[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 167 (Wednesday, October 31, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H12349-H12350]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      THE RIGHTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I think it is wise from time to time that we in 
this House reflect upon our heritage, who we are and where we get our 
dignity as individuals in this country. As a former judge in Texas for 
over 22 years, I like to spend time in our schools, our elementaries, 
junior highs, high schools and even our law schools, discussing all 
aspects of the United States and our history. And I would often ask 
this question to the groups that I was talking to: ``Where do we, as 
Americans, get our rights?''
  Sometimes asking that question would cause people some concern that 
made them somewhat uncomfortable, especially the elites in our law 
schools. I would ask those questions to not only law professors but 
justices on our courts throughout the fruited plain.
  But the answers would vary from the students. Some would say we get 
our rights from our parents. Others would say, well, we get our rights 
from the President. Even one student last week told me we get our 
rights from Harry Potter. But most of the kids that I would talk to and 
most of the professors I would talk to say, well, we get our rights as 
Americans from government.
  All of those answers, I submit to you, Mr. Speaker, are wrong because 
we don't get our rights from any of those entities. We talk about our 
rights, we claim we have rights, but we never talk about where we get 
them. I think it would be easier to describe a story that occurred 
shortly after the Iron Curtain, as Churchill called it, came down, the 
Berlin Wall, the wall that separated East from West, freedom from 
slavery. When the wall came down, there were numerous political 
prisoners in Eastern Europe that were finally freed but put in prison 
by those oppressive governments for exercising what they believed to be 
freedoms. One was a Prague, Czechoslovakian student who had gone to 
prison for 7 years and was serving time because he was reading on the 
steps of Prague University a forbidden document, a document that that 
Communist regime said that no one shall read in public.
  I would like to read a portion of that document here tonight. He 
quoted someone from the United States. In that statement where he spent 
7 years in prison, he stated, ``We hold these truths to be self-
evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their 
Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, 
Liberty, the pursuit of Happiness, that to secure these rights, 
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving the just powers from the 
consent of the governed.''
  Yes, Mr. Speaker, that Prague student who spent 7 years in prison 
understood where his rights came from. It was not from government, but 
it was from the Almighty, the Creator, as quoted in the Declaration of 
Independence that he chose to read and cost him 7 years of his freedom, 
that Declaration of Independence that was written and authored by 
Thomas Jefferson.
  Of course that document was the status and the statement and the 
indictment against King George, not the people of England, but King 
George, the Government of England, for why the United States had a 
right to be a separate and independent nation. It was an indictment 
stating the causes, and finally the Constitution was the government 
that we set up to preserve the rights in the Declaration of 
Independence.
  We get our rights from the Creator. Because if we get our rights from 
government, governments can take those rights away from us at any time 
government wishes to do so. Mr. Speaker, 49 of the 50 States have in 
their preambles a reference to the Almighty. Many of those preambles 
mention the fact that they get their rights in the States from the 
Creator.
  The Bill of Rights in our Constitution limits government. Government 
does not have rights. Government has power. And government gets power 
from us when we choose to give up individual liberty and give up 
individual rights. Government has the power to control us and control 
our liberties only if we let it. So the Bill of Rights and the 
Constitution says government was set up to protect the rights that we 
have, those God-given rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of 
happiness. In fact, the ninth amendment to the Bill of Rights says 
there are more rights that aren't even listed in the Bill of Rights 
that we have.
  Mr. Speaker, on the Jefferson Memorial down the street from where we 
all are is written a quote by Thomas Jefferson which says, ``God who 
gave us Life gave us Liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure 
when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of 
God?''
  Mr. Speaker, if we fail to acknowledge this legal principle of God-
given rights, then we deny our heritage as Americans and our reason to 
be a free people.

[[Page H12350]]

  And that's just the way it is.

