"Our American Rights: what are they?" (educational)

Freedom vs. Rights

My name is Kyle Dane Anderson, and I am a proud and grateful citizen of the United States of America.  I consider myself extremely blessed to have been born in a nation where freedom is part of the “American package deal.”  I have come to learn what it means to be free.  I understand that my American freedom does not grant me the right to do literally whatever I want.   

No.  To be “free” means I can make certain fundamental choices without the approval of a controlling party.  Choices like, what I will wear today.  What I will eat.  Where I will live.  Who I will marry.  What I will believe.  What I will say.  Who I will vote for.  And, in grand scale, what I will do. 

But my American freedom does not mean that everything is my right.  If my actions cause significant moral or economic harm to society, or if they threaten the safety of others, then it is not my right to participate in those activities.  For example, I am prohibited by the government to drink alcohol, and then get into my car and drive down a public street.  But you know what?  I am fine with that, because I understand that drunk driving causes innocent suffering to other members of society, and it is not my American right to cause innocent suffering. 

Throughout the history of our nation, we have outlined, discussed, argued, and even battled to the death over the "rights" (human, American, or otherwise) we believe should or should not be legally ours.  Some of these rights were unanimously decided upon years ago by our founding fathers, e.g. the right to bear arms, the right to religion, the right to freedom of speech, etc.  Today, our American rights are constantly challenged from within our nation’s own walls, and oftentimes we are presented with the proposal of new rights. 

2012 Proposed Rights

The 2012 presidential campaign between President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney has reminded us of our ultimate right, which is the right to fight for or against the various proposed rights, as primarily expressed through voting.  Examples of the 2012 proposed rights include the right to abortion, the right to purchase marijuana, the right to receive financial support from wealthier tax payers, the right to spend hard earned money according to individual will, the right to same sex marriage, and the right to preserve traditional marriage and religious freedom.  The list goes on.  Just like in the days of old, back when the original American rights were established, there are passionate people on both sides of the issues today. 

We All Have An Opinion…We Must Respect This Essential American Right

Amidst the chaos of our busy, working lives, most of us probably take time to contemplate the following question:

    What rights should we as American citizens have?  Or said another way,   what  
    proposed rights should I support?     

I can think of no other question that is more important.  I can think of no other subject that is more delicate and controversial in nature.  Most everyone has a strong opinion about what our rights should be and why.  As we debate, the opinions of our fellow neighbors, friends, and family members should be considered with respect.  We must honor and thankfully praise the blessing of democracy.  As President Obama said in his victory speech on November 7, 2012,

"We have our own opinions...each of us has deeply held beliefs...these arguments we have are a mark of our liberty." 

The president is absolutely correct.  We each have a unique set of deeply held beliefs that originate from unique backgrounds and life experiences.  Tightly weaved into the core structure of our belief system is the intense power of emotion.  The things we have personally felt.  The tears we have cried.  The disappointments we have seen.  And the struggles we have faced.  From these emotional experiences we ascribe meaning to life, and attempt to identify cause and affect relationships.  Some of our strongest and most sensitive opinions are manufactured in the factory of personal emotion.  With this understanding in mind, we should respect the opinions of others; and by so doing respect their feelings. 

To respect is an honorable characteristic of the American way.  However, from what I have seen, being respectful is not typically a door way to new learning.  The commonly understood meaning of the word, “respect,” when applied to an opposing belief system, is simply the grudging toleration of that system.  One perhaps listens, but makes the decision before hand to maintain his or her stance regardless.  If we are serious about discovering truth and bettering our country, our efforts will not end here.  We must be open minded.  We must be willing to learn new insights, new ideas, and facts that perhaps we did not consider previously.  

We Are Not Always Right

By nature, we as human beings tend to believe we are experts at everything.  A mentality that affects both the more seasoned among us and the young.  However, I have personally witnessed this phenomenon most frequently in older age groups (approximately age 25+).  Such individuals arrive at a point in their lives where they convince themselves that their learning days are over; this because of their long years of breathing.  This is the great lie of pride.  I do not wish to discredit or ignore the fact that people who have lived longer, on average, know more than others.  At the same time, nobody knows everything, and the word “old” certainly does not automatically equate to knowledge.  Regardless of age, we can often be very hard minded.  Instead of seeing and accepting obvious truth, we see what we want to see.  

