by Diane Rufino

On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry delivered one of the most important speeches in our country's history. Attending a meeting of the Second Virginia Convention at St. John's Church in Richmond, Henry intended to present a proposal to organize a militia in every Virginia county. The Convention met at St. John's Church rather than the Capitol in Williamsburg because of opposition from England's Royal Governor Lord Dunmore and his Royal Marines.

The need for government, plain and simple, is because absolute freedom is impossible. However much we believe that freedom is the natural right of man, anarchy is not feasible in a world of evil and imperfect men. Governments, like those in the United States, are the intentional creations of free people. People mutually agree to transfer some of their rights to a governing body in order that they may live an ordered and more fruitful existence. Yes, they create governments so that liberty, in effect, can be enlarged. How is this possible? Consider how much freedom a person has who has to stay home to guard and protect his valuable property. He can't work successfully or travel freely. But police and fire departments can guard and protect his property on his behalf. In return, free people agree to be bound by the laws of government. And these laws, according to Natural law and natural rights, are specifically intended to prevent and punish bad conduct while promoting and rewarding good conduct.

Diane Rufino is a scientist and an attorney. She was born and raised in New Jersey and spent most of her life there. She got her B.S. from the University of Pennsylvania in Biochemistry, her M.S. in Pathology from Columbia University, and her law degree from Seton Hall University. Judge Andrew Napolitano, former NJ Superior Court judge and current FOX News Senior Legal Analyst, was her Constitutional Law professor. Diane knows DNA and she knows the Constitution. She is a leadership member of the Eastern NC Tea Party and Legislative Chair of the Republican Women of Pitt County. She writes often about the need to return to the productive values and principles that our Founding Fathers laid out for us. She stands for conservative and Christian values and believes what Patrick Henry told us: "The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people; It is an instrument for the people to restrain the government – lest it comes to dominate our lives and interests.” She strongly believes that if we continue to take God out of government, we will jeopardize the most precious of principles that our Founders gave us - that our rights come from God and as such, no government can take them away. Diane is married and has 4 wonderful children. It is because of them that she can put everything in life in proper perspective, including the importance of family, values, God, education, and love of country. They bring her joy and make her proud everyday.

Diane's blog sites: http://forloveofgodandcountry.wordpress.com
http://knowyourconstitution.wordpress.com