Page 44 - February_2016_Life_In_Naples_Magazine

SKIN IN

THE GAME
DEFENDING LIBERTY

by Lois Bolin
Old Naples Historian

their family’s money to fight for this safe place so their

feelings would not be hurt? Would they even know

what sacred Honor means?”

“We hold these truths to be self evident that all

men are created equal, that they are endowed by their

Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among

these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

These intentions were set forth by Thomas

Jefferson through the Declaration of Independence,

which was later supported by James Madison through

the Bill of Rights.

“Unalienable Rights” are ours by virtue of the

endowment from our Creator-not the government.

Among these “unalienable Rights” are freedom of

speech, religion and self-defense.

In 2010, Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the majority

I n 2012, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni decision for McDonald v. Chicago that self-defense is
conducted a study entitled “What Will They Learn?” by a basic right. This right, recognized by legal systems
assessing the strength of a university’s required general since ancient times, was first challenged two years

education courses.The article, “History Literacy: Failing Among earlier by a modern day

American Students,” noted these seven core subjects: U.S. Patriot, who had skin in

government, history, economics, literature, college-level math, the game.

science and intermediate-level foreign language. Dr. Robert Levy,

Universities that required six of the seven earned an “A.” now Chairman of the

Cornell, Columbia, and Dartmouth obtained “B”s. Princeton Board of Directors

and Penn received a “C.” Harvard and Yale a “D.” and Brown an of the Cato Institute,

“F.” (Note: Do not shoot the messenger.) pledged his personal

Recently, a fake petitioner convinced 50 Yale students in less fortune, neither asking

than an hour to sign a form to repeal the First Amendment, nor receiving funding

which includes the rights to free speech, religion, the press, and from individuals or

assembly. Ironically, only weeks before, Yale students protested groups, as he mounted a

(assembled) debates on Halloween costumes. landmark legal challenge

How can we expect these students to know better if, since the to Washington D.C.’s draconian gun restrictions.

passage of No Child Left Behind, American history and civics Dr. Levy’s challenge marked the first time since

are virtually non-existent in our schools - if current America the 1939 case, United States v. Miller, that the

history book portrays Marxism better than Capitalism? How Supreme Court had directly addressed the scope of

can they understand that America is still a beacon lighting the the Second Amendment. On June 26, 2008, Levy

path for those yearning to be free. (Not just a path to free stuff.) and his team quietly celebrated their efforts when

Would these students be so willing to give away their the decision was read on the District of Columbia v.

birthright for which many gave their life, if they had skin in the Heller, 554 U.S. 570.

game - if they had to pledge their life - if they had to pledge Levy wasn’t always an attorney. This second career

44 Life in Naples | February 2016