To illustrate, think of a time when someone said something false about you or your lifestyle.  You probably corrected them, but they insisted to defend the lie.  They claimed to know more about yourself than you do, and, with no surprise, they were dead wrong in their judgment.  Remember the feelings of frustration you felt?  I can think of several personal examples.  One that immediately came to mind regards my religion.  I am a Mormon.  On one occasion, a man passionately argued that I am not a Christian because of my faith.  First, I reminded him that the term “Christian” refers to anyone who believes in Jesus Christ.  I then corrected his claim with the fact that I am indeed a Christian because I believe in, worship, and acknowledge Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior.  I then highlighted the actual name of my church, “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.”  But the facts proved insignificant by an unchanged stance, as if this man was the expert of my religion and my life. 

Another example was something I witnessed on Facebook.   A republican made an extremely generalized Facebook status basically saying, “All democrats are lazy.”  A democrat took notice to the status and responded with hurt feelings.  The democrat insisted she was not lazy.  In her defense she talked about her difficult day job and full time college life.  Yet the republican insisted to refute the irrefutable evidence that she (the democrat) was not a lazy citizen.  His stance was unchanged.  In this example, the republican thought himself an expert of the democrat’s life; assuming she was lazy even after she proved otherwise.  I have also seen reverse examples; one where a democrat argued on Facebook that republicans like Mitt Romney do not care about the success of women in the workplace.  Her stance was unchanged, even after she was proven wrong with several facts, one of which was Governor Romney’s cabinet in Massachusetts that was 50% men and 50% women. 

The point here is that we are not the experts we often think we are, and must accept the possibility of being in error.  Perhaps we have inaccurately interpreted an issue due to the bias of misguided emotions or unreliable information.  What happens when we are confronted with absolute facts and moral obligations that disprove a deeply engrained idea?  The question is not if, but when we find ourselves face to face with a new truth, how will we respond?   Will we change our views accordingly without allowing the menacing grip of pride or the deception of bias hold us back?  Let us remember these inspired words,

"A man should never be ashamed to own that he was in the wrong, which is but saying in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday."

Governor Romney serves as a great example of a man who has sternly defended core beliefs, but has also adopted new perspectives throughout his political career, demonstrating the quality of humility and a sincere desire to understand truth relating to America’s well being.

Again, we are all entitled to the right of opinion, but let us not be stubborn and willingly remain ignorant to truth; no matter where it comes from; no matter how painful or unpopular it may initially be. 

Human Potential to Be Right and to Do Right

Despite our human imperfections of stubbornness, ignorance, and downright foolishness, it is undoubtedly true that we can become very knowledgeable about societal issues.  After all, within us dwells the amazing human potential of intelligence and wisdom as evidenced by the incredible feats collectively accomplished over the years:  The Golden Gate Bridge.  Racial equality.  The trip to the moon.  Religious freedom.  Smart phones, etc.  When we selflessly come together as a united people, we can learn reliable, valuable truths and do great things.  It then becomes vitally important to hold onto those absolute truths.  Truths like, the Earth is round, 6 + 6 = 12, and it is morally wrong to subject another human because of skin color.  These examples of basic, scientific and moral truths are unquestionable, and remind me of a saying I once heard, “There is no democracy in facts.”  Through our united efforts, we have come to discover essential truths and facts, and can do so again with the current issues (i.e. our proposed American rights).   

Of course, not every question has an immediate, obvious black and white answer, nor does every issue have a black and white solution.  Some proposed rights require more work on our part to fully comprehend.  But I am convinced that the right or best way to every issue will become clear to sincere and determined eyes.     

I would like to now offer a general helpmate in our quest to making the best decisions we possibly can relative to the various proposed rights of American conversations.  I will then discuss several historic, American examples of proposed rights that were abolished using this helpmate as a guide.  Lastly, I will directly respond to two of the proposed rights addressed during the campaign between President Obama and Governor Romney by using this same helpmate.

“The ARI Principal” (a.k.a. American Right Indicator)

The following is a helpful gage I call, “the ARI Principal,” or, “American Right Indicator,” which can help us determine what our rights should and should not be as American citizens:

Any individual behavior that negatively affects innocent bystanders and these negative effects are deemed as being significant should be considered for illegalization.  We must ask ourselves: does the individual behavior threaten the safety of others?  Is the individual behavior morally or economically harmful to others?     

