exchange your street clothing for the white clothing of the temple.  This change of clothing takes place in the dressing room, where each individual is provided with a locker and a dressing space that is completely private.  In the temple the ideal of modesty is carefully maintained.  As you put your clothing in the locker you leave your cares and concerns and distractions there with them.  You step out of this private little dressing area dressed in white, and you feel a oneness and a sense of equality, for all around you are similarly dressed” (“The Holy Temple,” Ensign, Oct. 2010, pp. 29-35).

                Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander taught, “May we now turn our attention to a discussion of some of the factors that make personal and worthy participation in sacred gospel ordinances, properly administered, so significant in our determination to come unto Christ and be perfected in Him.

                “First, through personal participation in sacred gospel ordinances we come to know God.  I refer to the 84^th section of the Doctrine and Covenants, in which we read:

                “`And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.

                “`Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.

                “`And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh’ [Doctrine and Covenants 84:19-21].

                “Our participation in sacred ordinances teaches much about the order of God’s kingdom and about Him.  For example, it seems strange to think that one could enter a temple to perform some of the most sacred ordinances before submitting to baptism, which is one of the initial ordinances of the gospel.  There is order in the kingdom of God, and there is order in the way we learn about it….

                “We do not receive everything at one time but receive knowledge of holy things progressively and incrementally as we are worthy of, and obedient to, such knowledge….  Our participation in the sacred ordinances of the gospel orders our knowledge of the kingdom and thereby reveals the nature of God to us.

                “Sacred ordinances and knowledge of God are closely related…. 

                “As sacred ordinances reveal the order of the kingdom of God in a progressive manner, our participation in them reveals to us a knowledge of the personality and character of God that can be gained in no other way.

                “Second, sacred gospel ordinances are the gateway to solemn covenants with God.  Ordinances and covenants can hardly be understood apart from each other.  By ordinances we enter into covenants, and by covenants we receive the ordinances….  Our important steps toward God are introduced by sacred ordinances and are governed by the conditions of the covenants associated with those ordinances.

                “Perhaps it would be good at this point to make just a comment on the nature of covenants.  Eternal covenants are extended or offered to us only by God.  He is the originator of all such covenants, as He is the only one who has authority and power to guarantee their validity beyond the grave…

                “We cannot originate such covenants because we do not possess the power to guarantee them.  Consequently, we can only enter into covenants that are offered to us by God, and we can enter them only in the way He prescribes.

                “… [W]ithout the priesthood authority and the accompanying covenant, the power of the ordinance is denied.  If we eliminate priesthood authority and the covenant portion of an ordinance, we are left only with the `form of godliness.’ [See Joseph Smith-History 1:19].

                “Third, sacred ordinances provide an endowment of divine power in our lives.  In His conversation with Pilate, the Savior said, `My kingdom is not of this world’ [John 18:36].  Numerous scriptures teach us that there is natural enmity between the world and the kingdom of God.  One of the things that set the kingdom of God apart is the sense of the holy that exists therein.  The world can have a sense only of the secular.  Worthy participation in sacred gospel ordinances changes our lives and brings blessings and power to us that we would otherwise not enjoy.  The power of the Atonement itself is unlocked by sacred gospel ordinances that are performed under the keys of the priesthood.  Remission of sins is extended through the ordinance of baptism.  Confirmation brings with it the promise of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.  Ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood opens the way for `every man [to] speak in the name of God’ [Doctrine and Covenants 1:20] by teaching, blessing, and comforting others.  Worthy participation in the holy ordinances of the temple reveals our eternal possibilities and places us in a position to realize them….

                “One of the most beautiful yet most common of the gospel ordinances is that of the sacrament.  We participate in it literally thousands of times throughout our lives.  Yet because of its ever-present nature in our sacrament meetings, we can easily miss its supernal significance.  Partaking worthily of the sacrament can bring a weekly endowment of divine power in our lives….

