These days I am quite thankful to be living in a place where Freedom is at the core of human experience for the most part. As a person with mental illness, I am happy to have some rights but perhaps not all I wish for. To be fair, I am somewhat to very dissatisfied with the direction of the Supreme Court in this country right now, but I have to say at least there is a Court that exists and exercises its authority to ensure rights for the people however different my interpretation is. I would say that the Supreme Court is not acting in a way that supports my beliefs but I am thankful that we have three branches of the federal Government and somewhere along the way there is or must be accountability. I just hope these recent Supreme Court decisions do not get us here in the US further divided between blue and red states. We have enough divisiveness already! Happy July Fourth to us all regardless of color of skin or color of state!
Happy Fourth of July to You!
Published
Mental Health is Health 
The US needs to be gutted. It is difficult to celebrate a country/day that was founded by racists and rich white men. Independence from Great Britain, but that certainly wasn’t the case for American slaves. This country is shameful.
LikeLike
I do not agree that the US needs to be “gutted” but I will say there is a lot of work still to be done in these confusing times. I wonder out loud if the Supreme Court has a “mission statement” as do most organizations these days. I wonder if their mission includes interpretation of the Constitution as well as fostering unity over divisiveness in the country. It does not appear to me that the Court has sworn an oath to defend the US from its various factions but only to uphold the strictest interpretation of the Constitution at all costs. I would like to see the Supreme Court embrace the idea that its mission includes in part helping the country to heal when there are deep-seated differences leading to violence that is persistent across many if not all States.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Politicians are snakes. Most of them.
From my perspective, a free country, by our founding fathers’ definition, means everyone is free or has the propensity to be free. Everyone but black people.
Anti-racism is the solution there.
Bring on the reparations for African Americans (we gave them to native Americans) and let’s do something about congressional term limits. Maybe even revisit the validity of the US Constitution in 2022.
Where are the checks and balances for the Supreme Court?
LikeLike
I also support reparations for blacks / African Americans whose ancestors were in this country during the time of slavery. Not so much for African Americans who came to this country since slavery was off the books.
I wonder if the Supreme Court has fully digested its role or perhaps unintended consequence of dividing the country versus what it could do to unite the country.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is a lot of corruption. And, things are clearly worse now, but there has been division ever since I’ve been alive (in the US).
The Supreme Court is only supreme in that they can interpret the constitution however they want to, with no checks and balances.
Our founding fathers did not anticipate this as a problem.
LikeLike
Anyway, I’m happy to talk about this. But, I don’t want my comments to impact the spirit that you’re trying to promote.
Have a nice day!
LikeLike
The President of the United States is elected via the two-party system as are members of both Houses of Congress and are subject to re-election protocols and in some cases term limits. The Supreme Court members are given jurisdiction for life. Does that privilege not require that the justices act in a way that is non-bipartisan or that does not always follow the line of what party appointed them? Are they not required to find apolitical solutions to problems because they have been entrusted to protect the Constitution as a living document and the people whom it governs — all the people — for their lifetimes not just to support this political dogma or that in blind support of the politicians who put them in place?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well said!
I’m afraid for the future of the US. in many ways…
But to your earlier comment of “riots” in US States… protests have historically been one of the only ways for some populations to be heard.
The fact that riots have ensued in several US States… I get it!
When things are so horrible for a population, with their citizens being killed for being black in America, and politicians doing next to nothing (nothing really)… I get it.
And, that’s why everyone needs to take a course on anti-racism and begin to get it too!
We should all be listening with a mind towards helping those whose house is on fire. And, that is African American people in the US.
Anyway, I’ve sort of veered off course.
LikeLike
From Wikipedia: Living Constitution — Thomas Jefferson in an 1816 letter to Samuel Kercheval and which is excerpted on Panel 4 of the Jefferson Memorial:
“I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths disclosed, and manners and opinions change with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also, and keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy, as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors. (Source: “Quotations on the Jefferson Memorial | Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello”. Monticello.org. Retrieved April 19, 2019.)
LikeLike