Column by Dr. Ann Hollingsworth
We are knee-deep in the “It is all about me” mentality – our right to be and do what we want and what feels good. Perhaps we have taken our Constitutional Bill of Rights too far – or not far enough. For most people it only applies to me and not to thee.
I really enjoy the special words of wisdom on my church bulletin each Sunday. Recently, there was one that said – Needed: A Bill of Duties. I thought it well worth sharing.
We as Americans are proud of our Bill of Rights. These rights are the cornerstone of our liberty. But to maintain and fulfill the Bill of Rights, we also need a bill of duties.
Duty is an old-fashioned word. Our country attained greatness under people who believed in such virtues as loyalty, honesty, and integrity, and who personally applied them to their community life.
We have wandered far from these foundations. Now, too many of us look on those rights as special privileges for which no payment is necessary. But each freedom or right that we enjoy carries a corresponding responsibility. Let us prove we are worthy stewards of these rights by handling them responsibly and disciplining ourselves to guarantee these rights for all Americans.
If we don’t act to protect our own rights, someone else will slip in and imprison us to serve their rights.