                “Sacred ordinances are ordained of God.  They are essential to our salvation and exaltation.  Through the sacred ordinances of the gospel, we learn of His kingdom and learn of Him, we enter into holy and eternal covenants, and we receive an endowment of divine power in our lives.  All of these things bring us to Christ that we may be perfected in Him” (“Ordinances and Covenants,” Ensign, Aug. 2001, 20-26).

                As I learn more about the symbolism in the ordinances and teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I am gaining greater appreciation for the covenants involved in them.  I am grateful to know that I can make covenants with God and receive blessings from Him through the ordinances of the priesthood.  

Importance of Marriage

                Families, communities, and nations are strengthened when all of us understand the importance of marriage and treat it with the respect it deserves.  As a nation, we have debated the pros and cons of traditional marriage between a man and a woman and discussed the effects of divorce on society for years.  In recent years, we have been forced to consider the implications of gay marriage.  As our nation considers the effects of the recent rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court concerning same-gender marriage, we must understand that traditional marriage is threatened on many fronts, but we can still keep our marriages strong if we are willing to pay the price. 

                In an interesting article entitled “Divorce Rates Threaten Marriage More Than a DOMA Repeal,” Sara Stringer wrote, “Marriage offers individuals a high happiness quotient and provides a strong backbone for America’s families.  As a social institution, it continues to provide strong infrastructure for those who are able to commit to and maintain their vows.  However, social mores change.  Increases in premarital cohabitation and sex, as well as the cultural acceptance of divorce, contribute to a growing marriage crisis in this country….

                “However, while these changes in culture affect the divorce rate, it is the cultural acceptance of divorce itself as a remedy that keeps divorce rates high.  Those in successful marriages experience higher rates of financial stability and happiness; however, our culture continues to become more accepting of divorce versus providing support to make marriages work for the long haul.  Political figures like Newt Gingrich, pop culture personalities like Kim Kardashian, and others demonstrate divorce as a common approach to fixing imperfections within a marriage.

                “Marriages offer stable family structures and tremendous support systems, and they help America stay wholesome and focused.  But keeping a marriage strong takes work.  Couples must communicate with each other openly, establish boundaries, and learn to compromise.  Divorce may provide an `easy way out,’ but the separation creates financial and emotional rifts that stall success and growth.  The well-being of America depends on strong marriages.”

                Just moments before their wedding in August 2012, Bre and Josh Curtas of Lynchburg, Virginia, took a moment for prayer.  In order to pray together without actually seeing each other, the couple held hands from around a corner while bowing their heads in prayer. A photograph of the couple praying together has gone viral on more than one occasion.  Bre Curtas wrote about her wedding on her blog in January 2013, and the picture went viral again in June.  Why would such a photograph be of interest to so many people?  I believe it is because we all understand deep down inside that marriage is important and this couple understood the importance of making prayer a part of their wedding as well as their marriage.

                Even though the bride remembers only “bits and pieces” from her wedding on August 11, 2012, she will “never forget those 40 quiet seconds.”  “I think this photo has gone viral because it’s not about me.  No one is looking at it for my dress or the venue or my hair or jewelry. That stuff doesn’t matter.  I think people are touched because it’s two young people taking a minute to forget about those things and thank the Lord for what he’s done.”

                The couple dated for ten months before Bre broke off the relationship because of fear of commitment.  One year later Josh invited her to meet him for coffee.  “As I sat across the table from him, I realized there wasn’t a day that he didn’t pray that the Lord would bring me back.  And even though we hadn’t seen each other for a year, he loved me even more than the last time he saw me.  I knew I’d never find that again.”

                Bre said that “prayer strengthened their relationship after being apart for so long.  It was also the reason why she decided to wait until her wedding night to have sex.  It was a tough choice to make, one that the couple struggled with for months.  And she understands that it’s not for everybody….”

