Most Americans have no idea their state has a constitution. They cannot name a single right it protects. Ask where their rights come from, and they will either plead the fifth or point to the federal Bill of Rights. What they do not know is that colonies first, then states, had declarations of rights before the federal government existed, often more expansive than anything the federal document would guarantee.

The Sierra Nevada of California are rugged and beautiful mountains, and they are located only about an hour east of my home in Roseville. We can see them on clear days and many times we have driven east to go snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, or taking in the scenery around Lake Tahoe.