Birthright Citizenship

The Supreme Court of the United States issued a ruling that undermined the very foundation of the United States of America. The structure on top of our foundation had already been fractured and suffered extreme decay. But their erroneous ruling bypassed an opportunity of a lifetime to strengthen and fortify the foundation of liberty that Americans have been privileged to experience for generations.

The cornerstone of our foundation was laid by the Pilgrims at Plymouth. As time past the foundation grew and the inheritance of their efforts was past on to their children and those who chose to join in the building of a free society whose chief cornerstone was Jesus Christ.

Two hundred and fifty years ago the children of this society were challenged by those who laid claim to all that their ancestors had built. The sons of Liberty had inherited more than just a piece of real estate. They had inherited the spirit of true freedom and a foundation for a government that would preserve that freedom. And they fought against all odds against the most powerful government on earth to retain their inheritance. And by the grace of God and His providence they prevailed and established the United States of America.

Two important documents form the foundation of our government that was established to preserve our heritage of freedom. First the Declaration of Independence and secondly the Constitution of the United States. Based upon these documents our fathers established our Constitutional Republic. Following the pattern established at Plymouth, the Constitution was designed as a covenant: An agreement that would bind us all together in common purpose. Citizenship was based upon our agreement to be governed by our Constitution.

Citizenship

Who are the people that are entitled to United States Citizenship? Certainly, the waters have been muddied in regards to what it means to be a citizen. The uniqueness of our Country and our form of government open the door for a path to citizenship in addition to the inheritance that we pass on to our children. In essence citizenship was either inherited or earned. Either way, benefits of citizenship was based upon adherence to the Constitution and our Laws. Violation of the law would restrict your benefits. Government’s purpose was to protect our right and freedom, hence the need for law and order.

Earned Citizenship

How do you earn citizenship? Our immigration laws used to be clear. Many of us today are recipients of the generous immigration laws of the United States. My grandparents and great grandparents immigrated to America. They came here with little more than a yearning for freedom and a willingness to work. And work they did. They took advantage of the opportunities provided and worked to provide for their families. They built not only for their families but also contributed to the community supporting churches and schools, etc. They respected the laws, paid taxes, learned the language, studied our history, learned about our government, and worked toward acceptance as a citizen of the United States. They earned their citizenship and willingly swore to uphold the covenant enshrined in our Constitution. This became their country and when it became necessary their children served to defend this nation with their lives.

Citizenship was not something you could buy as it was in other countries in history. But it was something that you could earn with your loyalty, hard work, and love of the freedom offered here. You could come here as an immigrant, but once you had achieved citizenship you were no longer an immigrant but a citizen with all of the privileges, rights, and responsivities that come with it.

Birthright Citizenship

How could we have people in our highest court that are so ignorant of this simple concept? Many of us did not earn our citizenship, we inherited it. It was our right by birth. We inherited something that we did not build, but our parents did. We should be extremely grateful if we have inherited citizenship in this once great Nation that had received the blessing of God in Heaven.

Today there are numerous decedents of the Pilgrims who first laid the first stones in the foundation of our great nation. And many of those who inherited this blessing continued to build and form this nation that has blessed all of the peoples on earth. And all of those who came later also contributed to the continued growth of our nation and shared in its legacy. For since our humble beginning the vision of those who came before us was always looking toward our posterity. The dream of our founders, and those who followed, was that our children would inherit a nation where they could live and prosper. And as each generation built upon that foundation the nation grew and became a great nation and a blessing for the whole world.

The Fourteenth Amendment

The Fourteenth Amendment to our Constitution had one simple purpose and that was to ensure that all of those who were rightfully entitled to citizenship would receive it. The result of the Civil War was that it rectified a wrong and granted citizenship to those to whom it had been denied. As slaves these people had participated in building and maintaining our fledgling nation and been an integral part of it. Their contribution and adherence to our nation’s laws entitled them to citizenship, if they so desired it. Likewise, the children of those who had served our nation were granted birthright inheritance as a citizen of the United States of America. In essence the Fourteenth Amendment clarified that the children of all United States citizens were entitled an inheritance as citizens.

Treachery

Certainly, the majority of our Supreme Court has betrayed the duty entrusted in them to uphold the Constitution of the United States. Their ruling that any baby born on United States property is entitled to the benefits of United States citizenship required them to extract a simple phrase from the Fourteen Amendment from the larger context of the Constitution. This ruling renders whole concept of United States Citizenship as meaningless. If a foreigner’s child has the same rights of inheritance as the child of a citizen, then what does it even mean to be a citizen? The ramifications of such a ruling are astronomical and would require a multitude of words to describe. It undermines the very concept of a sovereign nation, especially one that is defined as “We the People …”

President Trump’s order to stop the abuse of the Fourteenth amendment was his duty as president to faithfully execute the Law. Birthright citizenship is by definition the inheritance given to the children of citizens.

The Travesty

It will be a travesty if our nation dissolves and crumbles simply because we failed to see the value of what was built on the lives that preceded us. That our leaders are willing to trade our inheritance for what amounts to a bowl of soup as Esau did, is a travesty. That they would cheapen our right of birth and allow anyone and everyone to devour what has been built over hundreds of years, is a travesty. Many in our nation are now willing to squander our birthright and destroy the very foundation that established us as a distinct people under the God of Heaven.

Those justices who despise our birthright may get their bowl of soup; the applause from those who are tearing our nation apart and spreading it to the wind. But when they stand before the Judge, I certainly would not want to be in their shoes.

“15  See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; 16  that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.” (Heb 12:15-16 NAS)

Bob Gunderson