The Fourteenth Amendment – on June 13, 1868, the American Constitution was amended to grant Citizenship and Equal Rights – both Civil and Legal – to the African Americans and freed slaves following the end of the American Civil War. It was adopted on July 9th of the same year.
In my opinion it is one of the most important parts of the American Constitution and one that could come to play a major role in the coming months.
Here’s why:
While the 13th Amendment freed the slaves under the Abraham Lincoln’s Presidency ( you know, the guy whose statute was defaced? ) it hadn’t spelled out the ins and outs of what this freedom would entail. So along came the 14th to say well, this is what is going to happen. In short it spelled out the who, the what, the when and the why.
As is the case so many times these days when I write, it is not the purpose of this article to write about the actual legislation, but what that legislation means today.
Lincoln County in Oregon has announced that masks are compulsory unless you are black, saying that Black people may feel stereotyped or subject to racial profiling.
Now, I never studied American History or know anything other than what I have learned online, but the words that follow seem to me to be pretty damned important:
“…. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
How can Lincoln County in Oregon make a Law that only applies to people based on the colour of their skin? What next?
Is this what we have come to? A return to Racial Segregation, Racial Profiling? Only this time, that, in order to make Black people feel safe we double down on the rights of white people?
This has to be one of the most absurd and dangerous things I have read thus far.
I wish someone would challenge this RACIST law and base the challenge on the 14th Amendment.
When AOC tweeted her now deleted tweet that applauded her little chums for screwing up a Rally that forms part of the election campaign of an incumbent President of the United States of America, I wondered about this little bit of the 14th Amendment:
“..No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any state legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any state, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. “
Well, I am sure that sounded like a breach of the 14th to me.
Here is another thing that leads me to wonder how the supporters of these protests are going to fare if the 14th is actually enforced.
When so many incumbent Politicians supported the mayhem and destruction that has been carried out of late throughout the United States of America, who do they think is going to pick up the tab?
The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any state shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.
Again, I wonder who they expect to pay to rebuild the areas, communities, stores, parks and lives of those who have been affected by this rebellion and insurrection?
For that is what this is. Make no mistake. It is Civil War Lite. The trial version you get before you download the full version.
Ultimately, it comes down to the final Section of this rather amazing piece of legislation…
“ The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article. “
Well, they have the power.
Will they use it?
It is time to use the 14th Amendment to herald deliverance and salvation - can someone please use this vital Amendment for good? I am tired of it being used for evil. Is there anyone out there prepared to tackle this?
The 14th is very, very powerful. Time to bring it out of the cupboard and bring it on.
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