We take all this for granted, but it flies in the face of human nature. Usually once a week or so I have to answer a reader who rails about an opinion published on these pages. Nearly always, the reader wishes this newspaper would not print such things. And nearly always, the offending opinion merely expressed a point of view with which the reader disagreed.

If the First Amendment didn't exist, the nation would be significantly different. Every president in recent memory has tried hard to manipulate information and control the spin on its message. President Barack Obama, for example, recently arranged for someone from the Huffington Post to attend a press conference and ask a question.

And because of a free press, I can write about that and not worry about reprisals.

I've always felt it was significant that, while Americans argue endlessly over the meaning of the Constitution — over original intent versus the unique needs of current times — virtually nobody, other than some on the fringes, advocates scuttling the Constitution and writing a new one.

The United States isn't perfect. The occupation of Iraq included the abuse at the Abu Ghraib, politicians routinely violate trusts, criminals abuse others and leave a trail of helpless victims.

But the beacon still glows bright. That's worth remembering this weekend, and always.

Jay Evensen is editor of the Deseret News edito?rial page. E-mail: even@desnews.com. Visit his blog at www.deseretnews.com/blogs.