                 State Constitutions--References to God

       Alabama 1901, Preamble: We the people of the State of 
     Alabama, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do 
     ordain and establish the following Constitution.
       Alaska 1956, Preamble: We, the people of Alaska, grateful 
     to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this 
     great land.
       Arizona 1911, Preamble: We, the people of the State of 
     Arizona, grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do 
     ordain this Constitution . . .
       Arkansas 1874, Preamble: We, the people of the State of 
     Arkansas, grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of 
     choosing our own form of government . . .
       California 1879, Preamble: We, the People of the State of 
     California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom.
       Colorado 1876, Preamble: We, the people of Colorado, with 
     profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of Universe . . .
       Connecticut 1818, Preamble: The People of Connecticut, 
     acknowledging with gratitude the good Providence of God in 
     permitting them to enjoy.
       Delaware 1897, Preamble: Through Divine Goodness all men 
     have, by nature, the rights of worshiping and serving their 
     Creator according to the dictates of their consciences.
       Florida 1885, Preamble: We, the people of the State of 
     Florida, grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional 
     liberty, establish this Constitution . . .
       Georgia 1777, Preamble: We, the people of Georgia, relying 
     upon protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and 
     establish this Constitution . . .
       Hawaii 1959, Preamble: We, the people of Hawaii, Grateful 
     for Divine Guidance . . . Establish this Constitution . . .
       Idaho 1889, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Idaho, 
     grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its 
     blessings.
       Illinois 1870, Preamble: We, the people of the State of 
     Illinois, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political 
     and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to 
     enjoy and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.
       Indiana 1851, Preamble: We, the People of the State of 
     Indiana, grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of 
     the right to choose our form of government.
       Iowa 1857, Preamble: We, the People of the State of Iowa, 
     grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto 
     enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation 
     of these blessings establish this Constitution.
       Kansas 1859, Preamble: We, the people of Kansas, grateful 
     to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges 
     establish this Constitution.
       Kentucky 1891, Preamble: We, the people of the Commonwealth 
     are grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and 
     religious liberties . . .
       Louisiana 1921, Preamble: We, the people of the State of 
     Louisiana, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political 
     and religious liberties we enjoy.
       Maine 1820, Preamble: We the People of Maine acknowledging 
     with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler 
     of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an 
     opportunity . . . And imploring His aid and direction.
       Maryland 1776, Preamble: We, the people of the state of 
     Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and 
     religious liberty . . .
       Massachusetts 1780, Preamble: We . . . the people of 
     Massachusetts, acknowledging with grateful hearts, the 
     goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe . . . In the 
     course of His Providence, an opportunity and devoutly 
     imploring His direction . . .
       Michigan 1908, Preamble: We, the people of the State of 
     Michigan, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of 
     freedom establish this Constitution.
       Minnesota 1857, Preamble: We, the people of the State of 
     Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious 
     liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings:
       Mississippi 1890, Preamble: We, the people of Mississippi 
     in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and 
     invoking His blessing on our work.  . . .
       Missouri 1845, Preamble: We, the people of Missouri, with 
     profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and 
     grateful for His goodness . . . Establish this Constitution.
       Montana 1889, Preamble: We, the people of Montana, grateful 
     to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty establish this 
     Constitution.
       Nebraska 1875, Preamble: We, the people, grateful to 
     Almighty God for our freedom . . . Establish this 
     Constitution.
       Nevada 1864, Preamble: We the people of the State of 
     Nevada, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom establish 
     this Constitution.
       New Hampshire 1792, Part I. Art. I. Sec. V. Every 
     individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God 
     according to the dictates of his own conscience.
       New Jersey 1844, Preamble: We, the people of the State of 
     New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for civil and religious 
     liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and 
     looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.
       New Mexico 1911, Preamble: We, the People of New Mexico, 
     grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty.
       New York 1846, Preamble: We, the people of the State of New 
     York, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to 
     secure its blessings.
       North Carolina 1868, Preamble: We the people of the State 
     of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign 
     Ruler of Nations, for our civil, political, and religious 
     liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the 
     continuance of those.
       North Dakota 1889, Preamble: We, the people of North 
     Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil 
     and religious liberty, do ordain . . .
       Ohio 1852, Preamble: We the people of the state of Ohio, 
     grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its 
     blessings and to promote our common.
       Oklahoma 1907, Preamble: Invoking the guidance of Almighty 
     God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessings of 
     liberty establish this.
       Oregon 1857, Bill of Rights, and Article I. Section 2. All 
     men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty 
     God according to the dictates of their consciences.
       Pennsylvania 1776, Preamble: We, the people of 
     Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of 
     civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His 
     guidance.
       Rhode Island 1842, Preamble: We the People of the State of 
     Rhode Island grateful to Almighty God for the civil and 
     religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to 
     enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing.
       South Carolina 1778, Preamble: We, the people of the State 
     of South Carolina grateful to God for our liberties, do 
     ordain and establish this Constitution.
       South Dakota 1889, Preamble: We, the people of South 
     Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious 
     liberties.
       Tennessee 1796, Art. XI.III. that all men have a natural 
     and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to 
     the dictates of their conscience . . .
       Texas 1845, Preamble: We the People of the Republic of 
     Texas, acknowledging, with gratitude, the grace and 
     beneficence of God.
       Utah 1896, Preamble: Grateful to Almighty God for life and 
     liberty, we establish this Constitution.
       Vermont 1777, Preamble: Whereas all government ought to 
     enable the individuals who compose it to enjoy their natural 
     rights, and other blessings which the Author of Existence has 
     bestowed on man . . .
       Virginia 1776, Bill of Rights, XVI Religion, or the Duty 
     which we owe our Creator can be directed only by Reason and 
     that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian 
     Forbearance, Love and Charity towards each other.
       Washington 1889, Preamble: We the People of the State of 
     Washington, grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for 
     our liberties, do ordain this Constitution.
       West Virginia 1872, Preamble: Since through Divine 
     Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil, political and 
     religious liberty, we, the people of West Virginia reaffirm 
     our faith in and constant reliance upon God . . .
       Wisconsin 1848, Preamble: We, the people of Wisconsin, 
     grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, domestic 
     tranquility.
       Wyoming 1890, Preamble: We, the people of the State of 
     Wyoming, grateful to God for our civil, political, and 
     religious liberties establish this Constitution.

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