Ardent Views Alone Don’t Count for Much

There have been some powerful Supreme Court decisions handed down this week.  While I refrain from discussing politics in Rising Tide, these decisions are likely to consume a great deal of oxygen in our greater society. 

The point I want to make is this:  unless you have a very solid understanding of how our legal system works, and what the Constitution actually says, your opinion on any matter, and whatever ways you choose to express that opinion, will have very little weight.  Or impact.

At Rising Tide, we are all about empowering women to have the impact of their choosing.  We will never presume to impose a path.  Whatever your path, we want you to be strong, to have a voice, to make intelligent choices according to a well-considered personal moral framework. 

In Dodd v. Jackson, the court references the need guard against “natural human tendency to confuse what the Fourteenth Amendment protects with the Court’s own ardent views about the liberty that American’s should enjoy”.    

When it comes to guns and abortion, most of us have ardent views.  But ardent views don’t count for much.  It is educated, well-reasoned, well-expressed views that count.  If a Supreme Court justice falls prey to this natural human tendency, don’t think you are exempt. 

Words have specific meanings and words are powerful.  They are tools that can be used for advancement or destruction.  They can be used for enlightenment or delusion.   Much of our legal framework revolves around establishing the exact meaning, reach and leverage of particular words. 

The decisions handed down this week will undoubtedly rock our society.  Uneducated people have no more influence than a leaf adrift in a stream.   Don’t be one of them. 

Education is an on-going, life-long process that deserves at least a few hours of your time every week.  Our world abounds with free, easily accessible opportunities for learning; what you bring to the table is commitment and curiosity. Strong women educate themselves, and Strong Women Win. 

Here is a link to Hillsdale College’s excellent FREE resources for learning more about our constitution and legal system. Highly recommended.

https://online.hillsdale.edu/landing/constitution-101?appeal_code=MK617PP1&appeal_code=MK617PP1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=con101&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlNuoudjL-AIVc2pvBB0GYwcUEAAYASAAEgK1CvD_BwE