[kirpi97]

What started out as a simple observation soon turned into a discussion on the whether the rights granted by the Bill of Rights secured our fragile democracy or was it the institutions created after the framers had placed their pens back in the ink wells.

The arguments are compelling that what secures our rights today are the institutions created (i.e. law enforcement, nation guard, military, etc.). But was the case back in 1778? There was no real US Military, no Federal Agency protecting Americans. And the State Militias were not all that well organized. So what was it that held this country together?

I think what really holds this country together is the power of the people. And it is more fragile than we think. It has been strained a few times. But we have remained civil. During the Great Depression, instead of looting and mass rioting, the people worked to pull this country out. Some economists give credit to the work programs of the government. While other economists claimed that prolonged the depression and it was the war that ultimately pulled us out. But either way, the people remained civil.

The power rests in the people. We just have to be willing to use that power.

I enjoyed the story and the posts for the most part.