Savannah Politics

A Teachable Moment

August 10th, 2009 by: Representative Jack Kingston

Last week after a health care town meeting in Valdosta, Georgia a Valdosta State University student, Ashleigh Kenny, gave me a tee shirt. The front said, “R.I.P. The U.S. Constitution” the back has a Ronald Reagan quote, “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problems, government is the problem”.

Upon posting this picture, critical blogs leaped into action. Not just attacking the message but me – no surprise there – and soon they moved on to 21 year old Ashleigh.

The first blogger made a point – isn’t it overly dramatic to suggest the Constitution is under attack? And should I, as loco parentis, encourage this sort of student activism?

Before I could respond others joined in and Ashleigh moved from co-ed to “prostitute.”  It’s amazing how perceptive left-wingers can be just from one photo.

Rather than take down the picture, I decided to have my own “teachable moment”.   (By the way I’m not arrogant enough to invent such a term – I stole it from some other politician).

First of all, the left becomes very selective when it comes to student activism. As long as children are pushing a left-leaning agenda it’s virtuous and a behavior to be nourished. But let alone to think freely – and conservative – and it becomes hate speech, Dick Cheney and Halliburton all over again. One might as well compliment Rush Limbaugh. So sweet little Ashleigh becomes part of the mix of what’s wrong with America. So much for the First Amendment

What of the message?  Is the Constitution under attack? Unless you have full confidence in the nine ivory tower members of the Supreme Court, it’s always worth talking about.  Where in the Constitution does it give the government the power to require you to have health care? Up until now all of Ashleigh’s older brothers, sisters, parents, grandparents, family and friends have had the freedom to choose but Ashleigh will lose that freedom if “Obamacare” passes. She has the right to protest.

Was the left upset about wire taping? Heck yes and rightfully so. I agreed and voted with them on the Otter Amendment which prevented “sneak and peek” warrants under the Patriot Act. 

What about the right of the Pink Ladies to protest the war? When most Congressional offices, Democrat and Republican alike, shut their doors to these passionate but illogical (and paid!) protesters who welcomed them? Our office not only welcomed them but listened to their disjointed arguments.  Where are these Pink Ladies these days?  Despite Obama continuing Bush policies in Iraq guided by the same Secretary of Defense, they seem to have fallen silent.

What about hate crimes? Where’s the left? Should it be against the law to have hateful thought and speech? Shouldn’t liberals, conservatives and libertarian unite on a person’s right to be a jerk? Or does the higher calling of being politically correct triumph that right?

I won’t even bring up Article II, section 2 of the Constitution and the president’s appointment of 34 czars without the “advice and consent” of the U.S. Senate. When Nixon did this the left was outraged (S.509, January 29, 1973) but how dare I compare Obama with Nixon?

Being a constitutional watchdog isn’t just the duty of the left and right but of every generation. Maybe Ashleigh’s tee shirt is overly dramatic but that doesn’t make her a “skag.”  Wouldn’t we be better served to debate the message and while agreeing that the Constitution is sacred?  And should we conclude that when Edmund Burke said “the price of freedom is eternal vigilance” that this is the type activism for which he was calling?