Celebrating the Birth of Our Bill of Rights

by Gordon Cooper

From Broader View Weekly, December 14, 2007

The Fourth of July will always hold the prominent place in our nation’s history. Everyone recognizes that day as the day several heroic men signed their names to a document that declared our independence from Great Britain. Few remember, however, that this document also includes a declaration and recognition of dependence upon God. Realizing that this endeavor would only succeed if they enlisted the assistance of a Higher Power, these men sought counsel and protection from Him who was able to deliver them from the most powerful army of their day.

December 15, 1791 should also be recognized as a significant day in our nation’s life. It was on this chilly date, as opposed to the heat of July when tempers and emotions run high, that wisdom and reason took precedence and the representatives put their names to a document that enumerated a list of ten ‘Inalienable Rights.’

As we celebrate the signing of our Bill of Rights, it is certainly obvious to me that God answered the prayers of these men, who agreed with Benjamin Franklin when he stood up during the chaotic and heated debate of the Constitutional Convention to say:

In the beginning of our contest with Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered…and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: ‘that God governs in the affairs of man.’ …I therefore beg leave to move that, henceforth, prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven and its blessing on our deliberation be held every morning before we proceed to business. (The Light and the Glory, pp 342, 343)

As we look back over the 216 years since the Bill of Rights was ratified and signed, we must recognize that it was more than mere human wisdom that guided these men. For example, a similar revolution and constitution in France took place two years after the passage of this legislation. Based upon the enlightened philosophy of Voltaire and Rousseau and devoid of the influence of Judeo – Christian ethics and scriptural guidance, this revolution quickly devolved into a ‘Reign of Terror.’

When James Madison brought his proposal to the floor on June 8 of 1789, he was initially blocked by members who thought these ten amendments to be superfluous and better left to the individual states. However, he persisted in his belief that unbridled power is always ripe for abuse and that unless certain rights were clearly designated, their abridgement would be certain.

It is such a comfort to me when I am reminded of the rights these men recognized as ‘Inalienable’ – meaning ‘incapable of repudiation and non-transferable’.

For example, knowing that Congress is prohibited from prohibiting my free exercise of religion or the free expression of my thoughts, gives me assurance that our founders recognized the difference between religion (which refers more broadly to the actions and habits of individuals) and church. These men were not trying to exclude God from our public discourse but they were intent upon excluding one particular church or denomination from domination in public policy.

As I read the documents of our founders and study the lives they lived, I am reminded anew of how fortunate I am to have been born in this country. The beauty of the wording and the overriding philosophy that man was created by an Omniscient Deity who endowed the individual with equal status, yet holds each accountable to His ultimate authority, makes this document one of the greatest achievements of mankind.

It would be a shame for us to forget the story of how this document came into being and I would strongly recommend at least an annual publication of these amendments and a regular reading be required of our high school students.

It is my belief that our Constitution, and the Bill of Rights that is amended to it, should be preserved and should be held as inviolable. I, therefore, support the idea that all Supreme Court Justices be of the belief that strict interpretations of the original document be given weight over current public opinion polls. In other words, I believe this document is not an evolving piece of paper, but a solid proclamation of policy.

While many may see, for example, the ‘right to privacy’ in the Fifth Amendment is flexible enough to allow a woman to kill her unborn child, I believe that it is, in fact, ‘depriving life’ without due process of law. I do not, however, abdicate violent overthrow of our judiciary because of this difference. Instead, I believe that as technology and science catches up with the scriptures which tell us that each embryo is indeed an individual human life; public outcry will result in an amendment similar to the 13th Amendment which finally recognized the humanity of slaves.

In conclusion, let us regard this day as important as that hot day in July, and hold these inalienable rights as highly as we hold the Stars and Stripes.