Prayers for Nashville.

post by Casey.

At times it feels sort of exhausting to share and there really are so few people who make their way to this blog and so it sometimes feels ridiculous to even share at all. But then when I think about not sharing…I just don’t have it in me not to say…something.

It reminds me of when Jacob and I first started having the conversation about possibly having the kids baptized - when the kids were born we didn’t have any solid beliefs and chose not to baptize them because it didn’t feel like it meant anything to us.

10yrs later I walked into the office of my kids’ little Christian school and asked the secretary (Hi, Barb - she’s not actually reading this and I doubt she even knows I have a blog;) what steps we’d have to take to get the kids baptized - IF we decided to go forward with that. Barb proceeded to share with me that she had been praying for this. Barb had been praying, behind our backs;), that we would someday want to baptize the kids. Although, her praying for us is the most important part of this…the little part where she simply spoke the words to me…that she said out loud that she’d been praying for us…that affected me most deeply. I don’t know exactly why but to this day, just knowing that she was out there thinking and praying for my babies…it changed something for me. I went home and said to Jacob that I felt like I really wanted to do it:).

When I start to think that it’s not worth speaking on something I care about…I think about the times where I’ve been changed because of someone speaking up. I think of the time Barb told me about her prayers for Homer, Theo, Rocky, Ike, Mae + Evan…and then I think…it’s worth it. It’s always worth it because I do believe that what I have to say (what anyone has to say) will reach the right person at the right time and in the mean time…I’m planting little seeds.

Below I’m going to share what I’ve been listening to in regards to the recent Nashville School Shooting. I wish I could articulate how I feel about these things but these podcasts do a much better job than I ever could - I also included some quotes from the episodes that resonated with me. 

You may notice they all lean or are conservative and that’s simply because that’s how I feel and that is absolutely what I believe - this coming from someone who felt very much the opposite just 2yrs ago. 

I don’t believe that this is a gun issue but a moral/spiritual one. 

What happened to those innocent children…those babies…is horrific. I’m actually comforted by the fact that I know the individual that killed those 3children and 3adults is now most certainly in hell, where she will spend eternity paying for what she’s done.

I pray for those children and those families and I pray that tragedies like this will lead more people to God. 

Listen to this episode here.

“…we have a moral decay that is overtaking America. We have a destruction of family issue that is overtaking America. We have an issue of not authentically caring for children, even if we have a family structure…are we legitimately committed to our children or are our children our side hussle while we go out and pursue as much money as humanely possible.”

“…we have a spiritual problem that is leading to chaos and violence and disorder and a lack of respect and a lack of gratitude. We all see ourselves as tremendous victims. When you see yourself as a victim and you think the world owes you something you start going about getting what the world owes you by any means necessary. You become angry. And so when I look at this woman who did the shooting and I think about how - these are connected, even tho this woman is white, it’s all connected…- the whole messaging to the trans gender community is America hates you and the Christian values that America has is the reason you’re unhappy. If America, if the culture just saw you as normal, you would be so much happier and your life would be so much better…”

“…if you saw yourself as an image bearer of God and not whatever your sexuality or gender…if you saw yourself as an image bearer of God, then you would be a step closer towards happiness. Then you would be a step closer towards contentment with how God made you. But if you let the world define who you are and what your primary identity is, if you let the world define that rather than letting God define it, you’re gonna have a lot of unhappiness. You’re gonna start to build up a lot of anger and that anger and unhappiness can spill out into the kind of tragedy we had here in Nashville yesterday…”

“…I see this going on with young people that are gay or transgender or whatever they want to call themselves. They’re being fed a steady diet of: America owes you something. You’re a victim. You should be angry. The world has mistreated you. You’re not an image bearer of God. You’re black. You’re gay. You’re lesbian. You’re bisexual. You’re transgender. You’re minor attracted person…”

“…as a believer…our message should always be: you have a spiritual problem that only Jesus Christ can fix. There are not political solutions to spiritual problems. That hole in your heart can only be filled through a relationship and an understanding of God and his order and his design for you.”

