Guess what, folks.
Even if we don't particularly like or appreciate any given part of our Constitution at a particular time or in a particular circumstance, it is still the Law of our Land and abide by it we must.
If I've been derelict in my duty as a citizen of this nation, so have a lot of us.
In the past couple of hours I've learned a lot about a man I honestly knew nothing about until he died.
Probably the most important thing I learned about this man is that he was as true to our Constitution and as savvy about its intent and purpose as anyone could be who wasn't there at the time it was written. What I've gotten out of my 'education' here is that no we do not have to personally agree with every last word of it but we are by golly required to abide by it anyway.
Whether or not you and/or I happen to think it would be in the best interest of our nation for our current President to nominate/appoint a Judge of the Supreme Court is irrelevant. Whether or not ANYBODY, including any currently seated Senator, agrees is moot.
The President of the United States is the one who nominates the Judges of the Supreme Court and, with the consent of the Senate, appoints said Judges.
That being an unequivocal given, why in the world anyone would even bother to dispute the point is beyond me. It's right there, in the Constitution, if you care to look.
If a Senator, or whoever, has a problem with it, too bad. Lots of us might have a problem with it. That doesn't change the fact of the matter. The President nominates, the Senate consents (or not), and onward we go.
I don't know about you, but I find it distasteful, disrespectful, and downright tacky that 1) said current President would so immediately jump on the replacement issue, and 2) our politicians of the opposing party would react so immediately and emphatically. That, to me, is being flat out bad-mannered.
For someone like me, who didn't know or appreciate that this man, the one who died so suddenly, had been devoting his life to protecting and preserving my rights under the Constitution for all that time, it feels distinctly wrong somehow. Here I am, barely getting to know this guy, when it's too late to get to shake his hand and say thank you, and they're already fighting.
It smacks of a bunch of nuts starting a fist-fight at a funeral. Tacky. Nasty. Totally disrespectful.
The kicker of it is that each and all of said fighting nuts is sworn to protect and uphold the very Constitution this man fought for - ALL the time, not just when it happens to suit their fancy.
Much as it hurts my soul and embarrasses me to say it, not a one of them is acting worthy of the oath they've given.
Not a one of them ought to be allowed to attend the funeral of this man.
Me, I couldn't go to said funeral even if I was entitled to.
But I can show a little respect.
I can respect the man and what he stood for.
I can grieve.
I can be grateful.
And I can pray that there are more like him, out there somewhere.
I never met Antonin Scalia and now it's too late.
I'll never get to tell him thank you for protecting ME.
Yes, me.
And you.
I'm kind of ashamed at the behavior of the 'leaders' of our nation right about now.
If I could, I would apologize to the family of this man. If I feel such an unexpected sense of loss, what must they be feeling? His job must have cost him so much time with them ... what he was doing on behalf of me, and of you, that was a cost to his family. For that we owe them big time. It hurts me to think that they might think we're all as disrespectful as some.
Anyway, the Constitution he loved and respected is also loved and respected by a lot more of us than a person might expect, given the ones who are pretty blatant in their disrespect. The fact that he has played a part in keeping that legacy intact for us does matter. It matters to me and it had better matter to you.
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