Cyndi's Two Cents

Let freedom ring!

Commentary.

I pen this column before the results of Tuesday’s election are in and announced. The land line at home rings constantly with robo-calls from the various candidates.  Political television and radio advertisements scream at me every day.  My email inbox, Facebook and Twitter pages and other social media platforms are bombarded with negative messages about those running for office.  In nearly every conversation with every person I encounter, this election and all of the negativity surrounding it comes up.

As frustrated and disgusted as I have been over the negativity of this campaign, I celebrate the opportunity the citizenry of this country has to vote.  There are many freedoms that we take for granted; freedoms spelled out in the Constitution of the United States.

We are blessed with freedoms of religion and speech.  Freedom of the press gives all of us the right to express our ideas and thoughts freely in writing.  It also gives us the freedom to read anything we want to read.

We are free to assemble.  We have the right to bear arms.  We have a right to equal justice.

It is our right as citizens of these United States to own private property.  No one can take away anything that you and I or any other citizen owns.  The government cannot seize our land, money, or any other property without cause or without paying for it.

We are free to work at any job for which we can qualify.  We are free to join a political party or a union.

Because the U.S. government is based upon the consent of those of us who are governed, it is within our power as citizens to keep and abide by these freedoms – or to lose them.  I cannot imagine a country where the abovementioned freedoms are not allowed.

We’ve heard time and again that this presidential election is the most important – most relevant – in the history of the United States of America.  I believe this statement is true, but the love I have for my country will not change because of the person who is in the Oval Office.

What I do know for sure is that many men and women sacrificed everything to ensure the citizenry of this country had those rights spelled out clearly in the Bill of Rights.  I believe we owe it to them to see that these rights remain part of the U.S. Constitution.  I believe we owe it to future generations of American citizens to uphold these rights.

Veterans Day, especially falling during this historic election week, is an important time to remember those who risked their lives and those who lost their lives defending our freedoms.

God bless America!