This is Memorial Day Weekend, for most of us a much anticipated three day weekend.  Its purpose, though, is to allow us to take the time to remember and thank all of those who gave their time and their lives to protect our ability to live the way we do here in America.  There are so many rights we have that we take for granted.  Have you ever thought about them?  Is there any one of them that you would voluntarily give up?  I was asked that question once and I can honestly say that I cannot imagine life in America without a one of them.  Let’s go through some (not all) of them and ask yourself what life would be like without each of thess guaranteed privileges:

Freedom of Religion and Assembly:

Without this guaranteed right, the government could require you to ascribe to one particular religion or faith… even require that you have none at all!  There are so many countries in our world today where that is the case.  Freedom of assembly means not only the right to go to church or school, but everything that involves people getting together… whether at a concert or a party at someone’s house.  Try to imagine being told you can’t have your friends over to your home.. or worse… who you can and cannot be friends with.  Many others in the world have to live in that reality!

Freedom of Speech and Press

            It’s amazing to think that we can write or say whatever we would like (with relatively few exceptions) without fear.  A lot of other governments control all the press.  You hear about “state run t.v. stations” and people’s access to the internet and sites like Facebook, Twitter and Google being restricted.  How much different of a place would this be if one political party ran all the media… *shudder*

The Right to Vote and Replace Elected Leadership

            I’m sure anyone reading this could name several countries where there has always been the same leader since we can remember… first coming to mind would be Fidel Castro in Cuba.  Other examples of countries where the people have no real say in their government’s leadership are North Korea, China and the most recent example is Iran.  Complain if you want about the system we have here in the US (it’s your first amendment right to do so), but it’s still the best system in the world and we all have the right to have a say in it as vocally and obnoxiously as we care to be.

The Right to a Trial by Jury, to avoid Self Incrimination and other Due Process

            We get all twisted over the problems with our court system, and it is most certainly not perfect, but remember… it is still the very best in the WORLD.  Anywhere else on this planet people can be arrested and wait for years to have any determination on the merits of the accusations against them.  Some places people can be arrested and sent away for the rest of their lives without being charged, but just because they crossed the wrong politician or state official.  The judicial branch of our government has many layers of checks and balances and often is the subject of ire when it comes to complaints about the expense and “taxpayer dollars” involved.  True… but those layers and levels are there for a reason and I would hate to live without the assurances that they were there.

The Right to Live wherever you want and to free Travel

            Try to imagine that someone from the government could tell you where you have to live, or where you can not live.  Try also to imagine border guards at state lines and having to get written government permission to cross them.  I can’t imagine being told that I can’t live in Florida or that I have to go get a travel visa each time I decide I want to go visit my family in Kentucky.  Right now all I have to do is go online and book a ticket on Southwest and make it to the airport in time… and I would appreciate it to stay that way, thank you very much.

The right to work (or not work) in whichever career you choose

            What would you be doing right now if your working future was determined by some testing a government agency administered when you were in grade school?  There are some countries where whether a person goes to college or gets trained for certain work is determined by the government, not the individual.  I can tell you there is no way they would have looked at me when I was in high school and said “this kid needs to be trained to be a bankruptcy attorney.”  Thank you, GOD, for putting me in a land where I had the freedom to find that path on my own!

            Thank you, Thank you, men and women of the Armed Forces of Past and Present, for risking and giving the ultimate sacrifice so that I and the ones I love may enjoy the generous rights that come with being an American.