                This couple began their marriage with prayer and moral cleanliness as well as a deep love for each other.  All couples struggle at times in their marriages, but those couples who understand the importance of marriage and make God a part of their relationship are usually able to weather the storms that come into their lives. 

                The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches the importance of marriage and what we can do to make our marriages last forever – for all eternity.  Many statements by Church leaders can be found at this site.   Here are a few of the statements.

“Marriage is and should be a sacrament.  The word sacrament is variously defined, but among Christian people it signifies a religious act or ceremony, solemnized by one having proper authority.  It is a pledge, or solemn covenant, a spiritual sign or bond between the contracting parties themselves and between them and God” (Hugh B. Brown, “The Latter-day Saint Concept of Marriage,” Liahona, June 2011).  

                “Marriage is the foundry for social order, the fountain of virtue, and the foundation for eternal exaltation.  Marriage has been divinely designated as an eternal and everlasting covenant.  Marriage is sanctified when it is cherished and honored in holiness.  That union is not merely between husband and wife; it embraces a partnership with God” (Russell M. Nelson, “Nurturing Marriage,” Ensign, May 2006, 36). 

                “The mere performance of a ceremony does not bring happiness and a successful marriage.  This requires forgetting of self, continued courting, and obedience to the Lord’s commandments” (Spencer W. Kimball, “Oneness in Marriage,” Liahona, October 2002).  

                “How shortsighted so many of us are, how prone to look only at today without thought for the morrow.  But the morrow will surely come, as will also come death and separation.  How sweet is the assurance, how comforting is the peace that comes from the knowledge that if we marry right and live right, our relationship will continue, notwithstanding the certainty of death and the passage of time.  Men may write love songs and sing them.  They may yearn and hope and dream.  But all of this will be only a romantic longing unless there is an exercise of authority that transcends the powers of time and death” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Marriage That Endures,” Liahona, July 2003).  

                In spite of the recent decisions made by the Supreme Court of the United States supporting same-gender marriage, we need not fear destruction of marriage as long as we understand the importance of traditional marriage and do those things that strengthen marriage.  Since God ordains traditional marriage, we can rely on Him for assistance in keeping our marriages strong and avoiding divorce.  We can strengthen our families, communities, and nation by strengthening our marriages.

America Is A Choice Land

                The liberty principle for this Freedom Friday is the simple fact that America is located on land that is choice above all other lands.  It is land that was preserved and protected by God through thousands of years and will continue to be blessed and protected as long as the people worship Jesus Christ.  America is a unique and beautiful nation.  

                 The Book of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ contains the histories of several groups of people who were brought to the American continents by God.  They were blessed and prospered as long as they worshipped the God of the Land, even Jesus Christ, and were swept off the land when they ripened in iniquity and sin.

                An ancient American prophet by the name of Ether wrote about one of the groups.  “And the Lord would not suffer that they should stop beyond the sea in the wilderness, but he would that they should come forth even unto the land of promise, which was choice above all other lands, which the Lord God had preserved for a righteous people.

                “And he had sworn in his wrath unto the brother of Jared, that whoso should possess this land of promise, from that time henceforth and forever, should serve him, the true and only God, or they should be swept off when the fulness of his wrath should come upon them.

                “And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them.  And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity.

                “For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God. And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off.

                “And this cometh unto you, O ye Gentiles [He was writing to us!], that ye may know the decrees of God – that ye may repent, and not continue in your iniquities until the fulness come, that ye may not bring down the fulness of the wrath of God upon you as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done.

                “Behold, this is a choice land and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written” (Ether 2:7-12; emphasis added).

                A prophet of God, even President Joseph Fielding Smith, proclaimed that the above quoted “scriptures from the Book of Mormon are true; this nation is not exempt, and the people, if they continue to pursue the course of evil and ungodliness that they are now treading shall eventually be punished.  If they continue to disregard the warning voice of the Lord, deny their Redeemer, turn from his gospel unto fables and false theories, and rebel against all that he has through his servants in this day declared for the salvation of man; and if they increase in the practice of iniquity, I want to say to you, that if they do these things, the judgments of the Lord will come upon this land, and this nation will not be saved; we will not be spared from war, from famine, from pestilence and finally from destruction, as a nation.

