IV – Know

Bill of Rights Anniversary September 25, 1789

The United States Declaration of Independence excerpt: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Important US Dates to Commemorate ]

The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States begins: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” (Read the Presidential Proclamation: Constitution Week.)

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The first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution comprise the Bill of Rights. Passed by Congress on September 25, 1789, these God-bestowed civil rights (that are “self-evident truths,” that “provide for the common defence,” are “the Blessings of Liberty,” and are “unalienable Rights” endowed by our Creator) place strict limitations on government power over American citizens.

The White House Launches “America Prays” Initiative

In his speech at Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC, September 8, 2025, President Trump emphasized the enduring role of faith in America’s identity, highlighted his administration’s defense of faith-based values, and reaffirmed his commitment to protecting Americans’ religious freedoms.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Report: US Government “Weaponized Its Full Weight Against Christians” 2021–2024 ]

The President also launched the America Prays initiative—a call for Americans to unite in prayer for the nation’s strength, peace, and prosperity leading up to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. The initiative challenges one million Americans to join with at least 10 people they know to dedicate one hour a week to pray for America and its citizens.

Report: US Government “Weaponized Its Full Weight Against Christians” 2021–2024

“A review of federal departments and agencies revealed a consistent and systematic pattern of discrimination against Christians during the [years 2021 to 2024],” summarizes the US Department of Justice’s 49-page Initial Report by the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias. “Where there should have been ‘equal justice under law’ there was unequal treatment—policies and practices that singled out Christian people, Christian houses of worship, and Christian convictions for disfavored treatment.”

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This “initial assessment of the harm caused when religious liberty is denied” is the first outcome of President Trump’s February 6, 2025, Executive Order, Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias, his mandate to “ensure that any unlawful and improper conduct, policies, or practices that target Christians are identified, terminated, and rectified.”

FBI: Reported Crime Statistics in America for 2024

A violent crime occurred in the United States, on average, every 25.9 seconds in 2024, according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program of over 14 million criminal offenses reported by more than 16,000 participating law enforcement agencies and analyzed by the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer.

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On average, a murder occurred every 31.1 minutes and a rape occurred every 4.1 minutes. Violent crimes include murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault; property crimes include burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Chart: The Spectrum of Potential Threat Personas in Self-Defense and Church Security ]

Just under 73% of the persons arrested in the nation during 2024 were males. They accounted for 78.7% of persons arrested for violent crime and 65.6% of persons arrested for property crime.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, A List of Active Killer Incidents at Houses of Worship and Religious Schools ]

In 2024, 65.5% of all persons arrested were White, 30.5% were Black or African American, and the remaining 4.1% were of other races.