For Amy...

A few weeks ago, as many of us were discussing the idea of a mosque being built a few blocks away from the site of the Trade Center towers, I wrote a blog about how the Bible and the US Constitution provide us with instruction as a matter of God's Law and Man's Law, to allow for its building. A friend of mine (more a friend of my girlfriend, as I barely know her) commented on it...but, due to the fact that so few people actually comment on my blog postings, I hadn't bothered to check it and just happened to see it today. Her comment is, as follows:

If you cannot stand the mere thought of cops then don't think about them.....there must be some form of order in the world and this is clearly outlined in the Bible as you have posted above. You can like it or not like it, but it is the word of God and he instructs us on how to do it. Now, the discussion of people who abuse power and do not do the God honoring thing when put in positions of authority is a whole different discussion. As a Christian the whole mosque deal is not ideal; however it is thier right to build it in America on their own land with their own money. I would be interested in a blog from you discussing how the Obama Administration continues to attempt to violate the Constitution; expanding on your statement above. Matthew 6 is providing guidance about ceasing time/effort with people who repeatedly "choose" not to understand or acknowledge the truth of God's word and what is right in his eyes.

To that, I say this:

First, let's discuss the idea of the police. I am not a thief, a killer, a rapist, drug dealer, or a robber...and I don't like the automatic assumption that I am any of these things, merely because the potential exists that I might be one. Yet, that is the exact feeling I get, when a policeman approaches me with his hand on his gun.

There is order in this world, both the order provided by God and the order we live under known as the law of man. As a Christian, I am required by my God to follow both of them. The highest authority of man, in these United States where I live, is the United States Constitution. Within that constitution, you'll find a specific set of rights I am afforded, merely by my birthright as a United States citizen. Also, you will find specific authorization for the Supreme Court of the United States.

Both the Bill of Rights, and the Supreme Court, state that all three times a man with a badge has pointed his loaded department-issued sidearm at my head, he has done so in violation of the authority he has been given. Likewise, they also say that in the various times I have been wrongfully arrested, it has been in direct violation of the authorities granted to them. In case you're wondering, all of those cases were dismissed. Every single one of them.

If they have no authority to do the things they do, then it is not a violation of God to turn away from them and refuse to submit to their whims. Unfortunately, I cannot simply "not think about them", as I can't drive from my home to my place of work without seeing officers from six different agencies during that ten minute drive. I can't be at the shop my family owns, "after hours" (even though we never have had any posted business hours, and aren't open to the public), without fear that the police will show up and interrogate me...and with the case of "Angleton's Finest", I can't even get him to acknowledge my presence if the BCSO deputy still has my ID!

Telling me to "stop thinking about them" is akin to telling me to "just fly to Mars". It simply ain't gonna happen. I know your husband is a cop. You know I have a bad perception of cops, because the way so many of them have treated myself and those I care about. If the subject of police officers comes up, I'm going to think about my experiences with them. Likewise, if I see one, I'm going to remember what his "brothers in blue" have done to me and mine. If someone has a problem with the perception of cops by those who have been repeatedly wronged by cops in the past, then perhaps that person should attempt to persuade cops to follow the law as written instead of making it up as they feel.

Now that I've got that out of the way, please allow me to get where I was initially going before I digressed into my disdain for the badge. You suggested that I post about Obama and his repeated violations of our constitution.

With such a suggestion, I am tempted to ask, "where do I start"? Let's see...
A) As Commander in Chief of the United States Military, he has decided to continue the unconstitutional wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. I mention Iraq, even though he has declared combat operations to be completed, because such a declaration is as meaningful as the one Bush II made from the aircraft carrier in front of his "Mission Accomplished" banner! Regardless, neither one of these wars were ever lawfully declared by our congress, as required by the constitution. Many will argue that "congressional authorization" is the same as a declaration of war, but it simply isn't. A declaration of war defines an enemy, and lasts only until a declaration of truce or surrender is signed. Who we are fighting changes from one day to the next, and it has no real sign of ending.

B) As the Chief Officer of the Executive Branch (COEB) of our government, he continues to allow the utilization of the "Interstate Commerce" clause to govern state matters such as BATFE "yellow paper" gun registrations for in-state buyers from licensed dealers, and prohibits persons from being professional gun dealers without licenses. There is no constitutional authority for any federal agency to compel registration of firearms upon purchase, nor is there any such authority to compel someone to be licensed to sell firearms if they are not shipped in from another state (i.e. "pawn shops" and other local dealers, which buy and sell to the general public, firearms which are purchased by the shop on-sight).

C) As COEB, he continues to allow D.E.A. raids on persons manufacturing "controlled substances", as well as persons selling them, even when done so in accordance with state law and within state borders. Marijuana is recognized by many health care professionals as beneficial for all manner of maladies, is far less dangerous than alcohol or tobacco, and is often grown by commercial growers within the US for semi-local consumption inside the boundaries of that particular state. Even after promising to stop busting medical pot grow-ops, the D.E.A. is still doing it.

D) As COEB, he continuously neglects to order the Justice Department to investigate instances of wrongdoing on behalf of local, county, and state LEA's when they enforce unconstitutional "security measures" such as "free speech zones", and attempt to disrupt constitutionally-protected speech in public places as they did during the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh, PA. As the recipient of tax dollars, it is a direct dereliction of his Oath of Office when he fails to act on such matters.

E) As CiC of our military, it is his official duty to secure our nation. While the ongoing wars in Iraq and AfPak are pointless insofar as our "national security" is concerned, our borders are still being invaded daily by those who enter our nation without proper legal authority. It is, as the chief officer of our military, a dereliction of his official duty to not even attempt to secure this nation.

I could go on and on, but I think you're starting to understand where I'm going with this. Yes, Obama is a screwup, if we're judging the US Constitution as a benchmark. Unfortunately, so has every other president we've had in my lifetime, and even before. It's so bad that it's not even worth judging, in the same way that you can't really say it's worse to be shot in the head as opposed to being hit with a 14lb sledgehammer at full-speed. Either way, you're dead, and it's gonna be messy...

There are two "accessories" to the offenses committed by our president(s), one being the public that willfully goes along with them, and the legal enforcers that use force or threat of force to keep the ball rolling...and there is the third party that won't play ball.

What are you?