Constitutional rights, personal firsts
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In My Humble Opinion
Jodi McDade
Checking off a bucket list item: Tandem skydiving!
Last week I said I would be talking about some of the issues going on in our country. Well, it’s been a week, and I can’t remember exactly which issues I was thinking about, but there have been many new ones to pop up or continue since then!
I am having more and more problems understanding exactly what OUR rights are as American citizens. Every day it seems the news is covering an attack of some kind on our constitutional rights, and I’m getting real concerned on the country my grandchildren are going to inherit.
I don’t remember reading anything in our Constitution about the federal government being able to dictate what type of refrigerator, stove, air conditioner or heater, or automobile I have to purchase. I don’t remember reading anything in our Constitution about the federal government being able to dictate to a private bank that they must provide them with the records of their customers if they shop at certain stores or purchase certain items. And I can’t remember reading anything in our Constitution about non-citizens having more rights and benefits than our American-born or naturalized citizens.
But as I watch the news all of the above seem to be happening. Even though we have a failing electrical grid with no major improvements in years, the Democratic leaders of our country want us to move to an ENTIRELY electrical energy system and stop using the fossil fuels (oil, gas, natural gas, etc.) that we have used for 200 years. We have an abundance of fossil fuels here in our own country, but we are not allowed to pursue them, but we can buy from communist countries who don’t like us.
Even though the Democrats pass legislation for energy and transportation improvements, we don’t see them being put into reality. There has been discussion for probably 50 years on the aging electrical grid that couldn’t handle the needs of our population THEN much less now. We have rolling blackouts across the country and particularly in our larger cities. But at the same time legislation is moving to prevent us from buying gas appliances and vehicles.
If you shop at Bass Pro Shops, Dick’s Sporting Goods, or purchase fire arms or ammunition, the government is moving to require your bank or credit card company to report the sales. If I was a convicted felon it MIGHT be a reason for the law enforcement agencies to monitor me in some way, but not if I am a law-abiding American citizen. Our Second Amendment rights state that we can purchase and own firearms to protect ourselves, our families and our property – even from the government itself.
And now a judge has ruled that non-citizens, even in our country illegally, are covered by our Second Amendment to legally own a firearm! Even though our law enforcement is not recognizing these illegal immigrants as illegally here, they are being granted the very same rights that are now being taken away from American citizens! You just can’t make this stuff up!
And, while Americans work and pay exorbitant taxes for the support of our local, state and national governments, illegal immigrants are allowed to walk freely across our borders where they will receive free medical attention, free housing, free debit cards, free cell phones, and free education to their children. Yes, they are “required” to return to court for a hearing on whether they are eligible to come into our country, but those hearings are set up 3-9 years in the future. And there is no way to know where they actually go once they are released.
I’ll stop with the politics and now share my PERSONAL FIRST with you that I mentioned last week. Last Wednesday, March 13, along with Ken Whitehead from the Ray community, I experienced a bucket list item of doing a tandem skydive! I really had no idea what to expect, but it was wonderful! The only problem I had was with motion sickness as we swung around on the way down. Because of that I may go back, take Dramamine, and do it again so I can enjoy the views better!
Ken has already made plans to go back! This was something both of us had wanted to do for quite some time. I had wanted to since I saw the movie “The Longest Day” for the first time when I was 10 years old and watched members of the 82nd Airborne Division as they parachuted into Europe on D-Day.
I started scuba diving at 55 years old and went 110 feet below the surface of the water. Now I have been 14,000 feet above the earth and sailed down! At 72 years old I still don’t think I’m too old for new challenges and adventures! Remember, you are only as old as you feel – and I feel like I’m only 50!
Until next week – keep your eyes and ears open!