by Logos, Unlawful Government
One of the arguments I frequently hear against secession is that the Constitution never mentions this right, so the right must not exist. Assuming for a moment that the rules of a political system control whether a group of citizens may cease participating in that system (a notion that contradicts the Declaration of Independence), how exactly does constitutional silence disprove secession?
After all, the Tenth Amendment construes constitutional silence as permission for State activity but prohibition against federal activity. If we consider further that our federal masters ignore the Tenth Amendment and never allow constitutional silence to tie their own hands, it becomes undoubtable that constitutional silence cannot tie our hands either.
The only real argument to hold the Union together is sentimental, since for many Americans the proposition of breaking apart our country sounds repellent and treasonous. But I ask you what is a worse fate for America: To remain geographically united while our founding principles burn to the ground? Or to fracture geographically while our founding principles receive a new lease on life?
To my mind, the first of these options commits the worst sin of modern times, which is to elevate the body over the soul. I would rather live in a small nation with America’s soul intact than a large nation with America’s soul extinct.
Logos is a lawyer who cares about the rule of law, and who finds himself living in the wrong century. Visit his blog at http://unlawfulgovernment.blogspot.com.