A More Perfect Union: What We the People Can Do to Reclaim Our Constitutional Liberties by Ben Carson MD, Candy Carson Read Free Book Online Page B

with the police, their children’s first impressions of officers will be as friends rather than enemies. Some police departments have developed athletic leagues and other mechanisms to foster relationships between the community and the police in an amicable way. There are far fewer problems when this is the case.
    Fortunately, our country was designed in a way that allows the people to choose the type of leadership that they prefer. When we see government authorities abusing their power, we have the power to fire them. That power does not come through rioting. It comes through voting.

JUSTICE AND TRANQUILLITY IN MARRIAGE
    One of the most significant changes to our Constitution involved the emancipation of the slaves and the establishment of their rights as full citizens of the United States. The important civil rights amendments added to our Constitution are critical to the protection of justice and domestic tranquillity. However, it is essential that we do not misapply the amendments and so sabotage one of the mainstays of tranquillity: marriage.
    I would be a vociferous opponent of anyone who was unwilling to apply our civil rights laws equally to all American citizens. Some would argue that my opposition to gay marriage is inconsistent with that statement. I would argue that marriage was established as a religious ceremony that officially recognizes the establishment of a family and creates an ideal environment for the raising of children. It also confers upon the man and woman civil privileges such ashospital visitation and property transfer rights. I am not in favor of keeping from anyone the benefits of marriage; I just do not want to change the definition.
    There is nothing in our Constitution that prevents any two consenting adults from establishing legal civil relationships that would allow them hospital visitation rights, property transfer rights, and a host of other civil rights. A gay couple need not be married in order to live together or love each other. But that is not marriage, at least as it is understood religiously.
    The framers of our Constitution intended that these kinds of issues be handled by the states, where the input of the people could be most directly expressed. Citizens should be able to decide how they wish to handle the issue of marriage using voter referenda, and judges should not be able to overturn the decisions made by those citizens. Unless we are able to work through this issue at the state level, we risk ignoring the will of the people, misapplying the ideas of justice won by the civil rights movement, and damaging the domestic tranquillity created by solid marriages.

LOCAL RULE AS A SOURCE OF TRANQUILLITY
    The issue of marriage is not the only one that should be decided at a local level. We are actually more likely to maintain justice and tranquillity if the majority of problems are dealt with locally. People are more likely to peacefully trust local authorities than federal. A local state judge is much more likely to pay attention to the will of the people than a federal judge who does not have to answer to those people. Local control means we can have states with a variety of positions, allowing people to seek happiness among others sharing theirviews. Our country is very large and can accommodate a wide variety of living preferences, as long as those of one person do not infringe upon the rights of others. When politicians prioritize local rule instead of trying to force the whole country to agree with them, I think the pursuit of happiness will be within the reach of a far greater portion of our populace.

PRESERVING JUSTICE
    We will never achieve perfect justice on this earth. We will never have perfect peace. But the prescription for justice and domestic tranquillity provided in our Constitution is the best we will get. Following the patterns set out by the founders, let us fight injustice wherever we see it. Let us be disciplined in fighting it through the proper channels,