To the Editors:

We have come to a point where fear and ignorance dominate modern political life. Both parties have been pandering to a segment of the public terrified of other races, religions, or technologies, and in so doing have ignored the Constitution of the United States of America.

The worst recent examples are:

1. The proposals to make English the “official” language (with the elimination of voter materials in other languages, ostensibly to save on printing costs).

2. The proposed Constitutional Amendment authorizing organized school prayer.

3. The passage of the so-called “Communications Decency Act”, which, in spite of being struck down by a three-judge panel as being unconstitutional, is being appealed to the Supreme Court.

Each of these repressive measures have been defended by appeals to fear and the magic phrase, “The Founding Fathers surely never envisioned (insert source of irrational anxiety here).”

In effect, we are now governed by individuals who treat the Constitution as if it were a youthful indiscretion, to be winked at and forgotten in the name of political expediency.

I do not share this view, and have my own proposal for the common good: As all elected officials take an oath of office swearing to uphold the Constitution, any official who either proposes or signs blatantly unconstitutional legislation is therefore in violation of that oath, and should be immediately removed from office.

Is this proposal too extreme? Not if we wish to reclaim our nation from the politics of dread. Do we want to be remembered as the cowardly generation that sold our children’s rights because we were merely afraid? Is that all we have become?

Sincerely,
David Bryant