Choose the most effective forms for your freedom of expression

Freedom of speech is one of a number of critical guarantees set in our United States Constitution. As a long-time Boy Scout Merit Badge Counselor for the tree citizenship badges, I am reminded regularly of these guarantees as I work with some 15 to 20 Boy Scouts each year.

I was reminded most recently of that fact during the celebration of the Fourth of July. It was with some interest that I noticed, in the quiet and pleasant village of Howards Grove, a young adult setting up a display booth along the road that invited citizens to “Impeach Obama.” Certainly, that is a view allowed and guaranteed under our Constitution. The call for impeachment has been raised frequently against many presidents by impassioned citizens. However, throughout our long history, rarely has it been found to have legal merit.

Now that I am reaching the mature age of 71 years, as I look back over those years I remember some of the challenges to our individual freedoms that have taken place during that period. Allow me to share a few of my thoughts and experiences.

I remember with pride, now years later, my dad making sure the old Jewish rag peddler and knife sharpener who came through our neighborhood from time to time, was always treated respectfully by the neighborhood kids and young adults. It was shortly after World War II and he stressed that the man had every right to be on our street, to earn a living and dress somewhat differently if he wished.

While serving my country in the United States Army in the early 1960s, my unit had left Fort Carson, Colo., for month-long maneuvers in rural South Carolina. I clearly recall the heat and humidity, the copperhead and coral snakes, the poison ivy and numerous other discomforts. I also remember the wonderful generosity of a family who had their children bring out ice cold lemonade as a couple of us stood guard in an open field on a hot summer day.

But I also remember very clearly that the nearby small town we visited had but one small laundry place available that bore the sign “whites only.” Obviously, despite our Constitution, not all men were yet considered equal.

I remember the violent urban race riots and city burnings that stretched across this country in the 1960s and the major VietNam War protests of the 1970s. People’s right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, freedom of speech and other liberties were being challenged. These were difficult times, but with the understanding of our Constitutional principles and strong local, state and national leadership, we managed this difficult period.

In the 1970s, although I was never stopped nor were any of my fellow veteran friends at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, we needed to walk through and around protesters to get to our classes. Here, as I remember, both the right to protest as a matter of free speech and the right of access to classes were respected – even with major national issues disrupting our society and with increasing loss of American lives because of the ever-expanding VietNam war.

The country has gone through some tough times and will do so again from time to time. When that happens, it is important for the majority of the citizens who believe in our system of government and its way of life to work together for the betterment of all. It will always be easy to be critical; it is far harder to be statesmanlike and to solve the issues that need a solution.

People have the right under our United State Constitution to call for impeachment of a president. But if the president is legally elected by the majority of the people, rather than call for impeachment if you disagree with the incumbent’s policies, it may be more effective to work for another candidate in the next election. That is clearly the intent of our Constitution.

Impeachment is intended to be used rarely – and only in the most extreme cases.