“…when I look at the Nashville shooting, and any of these school shootings. The way to eliminate it is a society and a culture that’s more obedient to God. Because when we were more obedient to God than we were right now, there were less school shootings. Guns have been around in America from its inception. This kind of random violence, this kind of mass slaughtering of innocence…that’s a new phenomenon that’s been brought on - in my opinion - by the constant messaging from atheists. That every single one of you is a victim - except for the white man - everybody else, you’re a victim. This country has mistreated you, you’re owed something, you should be angry, you should go out and demand, you should go out and get in peoples faces…”

“…it’s good to pray for our families, for our children, for our loved ones, for our teachers, and just for our culture because the culture is sick. Because the people are sick. Those are some of the main things that came to mind yesterday. This morning, having seen the bodycam footage of the officers who responded, I was just reminded of the heroism of so many police officers. They don’t know what types of things they’re going to encounter in a given day. Seeing that video - it was night and day in terms of their response and the response of Uvalde, 2 similar types of incidents. I thank god for those brave men.”

- Delano Squires

“…everyone says: we need more common sense gun laws. We need common sense gun control. But the conversation never goes further than that. Now what I would respect someone saying is: we need to repeal the 2nd amendment so that access to firearm ownership is no longer a right but a privilege that is enjoyed by a subset of the population that the government gets to determine. Now hear me, I didn’t say I would agree with that. I would say I would respect that because that is an actual position and I always respect positions delivered in stark, unambiguous nonufamistic language more so than empty platitudes. And the majority of what we get in the political discourse, whether from journalists at MSNBC, and CNN, and NY Times…from athletes and even from many politicians, is just common sense gun control. But when you ask them what it is that they want, either they can’t articulate it or the things that they articulate are already in place or the things they articulate would not have prevented the most recent event that they’re responding to. I would much rather prefer people say exactly what they mean.”

- Delano Squires

“…schools, churches and other institutions that house vulnerable populations…majority women or children or elderly should be the first places that we harden and that’s what we would do if we really cared as much as we say we do.”

- Delano Squires

Listen to this episode here.

“…it is a targeted terrorism towards Christian’s, that is made permissible by…the dismissal of that aspect of the story. The open and unabashed anti-Christian sentiment that is like one of the only acceptable forms of bigotry in Hollywood and the mainstream and politics. Like if this happened at a synagogue, if this happened at a mosque, if this happened at pulse night club…no one would question whether or not the type of people in that particular building were being targeted because of their belief system…no one would questions that. But when it happens at a Christian school, when it happened at a church in Texas a few years ago…apparently, the Christian aspect of it should just be overlooked. And that if Christian’s bring this up, it’s a victim complex. You’re thinking about this too hard. This is nothing to do with that. Why does it have nothing to do with that when other scenarios with every other kind of group it’s immediately assumed it has to do with that - it’s immediately assumed that it had to do with the identity or the religion or the skin color of the people inside the building that was targeted.”

“…I don’t care. I don’t care. I don’t care that that person carried pain. Guess what, news flash, we all carry pain. We all had hard childhoods in some way. We were all made fun of. We were all bullied. We were all rejected. We all have felt different. We were all pushed to the side. We’ve all been confused. We’ve all had a hard time, okay?! No, I do not relate to this person shooting up a school. Maybe let’s toughen up a little bit and deal with normal human difficulty and trials without murdering 9yos.“

“…we’ve demolished the family. We continue to ostracize any normalcy, we continue to degrade any idea of objective morality and we’re surprised when things like this happen. We’ve always had guns, we have not always had this value system. We have not always had these depraved set of principles that we have today that is all about me, me, me. Our young people are crying out for what every human since the beginning of time has cried out for…which is purpose. Which is meaning. Which is a call to something higher. So when the progressive left says you can join our revolution, you can latch onto social justice, you can identify in this way. You can join this oppressed group, then you will have meaning, then you will have identity, then you will have something deeper, then you will have some kind of pseudo spirituality. Some kind of militant religion. Of course these lost agnostic, atheistic young people are going to cling to that.”

“…I’m not saying that we can not have conversations ever about any kind of legislation - I’m not saying that. I’m not one of those people. I’m just saying if we continue to ignore the heart of the issue, what underlies all of this, the raging culture war that is actually down stream from a theological war, a spiritual battle that’s going on…we will continue to see these things happen. We will.”

