The Shadow
When I enlisted into the Marine Corps at age eighteen I took an oath to faithfully uphold the Constitution of the United States. At the time, fifty-plus years ago, I was not exactly clear as to the meaning of “to faithfully uphold the Constitution of the United States.” These many years later I now understand that oath. To uphold the Constitution of the United States is to respect and abide by that same document as regards the powers bestowed by the people to governments, the restraints on those governments and the powers and liberties retained and exercised by the people. To uphold the Constitution means to jealously guard the system, the intent and the process, which the people instituted, a constitutional republic. When I took that oath I did not vow to uphold a president, a congress, state government, local powers or political persuasions. I swore to uphold the system which assured that the rights and liberties of my generation, and the generations to follow, would be honored, followed, and not disabused either by government or its agencies.
Anyone with a basic knowledge of this nation’s history knows that over these last fifty years, actually beginning with the presidency of Woodrow Wilson (100 years ago), there has existed a systematic abuse and increase in unconstitutional over-reach by governments, both of the powers vested to these and those which are not enumerated to it. That over-reach, manifested most recently by the irrational, the unscientific, and most importantly, unconstitutional shut-down of our businesses, schools, places of worship and indeed, of our lives, in the name of a pandemic is why I have, for 26 months, urged this county government to declare itself a Constitutional County. No government is empowered to do what was done to the people of this nation, of this county, during the Covid-19 outbreak; governments are not empowered to shut down society in the name of disease. Nor are governments empowered to abuse the 2nd Amendment, to dictate to parents and teachers their children’s education curriculum and other.
What I have urged, indeed what the 126 signatories of a Petition to Modify the Bath County Mission Statement, is the adoption of a simple declaration which is constitutional, is logical, is based in common sense, and provides this jurisdiction with a constant reminder of its chief purpose; to preserve the liberties of the citizens of Bath County. What we ask is that this county act constitutionally in its processes and bring to question to the Attorney General of the State of Virginia any action of governments or their agencies which might be intrusions on the inalienable rights of the citizens of Bath County. It is an additional tool for the county to better preserve the rights of the citizen and its own sovereign powers.
The petition, authored October 3, 2022, requires county government of Bath County (County) to amend and revise the county Mission Statement to adopt the following language (or similar), as denoted in bold italics
“Mission Statement: It is our mission to assure the God-given rights of every citizen, the inalienable rights, those guaranteed in the Constitution of the United States, and all rights ceded to the Commonwealth of Virginia and its locales in accordance with Article 10 of said Constitution, are not infringed or usurped by local, state or federal entities. Further, it is our mission to enhance quality of life for Bath County citizens and businesses alike. In meeting this commitment, the Board of Supervisors pledges to work in partnership with the citizens of Bath County to achieve the following:
Provide for the health, safety and welfare of the citizens;
Foster pride in our community;
Develop a vibrant and diversified local economy;
Plan for the County’s future;
Preserve our rural character and heritage;
Preserve our natural environment; and,
Be good stewards of the public treasury today as well as tomorrow,
Review all legislation and regulations, be they local, state or federal to assure these same do not abuse, infringe or revoke the rights secured by the Constitution of the United States and that of the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
A Constitutional County is needed to “scrutinize” and hold accountable our state, federal and local government when these act outside of the powers divested to them or abuse those same powers granted by the people.
Alan Seacord
Millboro, VA 24460
