LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Convention of States movement opposes government overreach

Posted

Dear Editor,

The U.S. Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion, peaceable assembly, and that our
property not be taken without due process. Yet local governments recently have prohibited free
exercise, banned assemblies (unless they support a cause in vogue with the government), and
deprived citizens of our property by closing the businesses from which our employees and we
earn our livings. These are the kinds of government overreach the Convention of States
movement exists to oppose and reverse.

The U.S. Constitution exists to prevent governments at every level, local to federal, from
impinging on individual freedom. Implicit in the freedoms our Constitution protects is the idea
that individual citizens possess and should exercise the right of choice in decisions about when
and where to go, with whom to associate, and whether or not to engage in commerce. 

Government officials claim they are protecting us from risk. But common activities such as
driving a car, crossing the street, flying in an airplane, all entail risks that each person freely
assesses in deciding whether or not to engage in that activity. It is not government’s role to make such decisions for its citizens. In fact, government’s overreach in reaction to the coronavirus actually created widespread damage to individuals and business by closing businesses unnecessarily. Some of the damage is irreparable, as businesses that took decades to build never will recover.

In certain cases, the government gives advice. Requiring packaging of cigarettes to include a
written warning is an example, advising citizens to evacuate in the path of a fire is another,
recommending the flu shot is a third. However, each citizen is free to choose whether to follow
that advice or not. Citizens were given no such choices in the recent coronavirus panic.
Convention of States is a national movement of citizens fighting to end government overreach at all levels and restore the individual freedoms enumerated in our constitution.

For general information, please visit the main website here: www.conventionofstates.com.
To connect with a local (Lacey/Olympia) volunteer for additional questions and/or assistance,
please contact me at: deborah.peterson@cosaction.com.

Sincerely,
Deborah Peterson
Lacey, Washington

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  • Grindy

    By the "logic" of this letter, prosecuting murder, robbery, sexual assault, arson, etc. would be acts of government overreach, as there are no prohibitions against these crimes contained in the Constitution. This organization seems to confuse anarchy with freedom, the only question is whether they are doing so out of naivete or for more malicious purposes. Either way, real Americans would have to be insane to have anything to do with these misfits.

    Tuesday, June 8, 2021 Report this