"My son is fighting in Iraq to preserve your right to criticize your country." "Freedom isn't free! Remember our troops who fight for your freedom!" These are typical bumper-stickers, but the slightly more expanded argument underlying these sentiments goes like this: if it weren't for our men and women in uniform putting their lives on the line, none of us would enjoy the right to protest, the right to not incrimiminate ourselves, the right to a speedy trial before a jury of our peers, the right to worship (or not) as we please, the right to speak freely, etc., etc., etc.Now, far be it from me to disparage our fine men and women military personnel. They do so very much for so very little, and I am truly grateful for all they do. But is all that really on their shoulders? Does democracy itself truly begin and end with their sacrifice?
No. The truth is that the military secures our borders and protects our nation from all enemies "foreign and domestic." It's a big, important job, to be sure, but it has almost nothing to do with our individual rights. Actually, it has nothing to do with rights. I say "almost" only because if we were invaded and yoked by outsiders, then we could say the military would be responsible for preserving our rights.
Other than that, what truly preserves our rights are the Constitution and our system of laws. We are a nation of laws. Your right to adequate legal representation, in the event that the state brings charges against you, is guaranteed by the Constitution, not the military. The surest way to preserve freedom in this country is to preserve the Constitution, and to appoint judges to the Supreme Court who can and will interpret the Constitution as dispassionately as possible. How can anyone really believe that our young people in Iraq are fighting for our freedom? Again, not to diminish their sacrifices and efforts, but what the hell does that war have to do with Americans' freedoms and rights? When was the last war that did? I think it was around 1776. About seven years later, we had an official, foundational, writ of Law ever since known as the Constitution. All of our rights and freedoms are found within. All of them.
