Expert: Roberto Gomes - 8/28/2006

Question
After the recent foiling of the plot to blow up aircraft flying out of Heathrow, my question is this. Who is screening the screeners? Or airport employees in general? That is, how do we know that baggage handlers or catering employees can't plant a bomb on a plane? Doesn't it sound like something that should be dealt with?

Answer
Dear Tushar,

One country's Constitution was the first ever written by a truly free people to provide ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’ for itself and its heirs. The means to this end was created by the establishment of a Republic to be governed as a representative democracy by men and women, elected in free elections offering voters meaningful choices. It is those elected who then bear the responsibility to govern nations and guard the Constitution as trustees for the people. That makes them the primary guardians of the Constitution.

However in ancient Roman times a wise Senator called Juventus had raised a question to which he gave no answer. That question was: Quid custodit ipsos custodes? Which is Latin for: Who shall guard the guardians themselves? The concern Juventus raised was that of finding someone to guard the elected Guardians of the Constitution themselves, in order to prevent them from violating and undermining the Constitution in their own interest.

Edmunde Burke, a famous British statesman, said: Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.

These are the principles that any nation must recognize if it wishes to restore the freedom and constitutional government that some professions had stolen from it.

Somebody has to guard the World`s Constituitions. We must pray everyday for God to help us. And practice eternal vigilance.

Best Regards,
R. Gomes