December 15 is National Bill of Rights Day. The Bill of Rights, ratified in 1791, comprises the first ten amendments to the Constitution and secures our most fundamental liberties, including freedom of speech and the press, the right to worship freely, the right to a speedy and fair trial, protection against unreasonable searches, the right to assemble, and the right to petition the government.
The American Revolutionary War was, at its core, a revolt against unchecked power. Having lived under a government that could act without restraint, states insisted that the new Constitution must explicitly prohibit abuses of authority and guarantee remedies for citizens, and the Bill of Rights became those essential guardrails.
The Bill of Rights is not self-enforcing. It requires vigilance. First, it requires each branch of government to uphold these protections through our system of checks and balances. It also requires citizens to be informed voters who understand their constitutional rights and speak out when those rights are under attack…