How freedom of religion, freedom from tyranny were key in developing our democracy | Opinion

Our constitutional guaranteed freedoms are being challenged today more than ever, both on a national and state level. These freedoms have been fought for both on the battlefield and at home continuously from the the country's beginning, and they form the bedrock of our democracy.

Colonists wanted their freedoms to be paramount, particularly their freedom of religion. The many religions within the 13 colonies demanded it. Religiously, they included Congregationalists, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Baptists, Lutherans, Dutch and German Reformed, Quakers, Catholics and members of other sects. Equally, they also wanted freedom from the tyranny of a dictator king. These two freedoms were foundational in the development of America’s democracy.

Those who created the U. S. Constitution took heed from history to distribute authority away from the executive branch. Important in our democracy’s development was the Great Compromise agreement reached during the development of the U.S. Constitution between delegates. This agreement established Congress as a two-chambered body, with each state getting a number of representatives in the lower chamber (the House) proportional to its population and two representatives for each state in the upper chamber (the Senate). This configuration of government focused on representation of the people’s interest while restricting the powers of the executive. Many state delegates to the Constitutional Convention opposed a centralized government. These delegates agreed to approve the new Constitution, provided it was amended with a Bill of Rights to protect all individuals equally.

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Drawing on the Magna Carta, Virginia’s Declaration of Rights and other sources, James Madison drafted 19 amendments, which he submitted to the U.S. House of Representatives. The House approved 17 of them and sent them to the U.S. Senate, which approved 12 of them. Ten were ratified by the states and became law. The original 10 amendments remain the bedrock of our democracy to this day. They are referred to as the Bill of Rights. The Constitution might never have been ratified if the framers hadn't promised to add a Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights gave citizens more confidence in the new government and broadened the concept of equality for all to eliminate discrimination.

Infringement on an individual’s religious rights and politicizing of our judicial system are two current efforts that are changing the original intents of our democracy. Our judicial system has recently decreed that all people are not equal in the face of our laws by providing certain immunities to the U.S. president. Providing for equality of all citizens in the face of the law includes the time-honored definition from the Magna Carta. It stated the principle that all citizens, including those in power, should be fairly and equally ruled by the law.

King John of England was an evil king who heavily taxed his people, arbitrarily took their possessions and threw them into prison for the smallest reason. The sealing of the Magna Carta was a key moment in the development of the legal principle of equality before the law in England. Under this rule, laws should apply to all people equally ― no matter if they are the king or a servant, if they are rich or poor. This principle was carried forward in their definition of equality by colonists. Equality also meant equal freedoms for religious worship. Colonists refused to give up their religion just to be a part of a central government. The underlying reason for the Bill of Rights was to provide equality for all citizens.

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The Library of Congress is a repository of authentic documents that collectively reflect the evolution of the United States of America’s democracy. It is open to all citizens at no cost. The numerous trials of our democracy are contained in the many documents residing in this library. Assigning research projects to students using this library is a way of teaching them how to think, not what to think, as they learn more about America’s evolution. It also avoids violating the freedom of religion as currently proposed.

Protecting the United States of America’s democracy and the freedoms it provides is a never-ending effort. It is a civic responsibility of every citizen.

Richard C. "Dick" Hall, of Norman, is an Army veteran who served 30 years in federal civil service and retired as a division manager.