                “Therefore, I call upon the people … throughout the whole land to repent of their sins and to accept the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our Redeemer and the God of this land.  Turn from your evil ways, repent of your sins and receive the fulness of the gospel through the waters of baptism and obedience, that the judgments which shall be poured out upon the ungodly may pass you by” (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. III, pp. 321-322).

                President Smith made this statement in October 1916, nearly one hundred years ago.  Our nation has changed mightily in that time and is currently undergoing a “fundamental change” under the direction of Barack Obama and his minions.  President Thomas S. Monson, the current prophet of God on earth and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the Apostles who serve with him, have recently lowered the age for missionary service for both young men and young women.  The Prophets and Apostles are in fact sending a “surge” of missionaries into the world to assist the Lord in gathering all the righteous people out of the world.  The Lord is hastening His work and making preparations for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. 

Will Americans heed the voice of President Smith and repent or will we continue down the road we are taking until our government is destroyed?  I suppose that only time will tell the choice of the majority of Americans, “but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15)

Independence Day

                It is time once again for Americans to celebrate Independence Day.  On July 4, 1776, Americans declared independence from Great Britain when fifty-six brave men signed the Declaration of Independence and made their pledge:  “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”

                Too many Americans forget – or never learned – that July 4^th is more than just a day for watching fireworks and parades, for barbecues or camping.  They do not realize that there is a great difference between thinking of this special day as merely “Fourth of July” and thinking of it as “Independence Day.”  I wrote about this difference last year, and you can read my thoughts on this subject here. 

                Fireworks, parades, barbecues, camping, etc. are all ways we can celebrate Independence Day.  There is nothing wrong with any of these activities because they are all wonderful celebrations in their own way.  Erma Bombeck knew the importance of such activities.  “You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness.  You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.”

                As important as fireworks and parades are, there is something more important to include in our Independence Day celebrations.  The most important thing that we must remember is the purpose of our celebration.  We celebrate the Fourth of July because it is the day we declared our independence.  We celebrate liberty and freedom. 

                We must remember that freedom, liberty, and independence are not free.  Thomas Paine lived in the founding days of our nation, and he understood this fact as evident from the following statements.  “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.”  “He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from opposition; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach himself.”  Thomas Paine knew the value of freedom, liberty, and independence, and we must help our families to gain this same knowledge.

                Prager University has prepared a short ceremony that is “designed to help us remember what the Fourth of July is really about, and to remind ourselves how fortunate we all are to be Americans.

                “For many of us, the Fourth of July is a day for barbecues, baseball, shopping, and fireworks.  There is nothing wrong with any of this.  But in 1776, our founders didn’t sign the Declaration of Independence (and then go to war) only so that later generations would spend July 4^th at the department store.  They knew Americans needed to be educated and informed in order for our hard-won liberty to survive.  As Thomas Jefferson put it:  `If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.’

                “As Americans, we need to reconnect to our heritage, channel the wisdom of the Founding Fathers, and rediscover the meaning behind our country’s creation.  And we need to do it every year.  That’s the point of observing the Fourth of July:  To help us remember why this country was founded, and to help us transmit that collective memory to the next generation.”

                Prager University suggests that we use ritual to help teach the rising generation about the founding of our nation and why the Founders declared independence.  Prager University created the Fourth of July Declaration Ceremony and patterned it after the Jewish Seder.  (“Seder” means “order” in Hebrew.)