The opposite is therefore true:

Any individual behavior that positively affects surrounding citizens, or from which any negative consequences produced are isolated to the individual or deemed insignificant to society, should perhaps be protected by law as an American right. 

I believe most Americans will agree with ARI, and appreciate such a principal in helping us to confidently approach opinion formation, personal decision making, and political voting.  Because ARI focuses on society’s well being as a whole, its implementation will help America continue as the most prosperous location on the planet.  However, if ARI is not adopted, our views will become blinded by selfish ambition, we will perceive entitlement to rights that should never be ours, and America’s progression will suffer as a consequence. 

Examples of Perceived American Rights That Were Outlawed by Applying ARI

1. Slavery

2. Thievery

3. Murder

4. Child pornography & abuse

5. Drinking/texting and driving

1. Slavery

It is difficult to fathom, but at one point in our nation’s history, thousands of Americans passionately believed it was their American right to own slaves: other human beings whom they could command and control.  Their deeply held beliefs were no doubt cemented early on in their lives.   The common argument was,

“This is my land, my money, my business, my life....I should be able to own slaves if I want.  They help reduce my costs, increase my spending money, and make my life easier.  Besides, black people are an inferior species to us whites.  They need us to provide for them, as does a dependent pet.  Thus, the life I offer as a slave is far better than the life they would have otherwise. Therefore, slavery is my American right!"

It took a bloody war that resulted in the death of thousands of Americans to finally end this terrible "American right."  But through necessary sacrifice, the significantly negative consequences plaguing America at that time as a result of slavery were finally over.  It was the application of what I have come to call, the ARI principle, and of course, adherence to the moral compass inside us all, that saved the day.  The American people realized that owning other human beings was morally wrong, and should not be an American right.

2. Thievery 

Even to this day, burglars justify their actions by passionately arguing,

"It is my right to steal.  I am poor.  I am living in desperate circumstances, so therefore it becomes my right to steal from people who are better off than me.  Besides, the rich can easily replace the stolen items.  Plus, I try to break into homes when the tenants are gone, so I am not truly doing anyone harm.  It is my life and my need.  Therefore, it is my American right to steal!"

Through the lens of ARI, it is clear that burglary significantly damages society, and that it is ultimately morally wrong to forcibly take what is not yours.  Unfortunately, there still exist forms of thievery in America that are supported by President Obama and a shocking majority.  I will address the example of Obama Care Abortion shortly.     

3. Murder

Many people in America who have committed murder (the illegal killing of a person) has done so arguing that he/she was exercising an American right.  The victim perhaps harmed a dear friend or loved one, and it was the murderer's American right to personally seek justice/revenge.  Fortunately, most of America is much wiser than this ideology.  We see the significant negative consequences pointed out by ARI, and choose to rely on an unbiased, lawful justice system to help resolve such issues.                     

4. Child Pornography and Sexual Abuse

Imprisoned child molesters were interviewed in their jail cells by a reporter.  I watched the video in one of my Sociology classes at Brigham Young University, and witnessed criminals as they passionately argued that the ability to view child porn and to have sex with children is their human right.  They would argue,

"It is my body, my life, and my need!  If I want to have a relationship with a child, I should be able to.  If I want to look at child porn, I should be able to.  The government cannot tell me what to do!  It is my American right!"

Thankfully, most Americans are wise enough to know that sexual abuse towards any person, including a child, can never be an American right.  Sexual abuse is a moral abomination that steals precious freedom from the victims.  Not to mention the extreme mental and physical harm that results.  When processed through ARI, the red alert loudly sounds as indication of a behavior that needs to be outlawed. 

Take note that although this issue might be obvious to us, there are Americans who passionately argue the contrary.  It is a scary thought that underscores the supreme importance of educating America about the morally and intellectually sound principal of ARI.  As a recap, the principal essentially teaches us to be selfless.  To only support proposed American rights that honor essential freedoms, and ultimately affect our country for good; even if that means we must abandon a personal behavior. 

 

5. Texting & Drinking While Driving

My personal, political allegiances are primarily founded upon conservative republican principals.  As such, most liberal democratic ideas and proposals have been opposed by my interpretation of what is best for America (as I have used ARI).  However, my sincere intention to be open-minded has helped me identify good produced from various Democratic ideologies.   

