Failing the Bill of Rights

“It is not the function of our government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error.” — Justice Robert H. Jackson

Though I rarely see Bill of Rights Day listed on calendars, December 15th was set by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941 for the document’s 150th anniversary. President Harry S. Truman in 1952 proclaimed Bill of Rights Day to be observed every year.

The amendments mean the same now as they did when adopted into the Constitution in 1791. The government has no power over the people but what the Constitution and Bill of Rights allow. This is the power We the People have. The founders knew that governments can be corrupted so they placed the amendments as a bulwark against corruption.

Over the years, We the People have failed in our responsibility to keep the government under the constraints of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

In 2019, President Donald J. Trump again proclaimed December 15th as Bill of Rights Day. “During Bill of Rights Day, Human Rights Day and Human Rights Week, we celebrate the Bill of Rights for safeguarding our God-given rights and protecting us from the abuse of government power. I call upon the people of the United States to mark these observances with appropriate ceremonies and activities.”

We the People must exercise our rights and celebrate our Bill of Rights every day, not just on December 15th.

Daniel Day

Spokane