“Part-time profession to keep up with all the issues”

President Dwight D. Eisenhower once said: “Politics ought to be the part-time profession of every citizen who would protect the rights and privileges of free people and who would preserve what is good and fruitful in our national heritage.” I have to say that I agree. If we wish to maintain our rights and privileges, we must be aware of those rights and the responsibilities that go with them, but where do we begin?

Probably at our own local city or town hall. What are the laws that govern our cities? Is there a curfew? As homeschooling families, we need to be informed about curfew laws and track changes to curfew laws in our towns. Susan Ryan at Corn and Oil has has a good understanding of why the curfew issue affects all citizens and measures we can take to protect our rights. You can read some of her posts on the matter here.

We should also know and understand our state laws. The National Conference of State Legislator’s site provides a database of information they have gathered from the websites of the fifty state legislatures. It allows you to select specific information such as bills, statutes, constitutions and other issues.

I live in a city where paint-ball gun use is illegal. The neighboring Township has the same first name as our city, but considers paint-ball gun use legal. Those participating legally in the paintball sport in the township need to be aware that they could be obeying the law one minute and breaking it the next after taking a few steps out of the township and within the city limits. These seem to be such simple issues, but as Eisenhower said, it is a part-time profession to keep up with all the issues that surround our rights. It certainly is worth the time it takes to do so.

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May 21, 2008 | Filed Under Local Laws, State Laws 

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