Defend Civil Rights

Our country’s founding principles included a set of basic rights known as The Bill of Rights.  Over time, the constitution has been modified to widen the scope of who enjoys those rights under the law. In spite of the 14th amendment granting equality to women and former slaves, I remember a time when women and girls of all races did not enjoy the same level of rights and freedoms that men and boys enjoyed even though the constitution said that we are all equal citizens. Jim Crow practices denied black men their civil rights under the law. Over time, laws were developed to enforce our rights.  Beginning in 2022, we have seen our rights eroded by judicial fiat which enabled the Tennessee legislature to enact laws that restrict a woman’s right to lead her life free from state interference.  The 114th General Assembly took the next step to deny a parent the right to direct their child’s healthcare in some circumstances.  The common denominator, so far, in the state’s interference in the exercise of individual freedom is healthcare.  Where the issue is clearly a binary choice such as “Is it ok to commit arson?” the state does have a role in establishing law that prohibits and punishes people who burn down buildings for the insurance money.  Healthcare very often does not involve binary choices.  Many healthcare-related issues can be so complex that there is no one, single way to treat the issue. The individual, in all cases, must be free to make their own decisions.  Like it or not, pregnancy is a healthcare issue for women.  Many people I’ve talked to rely on faith-based beliefs when it comes to pregnancy and what to do about it if a woman becomes pregnant but doesn’t want to be pregnant.  My position on this is clear:  if you practice a religion that prohibits abortion regardless of circumstances, I will not interfere with your decision just as I expect you to not interfere with anyone else’s decision based on their beliefs.  The state has no business making decisions for people when they are perfectly capable of making them on their own.

Civil Rights are not things to be traded away or used as bargaining chips.  Rights are ours alone.  Decisions are ours alone.  The consequences of our decisions are ours alone.  I will not support or vote for any law that abridges individual freedom to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.