Today, September 17th is Constitution Day....

And that sure seems a fittin' time to sit back and cogitate on not only our unique Constitution, but on this great land of ours. Now Ole' Pecoz ain't about to lecture y'all on such things, but I sure would like to stir your brain pots a little and cause you to do some Googling and thinking!

Here's a thought - the Revolutionary War started in 1775 in Lexington, not 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was authored. The war lasted eight long years until the spring of 1783 before it ended, not shortly after Ole' George stood up in that boat on Christmas Eve in 1776 and surprised those Hessian fellers.

It was four years later 1787, before our Constitution was finished and another three years, 1790 before it was ratified by the states! That was a long time from git to go when the average life span was near 45 years of age. Heck, now we got senators that hang around Congress longer'n that - and don't accomplish in 45 years what those ole' boys did in six back then.

Why folks can't understand why the Iraqi's can't create a constitution and government by sundown and learn to love and trust one another when they've been fighting each other for a thousand years is beyond me. It took our little young lightly populated country fifteen years
and except for arguing about grits over 'taters for breakfast, we didn't have any long standing animosities. I heard one feller comment - "Why don't we just send them Iraqi's our Constitution, we ain't using it anymore!" And I can't fault him for saying it, but I can sure fault all the folks that don't get involved - hell, would you believe some folks don't even vote?

I have an old Air Force bud, Smiley, out in Mesa, Arizona that got to discussin' the Bill of Rights the other day, and he laid out his thinkin' this away:

"I got in trouble the other day for telling one of my co-workers that I've proclaimed a general amnesty for all the cockroaches in my kitchen. I didn't invite them in, and I'll be rebuked by the complex manager if I try to kill them all without asking for permission. So, I've declared a general amnesty. I'm working now to close my house perimeter to prevent any further incursions, but the ones already here can stay, as long as they don't come out where I can see them.

As far as politically correct goes, I'm a firm believer in the First Amendment...but it cuts both ways. If you don't like what I'm saying, you can say something back to me that I probably won't like. You DON'T have the right to tell me I can't say it, unless by saying it, it presents a clear and present physical danger to those around me (i.e. the "Holmes Doctrine"). Of course, I'm such a freaking independent, I manage to irritate everybody. The Liberals love me until I start waxing poetic about the beauty of the Second Amendment. The Conservatives love me until I start laughing at them about same-sex marriage and personal rights. The Federalists start smacking on me when I get started on the Tenth Amendment. Lawyers get hacked when I start talking about the Sixth Amendment. A speedy trial, in my opinion, means within 30 days of arrest.

If someone wants to take offense at anything I say, I don't care. I have my opinion (no matter how hard-headed or wrong you think it is), you have yours (no matter how soft-headed or wrong I think it may be), and I'll defend to the death your right to your own opinion, unless you try to FORCE your opinions on me. In which case, we'll be having a Second Amendment discussion."

Now there's a feller that's got his head on right -- and be enjoyable to split a bottle of Juniper Juice w/vermouth with. Or a six pack of something in a long neck bottle. G'wan now, lift that little kid up on your knee and do some googling, after all it's CONSTITUTION DAY!!