Over the course of the history of the United States—but particularly over the past 10 years—a single outcry has become so common as to become the background music of our political system: [Insert perceived injustice] is “unconstitutional” and disregards our rights as Americans. We hear this complaint whenever a tax is levied, a law is passed, a felon is punished, and an opinion at variance with one’s own is expressed. I’m surprised someone has not yet complained that alarms clocks are an unconstitutional infringement upon our Constitutional right to sleep as long as we want, but I suppose that day will come.

It must be remembered, of course, that we are a nation founded by insurrectionists against the British crown, so a fear of governmental power is perhaps part of every American’s DNA. Our first attempt at drawing up a document to create a national government, which stumbled along only from 1781-1789, established a notably (and fatally) weak federal government that deferred far too much of its authority to 13 squabbling states, which often competed rather than cooperated. This excerpt from The National Constitution Center ably summarizes its flaws and shortcomings:

“The national government did not have the power to tax, to regulate commerce between the states, or to force the states to provide troops or send the government money.  And any proposed amendment to the Articles [of Confederation] required unanimous approval from all thirteen states.  As a result, no amendment was ever ratified.”

So, yes, a strong central government was deemed necessary to avoid chaos and discord, and the Constitution was designed to provide this remedy. However, the inclination of individual states to do as they please in defiance of the federal government—most particularly during the American Civil war—has persisted over the centuries, so the current problems facing our often fractious nation are not much of a surprise.

Today the flashpoint for conflict between the federal government and the individual states is the Trump’s administration’s effort to detain and deport the many millions of illegal (and barely legal) immigrants ushered into America by the Biden administration’s recklessly non-existent border enforcement policies. Protestors in cities ranging from Los Angeles to Chicago to New York—and now, in particular, Minneapolis—have harassed and attacked ICE agents in order to forestall operations in their cities, which has led to innumerable confrontations, occasional injuries, and even deaths. Opponents of enforcing existing immigration laws, which clearly mandate the removal of those who have entered and remained in our country without permission, insist that their resistance is “constitutional” in all respects.

But is it?

The text of the 1st amendment reads as follows:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably [emphasis mine] to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.“

The founders of our nation, who were extraordinarily erudite thinkers and speakers, would be appalled at the civic ignorance of those blocking vehicles, setting fires, and vandalizing property in the misguided belief this violence somehow adds up to a peaceable petition for redress. Rather than working with their elected legislators to do the hard work to change laws they believe are unfair, these Americans choose to threaten the lives and safety of federal agents and their families—and encourage others to do so—both in person and on social media.

State and local elected officials also seem to have engaged in a highly selective reading of the United States Constitution—or simply choose to disregard that which impedes their ideological imperatives—because for many years they have engaged in magical thinking regarding their power to nullify federal laws they find objectionable. Having spent the past decade granting “sanctuary” to felons who have violated federal immigration laws, they seem blithely unconcerned that these actions are, in fact, blatantly unconstitutional.

The so-called “Supremacy Clause” of the Constitution reads as follows:

“This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.”

In simpler terms, States can neither pass laws nor pursue policies that are contrary to either the Constitution itself or laws passed by the federal government. As much as Leftist lawyers and judges might want it to be otherwise, federal laws supersede wishful thinking about their powers by a Governor, state legislator, Mayor, or city councilor. Prohibiting State and local police agencies, courts and other associated government entities from cooperating with federal agents is clearly and unmistakably unconstitutional.

Of course, those who dream of revolt always have one recourse, the 10th Amendment to the Constitution, which reads as follows:

“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

The banner of “States’ Rights” has, of course, been waved by every troublemaker and insurrectionist from the Southern slaveholders of the Civil War to a wide range of extremists on both the Left and Right that found democracy to be an inconvenient obstacle to their vision for a more perfect Union. It is troubling that Governors and Mayors in California, Illinois, New York, and Minnesota have aligned themselves with those who discourage dialogue and encourage aggression. Should this continue, we will be condemned to endless confrontation and an erosion in our belief in the good faith of government, which will reverberate through the resolutions of future economic, public safety, and national security challenges—no matter which of our political parties is in power.

Read the Constitution and remember: When you play with fire, everyone gets burned.