In The Begining

I sure am glad that I do not live in the America of 1776, or 1789. I'm glad that women have the right to vote, slavery is illegal, and all the other equal rights that our citizens have been given through the legal process of either amending, or defining the Constitution.

Conservatives and strict constructionists would like to go back in time, to the original intent of the Constitution. Leaving millions of people without the status of being an American citizen, with full rights and opportunities. After all, the founding fathers intended to not give women the vote, and intended that blacks should be slaves.

They claim there is no more racism institutional, or otherwise. There is no need for affirmative action, or special laws protecting minorities. The motivation to kill a gay man, is no different a motivation to kill a straight man, even if they are yelling fagot while they beat him to death. It's not ancient History (just a few years ago) that a black man was dragged behind a speeding truck until he was dead. How naive of them. How uneducated of them.

Are whites still the majority power holders in both business and politics? Are minorities (especially blacks) still suffering the results of being denied equal opportunity for centuries? Is there not (in almost all categories) a deep gap of equality? Has this country recently paid for the discrimination of the Japanese that we wrongfully imprisoned? How are Native Americans doing in our society?

These acts are not long ago acts by a less educated society. They are 21st century discrimination and racism of the most violent kind. Prosecutors and judges find the motivation for a crime most important in deciding punishment.

Lets not look to the past for the meaning of what rights an American has. Lets continue to enhance and include all citizens in the full umbrella of rights and opportunities. Why would the founding fathers include an amendment process, if they did not believe we could do better in future generations?