Fight to preserve our rights
When Friedrich Nietzsche wrote “God is dead,” he added “God remains dead. And we have killed him.”
The dangerous times in which we now live make this quote relevant.
Our First Amendment rights are under attack by our current president, who would like to limit or excise freedom of the press, the freedom to protest peacefully, and possibly the freedom to worship as we wish.
Our Founding Fathers, in their wisdom, upheld our right to speak, to worship, and to protest without recrimination. So whether you wish to worship God, the gods, nothing, or serpents, in this country, you have that right. And whether you wish to speak truth, lies, love, or hatred, you have that right as well. Whether you are the president, a member of Congress, or just a person on the street, you have these rights. At least, for now.
So I suggest we all raise a glass for our First Amendment, which states, “Congress shall make no law” to limit these aforementioned fundamental rights.
Nietzsche ended his thought by writing, “Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?” So after raising the glass, drink deep, become an informed citizen, protest, become godlike in the fight of our times — the fight to preserve our rights, and to work toward justice and liberty for all.
Barbara Kelly
Bluffton
This story was originally published November 28, 2017 at 6:25 AM with the headline "Fight to preserve our rights."