“…let this tragedy not scare you or intimidate you but inspire you to double down in speaking that and representing that and doing that which is right and true. Do not be a part of the delusion thats tearing this country apart. Do not be a part of the lie. Agree with God, publically, privately, and in every area of your life whether it comes to gender, sexuality, the family, true biblical justice, what is right, what is wrong. Teach it to your kids relentlessly. Preach it at your church pastors, relentlessly. Tell it to your friends. Post it on social media. Live it in your daily life. Represent the gospel in all that you think, say, and do. Be a refuge of clarity and courage for the cowards in your life and within your community. That is what Christian’s are called to do today. That is what we have been called to do for thousands and thousands of years. And trust that God is doing something about all of this.”

This video really resonated with me - sent to us by our Deacon a few mornings ago. So much of what he said has been my path to God as well. 

Well worth the 25min.:)

You can watch here:).

“Over the past 3yrs I accidentally found myself getting more Christian, like without even intentionally trying…setting out on a mission like: Hey, I wanna become more Christian! It’s just been effortlessly happening for me.”

“If you’re not someone who is willing to do the devils bidding. If you’re not someone who’s willing to propagate evil, then there’s a natural occurrence that happens when you’re in the presence of evil…you polarize to the other extreme. You may not even be consciously aware of it but the presence of evil makes you lean away…therefore, what direction are you leaning towards…that would be the direction of God.”

“…people who have faith in a real higher power, God, they’re not controllable…when you have faith in God, you are not controllable, you’re not…anyone who wants to control you, purposely tries to disconnect you from God because Gods way is freedom. Evil constricts, God frees. God gives us free will…”

“…a life of service is what births true happiness…”

“…I think we live in a world where we’re discouraged from changing our mind. It’s like frowned upon to change your mind. What if we learned to frown upon never changing our mind and give ourselves impeccable permission to change our minds. Because if you never change your mind, guess what, you’re not growing, you’re not learning…you are what’s called: staying stuck…“

A very interesting conversation - I especially liked 3:00-31:00.

You can find this episode here.

“There’s a poll circulating today from the Wall Street Journal and it’s a 25yr poll - meaning they conducted this same poll 25yrs ago. They wanted to see today the percent who say these values are very important to them and they did 5 different categories. 

Patriotism went from 70% down to 38%. Religion, what we’re talking about now, 62% back in 1998…today it’s 39%. So your religion has dropped by 50%. Having children 59% down to 30%. 

Money’s the kicker here. Went from 31% of people who say this value is very important to them, up to 43%. It’s the only one that improved. 

People are less patriotic, less religious, they’re having less children - they care 1/2 as much about having children and then even community involvement is down. So everything across the board is down but making more money is more important. And it connects directly to religion because what you thought once upon a time was, God’s gonna provide for us and so money’s great, our family is very important - what we’re doing right here inside these walls. Me, my wife and kids, we’ll get it figured out and God will provide to us. We’re gonna keep seeking after his will for us…and everything else will work out.

Today people don’t care about their family. They don’t even think they need kids. You talk to the feminist today - they think they don’t need religion, they don’t need God. If you don’t think you need God, you have to provide for yourself.”

- T.J. Moe 

I know from experience that a name alone, the person the message is coming from can immediately shut someone down. I share Tucker Carlson knowing that it will immediately be passed by most - and he was passed by me just a few years ago, too. Put your blindfold on and listen only with your ears:).

You can listen here.

“…the fact that so many Americans have a firearm within reach but never commit violence tells you that guns are not the problem. Most people in this country can be trusted with an AR-15, just as we can be trusted with cars and light air crafts and electricity and baseball bats and insecticide and chain saws and pruning sheers and countless other objects that could easily double as weapons. 

On some level, all of us understand this. The problem is always the person, not the tool he uses to commit a crime. If you wanted to stop murder you would focus on the people who are committing murder, not the hundreds of millions of their neighbors who are not.“

Listen to this episode here.

“…these are 2 worldviews directly opposed to each-other. The transgender/lgbtq, the far left believe that man is God and that there is no God and that they get to decide what you are and…basically, that they’re God. And those of us who are believers, we’re idiots. We’re stupid for thinking that our rights and powers and our identity comes from god…”

“…there’s something about my own childhood that I just want every kid to experience. My childhood was awesome. It was hopeful. It was filled with: you can do anything. We’re not giving that to kids right now. We’re giving them a victims mentality and a mentality that America is the worst place on the planet, when we know that’s just not factually true. We can tell it…I just saw a video earlier this morning, thousands of people running across our southern border. Thousands at one time, running, desperately running across our southern border. And they want you to believe that Americas the land of racism and perfected racism…why are all these people of color running across our border to get in here? Why are people all over the globe breaking their backs to get in here. Why are Africans, black Africans, hoping they can punch their lottery ticket and live here in America? It’s a lie.”

