Many of us are probably familiar with the early-20th century Russian fable about the scorpion and the frog.

To summarize, a scorpion wants to cross a river, but can’t swim. So it asks a frog to carry it across.

The frog knows it’s dangerous, but when the scorpion promises not to sting him, the frog reluctantly agrees.

About halfway across, the scorpion stings the frog, dooming them both.

With its dying breath, the frog asks the scorpion, “Why?”, to which the scorpion responds, “I couldn’t help myself. It’s my nature.”

Citizens should keep this in mind whenever government comes up with a scheme to threaten their constitutional rights, especially the people’s right to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly.

Even with assurances, one can never trust the government to keep its promise to protect those rights, because it’s in its nature to restrict them or take them away.

That’s why residents should........

© The Leader Herald