Black Lives Matter.
Women's Rights Matter.
Gay Rights Matter.
Religious Freedom Matters.
Being Christ-like means more
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created
equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable
Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men,
deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, ..."
From "The Declaration of Independence" (Thomas Jefferson)
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom
of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
First Amendment to the United States Constitution (James Madison)
"Strongly guarded as is the separation between religion and government
in the Constitution of the United States the danger of encroachment
by Ecclesiastical Bodies, may be illustrated by precedents already
furnished in their short history." - James Madison
"Of liberty I would say that, in the whole plenitude of its extent, it
is unobstructed action according to our will. But rightful liberty is
unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around
us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of
the law,' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so
"The object of this essay is to assert one very simple principle,
as entitled to govern absolutely the dealings of society with the
individual in the way of compulsion and control, whether the means used
be physical force in the form of legal penalties, or the moral coercion
of public opinion. That principle is, that the sole end for which
mankind are warranted, individually or collectively in interfering with
the liberty of action of any of their number, is self-protection. That
the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any
member of a civilised community, against his will, is to prevent harm
to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient
warrant. He cannot rightfully be compelled to do or forbear because
it will be better for him to do so, because it will make him happier,
because, in the opinions of others, to do so would be wise, or even
right. These are good reasons for remonstrating with him, or reasoning
with him, or persuading him, or entreating him, but not for compelling
him, or visiting him with any evil, in case he do otherwise. To justify
that, the conduct from which it is desired to deter him must be
calculated to produce evil to someone else. The only part of the
conduct of any one, for which he is amenable to society, is that
which concerns others. In the part which merely concerns himself,
his independence is, of right, absolute. Over himself, over his own
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