Bill of Rights Day 2008

I have been remiss in failing to post the video of this year's Bill of Rights Day commemoration by the Jefferson Area Libertarians at the First Amendment Monument across from Charlottesville's City Hall on Monday, December 15.

This annual event has taken place, in one form or another, for more than a decade. This year there was a featured speaker from out-of-state, Duke University political science professor Mike Munger, who was the Libertarian Party's candidate for governor of North Carolina in 2008. Professor Munger won a sufficient number of votes to gain the LP ballot status in the Tarheel State for the next four years.

In this first segment, JAL's John Munchmeyer introduces the ceremony, and he and James Curtis lead the participants a formal reading of the text of the Bill of Rights (the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution), including its seldom-heard preamble.

In the second segment, Dr. James Lark, a former national chairman of the Libertarian Party who teaches at the University of Virginia, delivers brief (2 minutes 40 seconds) remarks.

In part three, John Munchmeyer discusses the Second Amendment and Mike Munger addresses the participants.

Finally, in the fourth of the four parts, Munchmeyer discusses the much-neglected Tenth Amendment and other, related topics as he closes the ceremony.

The eve of a new year is an appropriate time to reflect on our rights and liberties, which must be vigorously defended so they are not lost to violence or attrition. With a new administration taking the reins of government in only three weeks, now is a good time to reflect on the need to be vigilant in the defense of liberty. Enthusiasm and good intentions are liberty's greatest -- and stealthiest -- enemies.




Don't forget to check out the Christmas ornaments and greeting cards at my CafePress shop and the quirky gift ideas I posted at the start of the Christmas shopping season.