America’s Forgotten Anniversary

On Dec. 15, lost in the middle of the Christmas shopping hysteria, is the anniversary of a very important event in American history. It will be the 224th anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights added 20 specific individual rights to the Constitution.

Thirty-nine of 42 delegates to the Constitutional Convention had signed the Constitution four years earlier and sent it to the states for ratification. Even with this overwhelming support, ratification ran into trouble in the big states of Massachusetts, New York and Virginia because their leaders believed that it was very important to spell out important individual rights. A political deal was struck and the Constitution was ratified with the promise of adding a Bill of Rights. It was added 15 December 1791.

Today we need to take a few minutes to read the Bill of Rights again and reenergize our exercise of these precious rights. I believe that the First Amendment spells out our most important individual rights. Americans have been passive as their five precious freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition have been chipped away in recent years.

As you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanza, remember that the New Year gives us the opportunity for We the People to speak up and speak and reassert our leadership of our great nation.

Lynn McGinnis

Glendale