For example, I remember when it became illegal to text and drive.  I remember feeling frustrated towards, what I considered to be, a very left wing ambush on my American rights; another attempt to transfer individual power to the government and another step towards socialism.  My argument was that I always text messaged in the car, and did so safely.  I felt in control of the situation.  This personal control was supported by the fact that I never got into an accident and never received a speeding ticket.  However, I became aware of a new and greater fact; the fact that there was a proven relationship between car accidents and text messaging among the much larger, general populous.  I was still a bit frustrated at the situation, but the simple fact was that a significant amount of people could not text and drive without posing a serious threat to innocent bystanders.  At that point, I realized I needed to be willing to sacrifice my personal right to text message, for the betterment and safety of society.  Applying ARI helped me understand the need to ban this previously accepted American right of texting and driving.

Drinking and driving was also an American Right at one point in History, but like texting and driving, was abolished by the American people; citizens who understood the important principles found in ARI.    

 

Examples of Proposed American Rights that Should be Outlawed, According to ARI

I will now address some of the ongoing issues of the 2012 presidential debates using the ARI principle as my unbiased guide:

1. Abortion (under Obama Care)

2. Legalized drugs (e.g. marijuana)

If after reading this blog, you find yourself disagreeing with any of my thoughts, please let me know.  In my sincere effort to discover truth wherever it is found, I will gratefully listen to your position, and seek to learn something I did not know before. 

              

1. Obama Care Abortion

Many Americans support President Obama’s stance on abortion, which essentially says that any woman should have the right to get an abortion no questions asked, even if they cannot afford the procedure.  Some women passionately argue,

"It is my body, and my life.  I am not affecting anyone by doing this.  I should have the right to an abortion whenever I want, under any circumstance.  The government cannot tell me what to do with my body.  Abortion is my American right!"

The argument is usually founded upon very real and sensitive personal feelings.  However, personal feelings should not be the determining factor when considering an American right.  The society as a whole must be considered first and foremost.  In the case of abortion, there are very serious negative effects to innocent bystanders; namely, the child involved in the pregnancy.  It is, of course, controversial as to when the baby technically becomes a human life.  But without a doubt, once the pregnancy process has begun, so has the biological and legitimate formation of a human baby.  At this point, the argument of, "It’s my body and my life...", becomes irrelevant.  The woman’s body is now, in reality, creating another body and another life.  In other words, her decisions now involve two bodies (no matter how undeveloped)...and two lives...not only her own. 

Let’s apply the ARI principle.  As is, the individual behavior of abortion falls under the category of one that produces significant negative consequences to another person (the abortion of life), and should be highly considered for illegalization, in most circumstances.  However, to make matters more extreme, the provisions of Obama Care ensure that a would-be mother can abort the child at the expense of someone else.  Let me highlight this detail: someone else will literally be forced by the government to help finance the alleged “individual” behavior of abortion through increased taxes.  In other words, the people who support this proposed right are supporting a very real form of thievery as they allow the government to forcibly take money from non-consenting Americans to pay for their mistakes. 

Many of the victimized citizens already struggle with their own financial responsibilities, like supporting a family.  Yet they will be obligated with the additional burden to, ironically, financially support women in their efforts to avoid family responsibility through abortion.   The additional tax to fund Obama Care is essentially a civilized face to the typically barbaric image of breaking and entering a home.  The stance of, “My choice to abort does not affect anyone else…”, now becomes null and void in complete absolution. 

Even in the case of wealthy Americans who may not be financially hurt by the increased tax, this proposed American right of thievery is still morally and ethically wrong.  America is a nation of ideals.  When core ideals of liberty are removed, what do we have?  Nothing.  Obama Care Abortion is evidence that America is slowly digressing back to its European origin of communism and socialism; the acquisition of power by the government to legally commit human crime.  This is the very thing our founding fathers fought to the death to escape from.  The wise words of Howard W. Hunter deliver the message best when he said,

“The government will take from the ‘haves’ and give to the ‘have nots.’  Both have lost their freedom.  Those who ‘have,’ lost their freedom to give voluntarily of their own free will and in the way they desire.  Those who ‘have not,’ lost their freedom because they did not earn what they received.  They got ‘something for nothing,’ and they will neither appreciate the gift nor the giver of the gift.”

