A tip of the hat to The Clash and their 1982 ditty that is as relevant today as it was when it was first released.
The song “Know Your Rights” was not the inspiration for a recent webinar hosted by Congressional representatives Sara Jacobs and Juan Vargas, and Jewish Family Service but it would have been appropriate background music.
“It is more important than ever that everyone knows and understands these [constitutional] rights,” Vargas said. “The Trump has unleashed an anti-immigrant agenda in our country that is really unprecedented.”
But the beauty and comfort of these rights is that they apply to every person in this country regardless of their immigration status, who they are or what they are doing.
Whether they are protesting school districts for teaching diversity and acceptance;
Speaking out against life saving vaccines;
Demonstrating against women and their right to healthcare and autonomy;
Planning and ultimately participating in an attempted overthrow of the United States government when their preferred presidential candidate loses;
Committing fraud;
Or even sexually assaulting a woman, the following rights are guaranteed.
• The right to remain silent. The Constitution’s 5th amendment provides individual’s with the right not to incriminate themselves.
• The Constitution’s 4th amendment protects people against unlawful searches and seizures.
• The 6th amendment affords an individual in a criminal proceeding the right to legal counseling.
These are just a few of the rights available to people in this country. Just like some of the people cited in the previous examples, individuals who are in this country without the proper paperwork, minding their own business and going about their daily lives in school or at their job are entitled to the same rights.
It can be difficult and scary when coming into contact with authority, but this country’s guiding legal document grants everyone certain rights. Know them. Now more than ever.
