Rights, Responsibility, and the Foundations of the American Dream
The founding documents of the United States clearly establish that people are free to believe, practice, or not practice religion, and that the government must remain neutral and not promote any specific religion. This was clearly stated in the first section of the Bill of Rights.
At many points in our history, these principles, along with our inalienable rights, have been ignored or undermined by political leaders seeking support from powerful or religious groups, or by large sections of our population who were profiting from the suppression of these rights. However, the founding documents themselves remain clear on these points.
Today, and for some time now, we are seeing leaders defer to particular political and religious groups in order to gain and maintain power. Some even pretend to champion these groups’ beliefs for the purpose of gaining power and profit. The use of religion as a political tool, or as a foundational component of our government, runs counter to the principles outlined in our country’s founding documents.
Our founding fathers were clear on these points. They did not want to form a government where one religious belief held precedence over others, that made those with differing religious beliefs outcasts in our society, or that forced those of differing beliefs to submit to or participate in others’ religious practices simply because they were held by the majority.
In case these fundamentals have faded from memory, here is a clear, modern summary of the first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, ratified in 1791:
1st Amendment
The government cannot make a law to set up an official religion, favor one religion over another, or interfere with how people practice their religion. It also cannot limit your freedom to speak, write, or publish your ideas. You have the right to gather peacefully with others and to complain to the government or ask it to fix problems.
2nd Amendment
Because a well-regulated militia is important for keeping a state secure, people have the right to own and carry weapons, and the government cannot take that right away.
3rd Amendment
The government cannot force you to let soldiers live in your home during peacetime, and during wartime it can only happen if a law allows it.
4th Amendment
You have the right to privacy in your body, home, and belongings. The government cannot search or take your property without a good reason. Usually, they must get a warrant based on probable cause and clearly state what they are searching for and where.
5th Amendment
You cannot be charged with a serious crime without a grand jury (except in military situations). You cannot be tried twice for the same crime. You have the right to remain silent and not be forced to testify against yourself. The government must follow fair legal procedures before taking your life, liberty, or property. If your property is taken for public use, you must be paid fairly.
6th Amendment
If you are accused of a crime, you have the right to a quick and public trial by an impartial jury in the place where the crime happened. You must be told what you are accused of, be able to face and question witnesses against you, bring in your own witnesses, and have a lawyer to defend you.
7th Amendment
In many civil (non-criminal) cases involving disputes over money or property, you have the right to a jury trial, and those jury decisions generally cannot be overturned without following established legal rules.
8th Amendment
The government cannot require excessive bail or fines, and it cannot punish people in cruel or unusual ways.
9th Amendment
Just because certain rights are listed in the Constitution does not mean those are the only rights people have. People still have other rights not specifically written down.
10th Amendment
Any powers not given to the federal government, and not specifically denied to the states, belong to the states or to the people.
Has our country always followed these principles faithfully? The answer is a resounding no. In our history as a country, we have allowed the indenture and mistreatment of children, slavery based on skin color, forced relocation of Native groups, internment based on origin and ethnicity, the overthrow of legitimate governments and monarchies for the profit of wealthy investors, and the use of torture in violation of the Geneva Convention. We can do better.
Are we alone in these atrocities? Of course not. Countless other countries in modern history have committed these same acts. But just as our founding fathers had hope for a better future that lived up to their ideals, humanity can do better. We must do better.
Do our past failures in upholding these principles negate the principles themselves? Again, the answer is an unequivocal no. We can do better, and we will do better.
People are quick to defend their Second Amendment rights to bear arms and their Fourth Amendment protections against illegal search and seizure. Yet the First Amendment is often, conveniently, overlooked, or reduced to its most basic element, that we have the right to free speech, while at the same time trying to keep others with whom we disagree from engaging in their right to free speech as well.
At present, those First Amendment protections not only to free speech and peaceful demonstration, but also the requirement that our federal government stay religiously neutral, are under increasing suppression.
We are seeing actions that disregard the protections outlined in the Bill of Rights for political gain and personal profit. The right to peaceful assembly is being challenged through punitive responses by our government.
Freedom of speech and expression is being prevented through intimidation and backlash. There are growing concerns about individuals being detained without proper cause or warrants and being detained for extended periods of time without access to timely judicial review. Executive actions are increasingly bypassing the legislative process in areas where congressional or judicial approval is required. The system of checks and balances, designed to prevent the concentration of power, is not functioning as effectively as it should.
At the same time, we are seeing a strain in our relationships with long-standing allies, instability in our economic systems, and growing pressure on healthcare and support structures that serve the most vulnerable. These are not abstract concerns. They affect real people in tangible ways, including the citizens who bear the financial and social consequences.
There are also serious concerns about proposed legislation that could make voting more difficult, more costly, and less accessible for a large percentage of eligible citizens.
I say all of this not out of hostility, but out of concern for the principles on which this country was founded. It is not said lightly, or because I do not choose to support and defend the principles of my country. It is said because of my deep-rooted love of the ideals on which this country was founded, and my belief that some day we will live up to those basic rights and freedoms guaranteed to all citizens.
I also hold the deepest hope that, in addition to our guaranteed rights, we will live up to the promise of our humanity by treating all people with basic respect and dignity while upholding the laws of our land. No one should be above the law, nor should anyone be treated as so insignificant that they are not worthy of its protection.
I am exercising my right to free speech to express disagreement and dissent. If you disagree with me, that is your right as well. I encourage you to express your views respectfully, just as I have done here, because we are all Americans, and among our shared rights is the ability to speak, to question, and to ask our government to do better.
–Jan Mariet, 3/23/2026
Read more by Jan Mariet at Still Within Our Grasp: The Promise of a Nation – Jan Mariet’s A Day in the Life