Randoms.

post by Casey.

Rocky’s little drawings:). I especially loved the American Flag he added to his boat!

Evan and I braved the hospital to visit a friend:). I think the last time we came here was when Ike was hospitalized with RSV in 2017? - boy we’ve come a million years as a family since then, thankfully. I couldn’t believe I’d been wheeled or walked those hallways 4 times before to have babies - something that went well, thankfully..but in hindsight, could have ended very differently - a place I pray we’ll be able to continue to avoid for the foreseeable future.

Not gonna lie…I was very stressed having to enter an establishment that ‘requires’ masks - I didn’t wear one and was never told or asked to wear one and I would have chosen to leave if that had been the case. 

While I nursed Evan in the lobby, there was a gentleman (in his early 60’s, if I had to guess) sitting a few chairs away with a gator covering his nose and mouth - I didn’t think anything of it. He kept glancing at me and then finally I saw him pull his gator down:). He proceeded to engage in a conversation with me about his family - his 2 grown children…a son 27 and daughter 30…were successful and good…and he was very proud:). He choked up talking about having felt like he achieved the few goals he had set for himself in his life: to raise good kids - check!, to stay married - going on 33yrs, check!, and to retire - he said he and his wife have fought about more stupid shit in the last 6mo than in their whole marriage…retirement has been an adjustment;) but he’s still so happy - CHECK!:)

Me being maskless lead to his gator coming down and before you know it we were talking family, politics and God.

We aligned on so much and had a conversation that I don’t believe would have happened had I walked in with my face covered…I believed him when he said he thought we ran into each-other for a reason:).

I love our 2012 Suburban so much…but sometimes I send Jacob things like this and we contemplate whether a downgrade would be worth an attached garage!;):)

Before + After of what might have been some amazing sweet potato bites! Lesson learned…mom needs to set an alarm because…no, she will not remember;).

 

Putting the final touches on our little church wedding ceremony:). We have heels - the most expensive part of the whole shindig, coming it at $54 - the dress was thrifted for $6.50:). I also ordered a little gold band for myself…$12 on Etsy. I had the same thing (but for $8;) almost 12yrs ago but it broke off a few years back.

 

Also, narrowing down ideas for the Anthropologie GC I still haven’t spent from the last year or 2 of birthdays!? These are both very expensive but are 2 items I’m considering - I love the chair and I’d want to purchase 2 of the sconces for our living-room:).

I saw this book at the local library and have plans to go back for a copy!! A couple thoughts ran through my head when I saw it:

1/ a new (in the last 3yrs) found?!/reignited?! pride and defense of our neighbors and community and hometown - Dorchester + Colby + Unity (nothing against Abbotsford, I’ve just never had any roots there:).

2/ an immediate curiosity of the history here anddddd it has me wanting to take that quick drive past the main strip to really look at the few old buildings that remain! I do have the airstream for a potential future ‘shop’ but a little brick and mortar store - extra points for actual brick and character;) - would also be a dream.

You can find A Village Called Unity by Alan Gurtner here.

Speaking of little-someday-shops…Jacob asked me this morning what I wanted to do and the first thing that came to mind was: THRIFTING!:)

I find myself wondering recently if these things…the stuff we gravitate towards, love, enjoy?!…maybe God put these things on our hearts? Or maybe I just want to make it okay in my brain to thrift once a week;). Regardless…I don’t know if this is what I ‘should do’. I don’t know if I’m actually any good at it or have an ‘eye’ for it. I don’t know how I’d make any money at it…but there’s a nudge and I pray it’s a God nudge. 

Above are a couple things I added to my thrifted tote recently:).

The kids playing Church…lead by Deacon Smith;):).

It’s almost over. It’s almost over. It’s almost over;)

Mostly, kidding…winter ain’t allllll bad!

(2 of 3:). My girls:).

I misspoke in my last post…after a few pages I realized I’d already read Between Sisters by Kristin Hannah. I’m really excited about this one - it’ll probably be more disturbing than ‘exciting’…but I have a feeling I’ll be encouraging everyone to pick this one up.

You can find this book here:).

And now the portion of the post where I…dum dum dummmmm…share my opinnnnionnnnn;):). 