                “For thousands of years, the Passover Seder has helped Jews around the world to remember that they are descendants of an enslaved people who were liberated by the mighty hand of God.  The Founders of the United States (including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and others) were all well-versed in the Bible and knew the story of the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt.  They viewed their break from England as a new exodus; so much so that Franklin and Jefferson wanted the seal of the newly-formed United States to depict the Israelites escaping across the Red Sea.

                “Even though that design was not chosen, the original historical inspiration still remains.  Like the Passover seder, the Fourth of July Declaration Ceremony can be a powerful ritual that helps us transmit our love for this country to our children and grandchildren.”

                I like the idea of developing a tradition such as suggested by Prager University.  I like the idea of a Declaration Ceremony.   Each family could take the suggested ceremony and  make it your own celebration ritual.  Prager University promises that “the Fourth of July will be more than just another barbecue or fireworks display.  It will become the kind of day it was meant to be:  a celebration of the birth of our exceptional country, and a way of showing gratitude for the gift of liberty that has been bestowed upon us all.”

                The rising generation will never understand the difference between the Fourth of July and Independence Day unless we teach them.  I like the idea of a Declaration Ceremony and encourage you to add some ritual to your Independence Day celebration.

Illegal Aliens

                The Senate voted 68-32 on Thursday, June 27, 2013, to overhaul the immigration system for the United States.  The Senate plan claims the requirement of making tough changes to secure the borders of our nation while at the same time creating a path to citizenship for millions of people who have come to our nation illegally.  Why would any sensible person want to reward people who have broken our laws?

                The thousand-page bill was crafted by the “Gang of Eight” – four Senators from each party – and was later amended in order to get enough votes to pass.  Thirty-two Republicans voted against the bill while fourteen Republicans, two Independents, and fifty-two Democrats voted for it.  I am sad to report that both of my Senators – Democrat Mark Begich and Republican Lisa Murkowski – voted for the bill.

                This is the first serious attempt to overhaul immigration law since amnesty was granted to millions of illegal aliens in 1986.  It did not work then, and it will not work this time.  The reason that it did not work and will not work is because our elected officials refuse to secure our borders.  We must secure our borders in order to know who is in our country and why they are here.

                Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) claims, “The House is not going to take up and vote on whatever the Senate passes. We’re going to do our own bill.”  Many Republicans in the House believe that any bill passed by the House will be “compromised” once it is passed and are therefore urging no bill to be passed in the House.

                The Senate bill is a means to grant “backdoor amnesty” to millions of illegal aliens; this part of the bill is simply a plan to generate more loyal followers from the Hispanic community.  By passing this bill, the Senate failed to exercise its constitutional responsibility to block “backdoor amnesty” as well as to support strict enforcement of the federal immigration laws that already exist.  This all advances the plan of the Obama Administration that ignores the Constitution, bypasses Congress and the American people and enacts changes in the regulations that benefit those who come into our nation illegally.

                Congressman Lamar Smith (R-Texas), former chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said, “… the Obama administration is cooking the books to make it look like they are enforcing immigration laws, when in reality they are enacting amnesty….”  He added, “… President Obama and his administration continue to circumvent Congress and use executive branch authority to allow illegal immigrants to remain in the U.S.” and have “made clear that it plans not to use but abuse these powers … the Obama administration cannot continue to pick and choose which laws it will enforce.  It is outrageous that they have put illegal immigrants and their liberal political base ahead of the American people.”

                Judicial Watch, Inc. is a non-partisan, non-profit organization with headquarters in Washington, D.C.  It was established in 1994 to serve as a “watchdog” over “our government, legal and judicial systems and to promote a return to ethics and morality in our nation’s public life.”  Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, said, “Since 1994, Judicial Watch has used the courts to hold public officials accountable for their actions. And since 2005, we have blazed an historic trail in challenging state and local `sanctuary’ policies that coddle illegal aliens and undermine our immigration laws, as well as exposing and challenging the Obama administration’s efforts to abuse Executive Authority by granting `stealth’ amnesty to millions of illegal aliens.”

                Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Arizona, said, “Among the worst problems facing us in the fight against illegal immigration are `sanctuary’ policies that tie the hands of local law enforcement people.  At one time we had that problem right here in Phoenix where police officers were prohibited from asking about a person’s immigration status or cooperating with federal immigration agents….  Thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court, we now have far greater freedom in protecting our citizens from criminal illegal aliens.”  He added that “taking on sanctuary cities, towns, counties, and states across America” is “the most important fight in the illegal immigration war.”  He thanked Judicial Watch for fighting that battle.

                Although Judicial Watch has won many battles in this war, they are still fighting numerous new ones and request assistance from Americans.  They want to stop the plan for “backdoor amnesty” as well as the Obama Administration’s attempt to “gut” Arizona’s tough illegal immigration enforcement laws.  They also need our help to fight “the Obama administration’s compulsive secrecy (we have initiated nearly 1,000 open-records requests, many related to the Obama administration’s efforts to undercut our laws against illegal immigration and enact amnesty for illegal aliens through the back door.).”

                President Obama received massive support from Hispanic voters in the last election; he and his minions are now “politically driven” to “lock in that part of the electorate for years to come and appease the most radical `open borders’ groups with more payoffs.”  Judicial Watch claims that the Obama Administration are 1) “refusing to prosecute illegal alien sanctuary cities and counties that violate federal law by not cooperating with federal immigration authorities,” 2) “advancing BACKDOOR AMNESTY through `administrative measures’ that bypass Congress and that may very well be unconstitutional,” 3) “attacking and attempting to block tough new state immigration enforcement laws in Alabama and Arizona, and threatening other pro-enforcement states with the same treatment if they also attempt to protect their citizens from the scourge of illegal immigration,’ and 4) “using so-called `prosecutorial discretion’ to dismiss outright potentially hundreds of thousands of legal cases against illegal aliens and permit them to stay in the United States in violation of the law!  It’s obvious now that law enforcement and public safety have taken a back seat to their efforts to satisfy illegal immigration advocacy groups and lock in this important voting bloc.”

                 Judicial Watch is fighting an administration that is out of control but committed to advancing its radical agenda without concern for any loss of constitutional freedoms or costs to American citizens.  Since the federal government uses taxpayer-funded lawyers as well as funds from leftist groups, Judicial Watch is fighting against a financially strong force.  You can register to receive more information from Judicial Watch at this site as well as make a donation to this organization.  Since our elected officials are not interested in protecting the rights of American citizens, we must join the fight against our out of control government and insist on immigration laws that put our rights before the rights of illegal aliens.

Francis Scott Key

                Francis Scott Key, an author, amateur poet, and lawyer, is a very important person (VIP) in American history because he wrote the words to our national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.”  He was born on August 1, 1779, on the family plantation “Terra Rubra” in what was Frederick County, Maryland (now Carroll County, Maryland).  His parents were Ann Phoebe Penn Dagworthy (Charlton) and Captain John Ross Key.  His father was a lawyer, a judge, and an officer in the Continental Army.  His great-grandparents were Philip Key and Susanna Barton Gardiner, both of whom were born in London and immigrated to Maryland in 1726.  Francis studied law at St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland, and he also studied under the direction of his uncle Philip Barton Key.

                During the War of 1812, Key was a guest aboard the British ship HMS Tonnant.  He was accompanied by the British Prisoner Exchange Agent Colonel John Stuart Skinner, and the two men dined with three British officers:  Vice Admiral Alexander Cochrane, Rear Admiral George Cockburn, and Major General Robert Ross. 

Colonel Skinner and Key were aboard the ship to negotiate the release of prisoners.  One of the prisoners was Dr. William Beanes, a resident of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, who had been arrested after putting rowdy British soldiers under citizen’s arrest.  Because Skinner, Key, and Beanes had become familiar with the strength and position of the British units as well as the British plans to attack Baltimore, they were not allowed to leave the ship.  This is the reason why Key was aboard the British ship and watched the bombing of the American forces at Fort McHenry on the night of September 13-14, 1814, during the Battle of Baltimore.

