Is it success to fail? Is it a failure to succeed? My government failed, and I’m a winner? My government failed, therefore, I have failed? Regardless of your perspective, it appears that both sides in a ridiculous and phony debate about a mass shooting at a Florida high school are saying that there was “failure” everywhere, committed by numerous people and groups of people. There’s lots of blame to dish out.
To some, the NRA failed society because they are to blame for the presence of guns in our society. To others, the government “system” sworn to be our protectors, failed at all levels. The school system failed. Law enforcement failed. The Media failed. Oh, hell, I’ll say it because it has already been said before – stopping global warming failed.
If we are going to dole out failure certificates – because in today’s society everyone gets one – make sure everyone gets one.
Where did the failure begin? I suppose a sensible argument could be made that the first failure of man was when Eve ate the forbidden fruit. But, let’s move the calendar up about 6,000 years – time and place, the United States of America around about 1787. For those unable to make the leap, this was the year of the signing of the U.S. Constitution. The Bill of Rights was signed in 1789 to become effective in 1791.
The Bill of Rights was actually the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. There have been 17 more. Article V of the Constitution tells us how to offer amendments:
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states, or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress; provided that no amendment which may be made prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any manner affect the first and fourth clauses in the ninth section of the first article; and that no state, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate.
Our governmental failures began with the signing of the U.S. Constitution. Short of an all-out debate about the Constitution, try to understand the realities of what the government does in its regard. For some, this may be a difficult concept, but the governmental failure is due to it being a rigged system, designed as such. A government unchecked with the ability to write its own ticket is tyranny at work.
When it comes to the Second Amendment, so many of us take the amendment as it is written and demand that it be followed to the letter of each text. We do this with all our “rights” without considering the rest of the Constitution. A rigged system will not allow the original intent and wording of any amendment…unless of course, it is the interest of the Government over that of the people. In addition, this tyrannical government hasn’t reached the point yet where they are brazen enough to just totally disregard the Second Amendment (and all other amendments) and essentially declare a suspension of the Constitution for reasons of “rebellion and public safety.” (U.S. Constitution Article I, Section 9, Clause 2 – this is one rigging.)
Article I, Section 8, in part reads:
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
This is another part of the rigged system. Over time the Congress of the United States has assumed all power over regulation and the enforcement of such regulations whether or not you or I think their actions violate the Constitution. There’s always the catch-all phrase or phrases, like the Commerce Clause.
If we refer back to the Second Amendment, have the people or the Legislature (the People) legally amendment the text of the Second Amendment according to Article V of the Constitution? I’ve not seen that happen. However, have they succeeded (or failed depending upon one’s perspective) in amending the wording and meaning of the Second Amendment – and other amendments? You bet they have and there is no stopping the tyrannical power grab because our own failures have allowed it to happen. Manufactured laws and established precedent effectively change the original Bill of Rights.
“Reasonable” restrictions on any amendment of our Bill of Rights is illegal in the sense that it effectively changes the wording and meaning/interpretation of that law. But, that doesn’t matter, does it? Has Congress overstepped its authority to “make all laws that shall be necessary and proper” and such believe themselves to hold the power to disregard the part of the Constitution that lays out the steps needed to amend an amendment? Evidently we, the little people, don’t seem to think so.
For those who despise the Second Amendment, I got news for you. This same tactic takes place when “necessary and proper” for the destruction of all of our rights. As has often been stated, whenever the Government has full control over our rights they are no longer rights but privileges. Privileges can be given and privileges can be just as easily taken away. Perhaps it is time to rename the Bill of Rights to the Bill of Privileges.
Our own failures have provided the path for an easily rigged system in which the Government can do anything and everything they want regardless of what you want to believe. Our failures have allowed the growth of this Government so large that it is impossible for it to function at any level. It can only succeed at failure.
Failure is everywhere and it’s not just the Government and it’s not just society. James Madison, contributing author of the U.S. Constitution and often titled the Father of the Bill of Rights, once said: “To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea.” What he was saying here is that it is but a pipe dream to think that any government can deliver liberty and happiness without first securing the morality of the people. That securing of morality has long since vanished I’m afraid.
Because our society is void of honest morality, to think that we can work with and within a corrupt and rigged institution to lock up our safety, freedoms, and happiness is but a chimerical idea. In fact, it is the culmination of many generations of failures.
Parkland, Florida is just the latest in a long list of failures. We debate the nonsensical portions of our societal failures, blaming everyone but ourselves. The overwhelming presence of insanity clearly suggests something must change.