Have a wonderful weekend, friends!:)

The topic surrounding the trans movement/agenda…whatever you’d like to call this growing/spreading/complicated issue…as a woman and a mother…is one that I’m feeling more and more…I’m taking more and more issue with. 

Allie speaks to this on her podcast here.

“…and he is celebrated by female organizations and by corporations for doing this. For displaying what, honestly, is a very offensive, very condescending, very patronizing, very infantilizing depiction of what it means to be a girl or to be a woman. He has gotten millions of dollars in sponsorships, millions and millions of followers. He is influencing young people, young girls in-particular, to imagine that this is what it means to be feminine. That to be a girl isn’t really anything substantive, it isn’t anything biological, it isn’t anything real. It’s something that you can take on and put off. 

You can become a girl just by wearing lipstick, by growing out your hair. It doesn’t matter if you have male genitalia, it doesn’t matter if you have male dna, it doesn’t matter if you have a male body, it doesn’t matter if you have a 5 o’clock shadow, it doesn’t matter if you have every indication of being a male…you can still be a woman cause it’s something as superficial as wearing a skirt.

That, apparently, is where progressiveness has taken us. It’s so progressive that we have completely forgotten one of the most fundamental tenants of reality, actually the foundation of all of human existence and that is that there is male and there is female and their innate differences…all of us exist because of the innate differences between male and female.

And so this person is a representation of the denial of reality and the celebration and the glorification of the denial of reality.

This person is a manifestation of Romans 1: we are exchanging the truth of God for a lie. We are diluting our minds because of sin, because of an exchange of the God of scripture for the God of self.”

I’m not sure if you’re familiar with/aware of Substack? It’s another online platform that you subscribe to/follow people - free or paid…for videos/information/newsletters. Slowdown Farmstead is one that I’ve enjoyed following for free here.

This mornings newsletter was on the longer side but I loved so much about it. I screenshot a couple excerpts - below - that I found especially good:).

A Break For Lent.

post by Casey.

Happy Monday!:)

Sooooo it’s been a whole 14days since I’ve been on Instagram…where I do the majority of my sharing…it honestly feels like it’s been SO much longer than that! It’s also been relatively easy staying off this time around. I’ve taken ‘breaks’ before…I think I made it a month at one point? But it’s always been difficult for me to stay away from that app. Probably because I’m a chronic-over-sharer:). I really do enjoy sharing most everything - the good, bad and ugly! But I’m sure there was a bit of an addiction to the scroll as well.

Buttttt this time around I’m not at all interested in coming back. Remember like 2yrs ago when I was considering leaving all together and I even got like a Gabb Phone and none of that ended up working out?!!! - I’m exhausted just thinking about that rollercoaster;). Well, maybe that was just one more step in the direction of leaving for good. Maybe I wasn’t quite ready yet, at that point? Ah, who freaking knows and how ridiculous it feels to even care about an app but I’ve really curated my space there and found a lot of things and people and inspiration that I do like. It ain’t all bad but this break has me thinking:).

Instagram was always my biggest time suck and I’ve certainly filled it with other things  - not all great - but I’ve been able to leave brain space for writing and thinking and reading:).

We even started an I’m Bored List for the kids! Anyone who says “I’m Bored!” - which I think they do out of sheer habit now and not actual boredom:| - has to pick something to do off the I’m Bored List!!

I really need to start one of these lists for myself as well. For instance…today I’m not highly motivated but I coulddddd be doing something but I can’t think of anything that hasssss to be done - and we all know there’s plenty that could be getting done!;) So I could really use a list of small projects or tasks that I could reference when I feel stumped!:)

Okay…so, overall, maybe it hasssss been just a littleeeeee boring around here lately;). 

I’ve had a couple people ask if we’ve been up to anything at/in our Chokecherry home…nope, not really. I do have a lot of inspiration saved and could potentially fill a whole blog post just on that:).

I did just get my alpaca book in the mail: Alpaca Keeping by Harry Fields. So getting a little alpaca sanctuary set-up is on the Spring To Do List. As well as enclosing the front porch, pouring a slab for an eventual garage, planting more trees…a lot of outdoor projects, obviously:).

Books read, so far, in 2023. Starting Between Sisters by Kristin Hannah today:)

Saw this group of the prettiest blue books at St. Vinnies recently and would love them for my someday-built-in-shelves:). Buy now…figure out if they’re worth actually reading later;).