Key saw an American flag still waving at dawn and reported this news to the prisoners below deck.  On his way back to Baltimore, he wrote of his experience in the inspired words of a poem entitled “Defence of Fort McHenry.  He published the poem in the Patriot on September 20, 1814, with the intention of putting his words to the music of John Stafford Smith.  His poem is better known as “The Star Spangled Banner,” and “the song was adopted as the American national anthem, first by an Executive Order from President Woodrow Wilson in 1916 (which had little effect beyond requiring military bands to play it) and then by a Congressional resolution in 1931, signed by President Herbert Hoover.

Key was associated with the American Bible Society from 1818 until his death in 1843.  In 1832, he served as the attorney for Sam Houston during his trial in the U.S. House of Representatives for assaulting another Congressman.  He was appointed as a United States District Attorney (1833-1841) and used his position to suppress opponents of slavery.  Key prosecuted Richard Lawrence in 1835 for his unsuccessful attempt to assassinate President Andrew Jackson.

                Francis Scott Key died on January 11, 1843, from pleurisy at the home of his daughter Elizabeth Howard in Baltimore.  He was buried in Old Saint Paul’s Cemetery in the vault of John Eager Howard.  His body was later moved to his family plot at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Frederick.  Keys poetry was collected and published 14 years after his death.  The Key Monument Association erected a memorial in 1898, and the remains of both Francis Scott Key and his wife, Mary Tayloe Lloyd, were placed in a crypt in the base of the monument.

                Family members of Francis Scott Key include Mary Tayloe Lloyd (his wife), Anne Phoebe Charlton Key (his sister married to Roger B. Taney, who would become U.S. Chief Justice), Alice (his daughter who married U.S. Senator George H. Pendleton in 1846), Philip Barton Key II (his son who was shot and killed by Daniel Sickles, U.S. Congressman, because he had an affair with Sickles wife, and Francis Key Howard (his grandson who was imprisoned in Fort McHenry in 1861 for being pro-South).  He was also a distant relative and the namesake of F. Scott Fitzgerald, whose full name was Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald.  Geneticist Thomas Hunt Morgan, guitarist Dana Key, and American fashion designer and socialite Pauline de Rothschild are all direct descendants of Francis Scott Key.

                The Francis Scott Key residence, located at 3516-18 M Street in Georgetown, was dismantled in 1947.  Key has the honor of having the following memorials named after him:  1) Francis Scott Key Monument in Baltimore, Maryland.  2) Francis Scott Key Bridge between the Rosslyn section of Arlington County, Virginia, and Georgetown in Washington, D.C., near the site of his dismantled home.  The location is illustrated on a sign in the Francis Scott Key Park.  3) Francis Scott Key Bridge, part of the Baltimore Beltway crossing the outer harbor of Baltimore, Maryland, and located at the approximate point where the British anchored to shell Fort McHenry.  4) Francis Scott Key Auditorium at St. John’s College, Annapolis, his alma mater (1796).  5) He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.  6) Francis Scott Key Hall at the University of Maryland, College Park, and a residence hall named in his honor at the George Washington University.  8) Francis Scott Key junior high school in Brooklyn, New York.  9) Francis Scott Key High School in rural Carroll County, Maryland.  10) Francis Scott Key Middle School (at least three).  11) Francis Scott Key Elementary School (several, including schools in California, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C.).  12) Francis Scott Key School in Philadelphia.  13) Francis Scott Key Mall in Frederick County, Maryland.  14) The Frederick Keys minor league baseball team – a Baltimore affiliate.  15) A monument to Key in San Francisco.  16) The USS Francis Scott Key (SSBN-657), a U.S. Navy submarine.