Obama Care’s abortion policy creates the American right for pregnant women to literally become thieves, stealing not only money, but also the freedom of countless victimized Americans.  In fact, such proposed rights are even more serious than thievery.  They are an evolved form of slavery.  The slaves being the controlled and subjugated Americans who must work and then pay for the “have not’s” irresponsible lifestyles.  And the masters being the “have nots” who whip the slave’s backs with each abortion and with each welfare tax. 

The red flag is held high by ARI.  This proposed American right must be outlawed, and the slaves set free.  The rights that must prevail through this issue is the right to life of the child, and the right for Americans to help their neighbors freely, according to their desires.   

2. Legalized Drugs (marijuana)

The legalization of marijuana (and other drugs) is a very controversial issue in America. 

Some passionately argue, very much the same way as those in favor of Obama Care abortion,

"It is my body, my life.  I am not doing any harm to society, so therefore it should be my American right to smoke marijuana!" 

Existing arguments insist that the effects of a marijuana high, and that of other more extreme drugs, are no different than the drunken state produced by alcohol; and after all, alcohol is legal, so drugs should be an American right also.  If this claim is correct, then yes, either both should be allowed or both should be illegalized.  But there is indeed a difference between alcohol and drugs.  I highly suggest researching the differences through reliable sources including government sites that outline criminal behaviors and societal threats related to drugs vs. alcohol.

Now, this is the perfect opportunity to declare a personal view; one that will be irrelevant to my actual, intended argument.  In other words, I will not use the following view in my direct address to the proposed right of legalized marijuana:

I personally believe that drinking alcohol should be illegal, along with marijuana.  I believe ARI would say the same thing.  I cannot help but notice the countless tragedies directly caused by the drunken state alcohol produces.  It is true that many people can drink all their lives and inflict very little to absolutely no damage to others or society (e.g. just like how I was an exception to the general outcome of texting and driving).  However, a disturbing majority of human tragedy including sexual assault, rape, physical abuse, thievery, man slaughter, murder, and a continually broken America is directly caused by alcoholic drunkenness or drug highs.  Both substances can turn even the most respectable men into complete animals, and significantly endanger others.  The evidence is there.  In fact, it has been there for decades, but do we choose to see it with the help of ARI, or ignore it?  Such destruction should not be a human right. 

Anyways, the majority of America has voted to keep alcohol consumption an American right, and I have no intention of debating this issue here.  Besides, there are significantly unique threats associated with the legalization of drugs like marijuana compared to the legalization of poison like alcohol.  So back to the issue at hand,

"The government does not have the right to tell me how to use or not use my body.  If I want to smoke marijuana...it is my right!"

At first glance, this argument seems legit.  It is certainly a sincere, understandable, and personally focused position.  But this is an issue that requires us, as should all issues, to look outside ourselves, and attempt to identify any and all negative effects that might be innocently suffered by the rest of society.  My sincere and determined eyes have spotted several. 

First, by making marijuana legal, a drug that was once an indisputable criminal threat, the door opens to legalizing all the other, more extreme drugs, like cocaine.  Why not?  Under the same argument it would make perfect sense...

"It is my body, my life!  I am not affecting anyone but myself!  Using cocaine within the confines of my own home is my American right!"

Why would legalizing drugs be a problem to society if they are being used within the walls of one’s own home?  For a reason I don't fully understand (because I have never personally been addicted to drugs), drugs are at the very core of almost all crime in America and the world.  When it comes to criminal motivators like money, sex, alcohol, and the power to dominate others, drugs trump them all.  Their addictive power and high is more enslaving than any other harmful substance.  This is a scientifically proven fact.  For that reason, among others, men and women will do anything to get their next fix, including criminal activity.  Although marijuana is likely at the bottom of the desired drugs by criminals, it is still on the list, and again, if the door to legalizing drugs is opened, why not heroine in five years?

"Well, if drugs are truly at the heart of most crime, then wouldn't it make sense to legalize all drugs so that crime will drop?  Criminals can come out of hiding and purchase their drugs like a good, responsible citizen, and we will see a decrease in drug related crime…"        

This argument may seem logical at face value, but when a deeper understanding of criminality is obtained, so is the truth that drug related crime will ultimately not decrease if drugs are legalized.  In fact, crime will increase.  At least, this is my sincere prediction based upon my study of the criminal mind in school and in life.  I will explain. 

