Letter: Amendments can create change
The most effective method for creating real, lasting and lawful change on major national issues is not progressive judges, not veiled state propositions, not the press, not social or unsocial media, not our educational system, not large organizations, and sadly not often our elected officials.
As Americans we have the absolute power to enact change directly by creating and passing Constitutional Amendments.
This seldom used tool has for example given African-American men the right to vote (1870), women the right to vote (1920), 18-year-olds the right to vote (1971) and prohibited Congress from voting themselves pay raises that take affect during their current term (1992).
There are highly divisive issues today that can be decided fairly and directly by our citizens using the amendment process.
Defining the right to life and gun rights are prime examples. Decades of political and court battles on these issues have been unsuccessful in truly determining and applying the will of the people to the law of the land.
Could it be that resolving these issues head on via the amendment process, which includes a ratification requirement by two-thirds of the states, is too risky for those who are demanding change? It does cause one to wonder.
If a majority of people believe a change in course for our country is truly critical, then it should be put to the voters of the country. That is after all the core principal of our democracy.
Mark Chagaris, Moorpark