Someone will be 9mo this week! She’s still nursing and cosleeping - minus the sleeping part;). No teeth yet and she’s full on crawling (which I don’t feel like any of my kids actually did?! They mostly just drug themselves around until they got up and walking;). We’ve given her some little bits of cut up food (maybe twice;) but she’s mostly just playing with it. She’s a little ham and we love her very much:).

I recently found a new recipe for our laundry detergent that I think will, hopefully, save us a bit of money. I currently purchase Young Livings laundry soup and make a mixture with that (and do love) but this new one would be all dry (and still nontoxic) ingredients but cheaper! My only hesitation in switching is that these liquid containers wouldn’t work and I’d have to purchase a new container:/. You can find the recipe here:).

Lent and this Instagram break have coincided with quite a few larger life events - like my upcoming 40th birthday and Jacob and I being remarried in our church at the end of the month:). I ended up thrifting the dress I’ll wear for our little ceremony for $6.50 and then of course, fell in love with these very expensive shoes that I will not be purchasing…such is life;):).

The bunnies got to chill in the house while we cleaned bunny cages and got them set-up outside! These warmer temps have us really looking forward to Spring!

I recently thrifted these little clocks - it was the typography for me:). I actually…finally…started a tote with some of those thrifted finds that I felt were special enough to hang-on to for a someday/dream airstream shop?! Who knows:). Maybe this another one of those first steps:).

Mae doing Mae things;). Naked cupcake cooking!

Proof Of Mom/Life.

My new found love of highlighting continues;):).

You’re Not Enough (and that’s okay) by Allie Beth Stuckey

Stumbled upon this adorable graphic the other day and thought it would be cute for the kids! I sent out an email to get a higher quality copy for the Easter Basket:). You can find it here:).

And now that I got your toes a little wet with that adorable but religious graphic;)…here’s your official Heads-Up that below are just a few things (COVID) I’ve listened to (POLITICAL) or are interesting me (RELIGIOUS) recently. Take it or leave it;).

And on that note…have a wonderful week!

“…I really wonder if all of us haven’t just been functioning off of cortisol and adrenaline and fight or flight for the last 3yrs and now that the fog or that weight is lifting a little bit…we’re all just freaking exhausted. Because look around you, doesn’t it seem like the real life people (I’m not talking about the media), everybody's tired. The restaurant workers are tired, healthcare workers are tired, moms are exhausted, dads are tired, kids are tired. Maybe we’re exhausted because we just walked through 3yrs of collective trauma and gaslighting and now we’re catching our breath a little bit and so we’re just exhausted. Compound that with the fact that we live in a culture - largely for those that live in western civilization - with literally no off switch…”

You can find this episode here:).

Jacob sends me a lot of videos that don’t end up getting watched;) but this was worth the 13min.

You can watch/listen here.

If you’re not already aware…there’s a pretty important election coming up on April4. I try to focus more on the ‘controllables’ - my family, our home - but I’m gonna share about this local election, in hopes that you’ll get out and vote and that the outcome will be in our favor:).

And for those of you in our township, Jacob will be working this election (his 3rd!:), so come vote and say Hi!

Article above linked here.

Article above linked here.

You can find this episode here.

“…she says: it’s a human right. Abortions a human right.

Of course…not surprised to hear them say that this is their position. But I’ve yet to hear them explain that. What do you mean it’s a human right? How do you know it’s a human right? Where does this human right come from? Where does it originate? Where do rights come from in general? 

The founders of our country believed that human rights are rooted in the supernatural, in God. They come from the creator. We have our human, our natural rights by virtue, the fact that we are human beings. We are endowed with them by the creator. Is that what you believe? So then are you then claiming that we have a natural God given right to kill our children? So God creates the baby but then also gives us the moral right to kill those babies that he creates? Is that the argument you want to make? And if the right doesn’t come from God…where does it come from? How do you know it exists? 

The only other option is that the rights come from the government. That’s where all rights come from and it’s just something the government comes up with, basically, arbitrarily. The rights are rooted in the whims of the government. The problem then is that if the government says: okay we’re taking that right away, then you have nothing to appeal to beyond the government…you have nothing beyond or above the government to appeal to. So it doesn’t make any sense to say: no, that’s a right you can’t take it away.

Well, the government decides what a right is…so if the government decides it’s not a right anymore, then it’s not.”