Obviously, where marijuana smoking is legalized, the general crime rate instantly decreases at first, because the criminal label attached to smoking marijuana is removed.  But do not be fooled by this initial decrease.  What seems to be progress in a good direction, is actually a wolf in lambs clothing.  Stay with me, and hopefully we can understand together why this is so…

However, there is another, less obvious side effect.  Over time, more serious forms of crime like thievery, physical assault, and even murder will end up increasing as a direct result of the legalized drug, and will therefore increase the general crime rate.  This eventual increase will greatly outweigh the original decrease.  How can this prediction be possible?  Well, for a crime rate to increase, one of two things must happen: 1. existing criminals increase their criminal activity, or 2. new criminals emerge.  In the case of legalizing drugs, I believe that both will happen.  This belief is the result of a predictable chain of events based upon already proven principles relative to human behavior.  This is the chain of events:

When a product is legally placed on a retail shelf, there will always be curious buyers.   The good, law abiding citizens that would never smoke marijuana or other drugs if they were not legal.  Such Americans will try the drug simply because it is there, legal, and available.  As more Americans smoke marijuana, the number of addicts will naturally increase.  Because marijuana is a proven “gateway” drug, some people will even begin experimenting with more extreme drugs.  Regardless of the drug, many Americans who develop addictions will be people who already struggle with present financial burdens.  With the addition of a drug addiction (no matter how inexpensive the government can legally make it before tax), such Americans will quickly find themselves unable to afford their new, enslaving lifestyle.  This is a dangerous recipe for the beginning of a criminal life.  Like all drug addicts, they will unavoidably suffer from the delusion they need the drugs to survive.  This is the lie that, in their minds, justifies stealing, assaulting, and, for some, killing.  Once good citizens, will find themselves doing terrible things under the influencing power of the addiction. 

In short, as the number of drug addictions increase--due to increased drug use—due to awareness of a new American right--the number of future criminals also increases because many addicts will not be able to afford the addiction, which will push them to criminality.   

Certainly not all Americans who become addicted to drugs will become societal threats.  There are always exceptions; the exceptions in this case primarily being addicts with enough money to sustain their addiction. 

In addition to new criminals emerging, existing criminals will likely increase their criminal activity.  Let me explain.  Today, criminals are already able to purchase drugs on the black market, as if they were legal; yet they still rob and even kill to get them.  But why?  There are two reasons why many criminals do not purchase their drugs: 1. They cannot afford them, so they steal, and 2. They have what is referred to as, a criminal mind.  The reality of the criminal mind is a philosophy to take...never to give or exchange.  They convince themselves that the world is theirs for the taking.  Even extremely rich drug lords who could easily purchase their drugs, rarely do so.  Instead, they take over manufacturing sites, and set up a disturbing order that gives them full power and access to the drugs.  If you approached a powerful drug lord in Mexico with high quality drugs and offered an excellent deal, he would probably have you killed, cut up, buried, and then would take the drugs from you.  The philosophy to take is the mindset of most criminals.  As drugs are legalized and can be found in an increased number of American homes, existing criminals will increase their criminal behavior because drugs become easier to take.

And there you have it; the chain of events.  The casual relationship between drug addiction and crime is one of the strongest and most consistent relationships ever studied in mankind's social and scientific laboratory.  Legally smoking marijuana is a strong example of a behavior that may appear individual or harmless in the act itself, but negative consequences will in fact touch other members of society, and be significant in the long run.

  

Conclusion

The United States is, hands down, the best place to live on Earth.  But such an achievement did not come without hard work, selfless sacrifice, and attention to rising threats against our freedom.  Some of these threats were foreign, but most were domestic.  If we become careless; if we are unwilling to devote serious, sincere, and logical thought into proposed American rights with the help of ARI and reliable research, then corruption and socialism will sneak its way into the American constitution even further.  Little by little, it will become legal for some Americans to steal away the essential rights of others (e.g. Obama Care Abortion).  It will become legal for the government to destroy our prosperous economy, and cripple our possibilities for a hopeful future.  As Americans, the power still rests in our hands to properly fix the problems that perhaps we admittedly helped create.  But it is never too late to reconcile our past, and learn from our mistakes.  Let us be wise.  Let us be selfless.  Let us stand together in the defense of the American rights we know should be ours, and abolish the proposed rights we know are inconsistent with the American constitution and the ARI principle.  I, for one, will continue the best I can to make good decisions that benefit my country.  I will continue to use ARI as a guide, and to follow the moral compass within my heart; even if it means I have to sacrifice a little.  I hope you do the same.