Barbara Richie Pond: Davis protected by Bill of Rights

The Sept. 3 editorial “Defiance with a familiar ring” reprinted from the Charlotte Observer regarding Kim Davis’ refusal to issue same-sex marriage licenses, based on her religious beliefs and her “conscience,” showed a clear lack of understanding of the U.S. Constitution. “Religious conventions trumping the Constitution is unacceptable,” it said. Flash!

The Bill of Rights and the First Amendment are now part of the U.S. Constitution! Though the Bill of Right wasn’t included in the original text of the Constitution, in 1789, it became one of the first actions of the new Congress.

Both Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry stated it was formed “to guard the people against the federal government.” “A Bill of Rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth what no just government should refuse,” Jefferson said.

History records that there were states that refused to pass the Constitution without the guarantee of an added Bill of Rights. And speaking again of the Constitution, Jefferson said in 1809, “No provision in our Constitution ought to be dearer to man than that which protects the rights of conscience against the enterprise of civil authority.”

The N.C. legislature did right to pass Senate Bill 2!

This story was originally published September 12, 2015 at 1:56 PM with the headline "Barbara Richie Pond: Davis protected by Bill of Rights."