HUNTER SMITH / THE EXPRESS Rural mail carrier turned author, Peter Serefine, poses with his new book, “Trust Shattered: Cases of Government Betrayal” April 24.

BELLEFONTE — “Every member of the State ought diligently to read and to study the constitution of his country, and teach the rising generation to be free. By knowing their rights, they will sooner perceive when they are violated and be better prepared to defend and assert them,” wrote John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the United States and author of five of the Federalist Papers.

Author and political analyst, Peter Serefine, opens his newest work, “Trust Shattered: Cases of Government Betrayal,” with this quote to underscore what he hopes this book will do — illuminate the ways in which the government has repeatedly betrayed its sacred promise to protect the unalienable rights of its citizens.

Known for his critical examination of the United States’ political landscape, Serefine’s fourth book, which debuts May 1, delves into the intricate dynamics of government actions and their impact on the fabric of democracy. His book analyzes several instances where the government has failed to uphold the inalienable rights of life, liberty and property described by Enlightenment political philosopher John Locke, whose ideas famously influenced the drafting of the Declaration of Independence.

The book is broken into three parts with each exploring infringements by the state against the three rights that Locke enumerates. Part one, “Betrayed Bodies,” explores the government’s use of unauthorized human trials and the decay of the right to life; “Betrayed Liberties,” the book’s second act, analyzes the effects of the erosion of Americans’ civil liberties; and “Betrayed Estates” highlights the ways that Americans’ rights to own property have been curtailed.

Through a series of detailed case studies, “Trust Shattered” invites readers to question, engage and demand more from those elected to serve the public interest. The book touches on verifiable historical events and government practices like the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, Japanese internment and gun control to highlight how the country has strayed from what the Founders intended.

Serefine says he hopes that the book will be shared across the political divide, fostering discussions that can lead to understanding and change.

“If you’re like me, and you’re already skeptical of the government, and maybe you even know some, or most, of these stories… hopefully you’ll learn something from it,” said Serefine, “but if you don’t think like I do, once you finish reading it, I want you to hopefully at least understand where I’m coming from.”

Serefine decided to begin writing about politics during President Obama’s second term in office after some states expanded abortion access into the third trimester of pregnancy.

“What pushed me over the line was New York and Virginia both passed their new abortion laws, where they completely eliminated the cut off of when you could have an abortion,” said Serefine.

“Abortion is bad enough, but I mean on the way to the hospital? Having the baby and then deciding you don’t want that baby? That’s a little late in my opinion.”

While it is true that New York’s abortion laws allow abortions after 24 weeks, there are rules guiding that procedure. The Reproductive Health Act mandates “the patient is within twenty-four weeks from the commencement of pregnancy, or there is an absence of fetal viability, or the abortion is necessary to protect the patient’s life or health” and that a medical professional makes a “reasonable and good faith professional judgment based on the facts of the patient’s case.” In the case of Virginia, third trimester abortions are prohibited, except when continuing the pregnancy poses an imminent danger to the woman’s life, as certified by three physicians.

“It wasn’t the abortion issue itself. That was just a symbol to me… When they pushed that line off the cliff where it didn’t even exist anymore, I felt like I needed to do something. So I wrote my first book. It was the first thing I ever wrote to be published. I’d never even written a letter to the editor prior to that,” said Serefine, who says his writing is designed to be accessible to average Americans like himself.

Serefine is both a certified instructor for the Institute on the Constitution and a Patriot Academy Constitution coach. Though he is not an academic, he is a dedicated advocate of constitutional education and a self-proclaimed constitutional originalist.

“I really think that the government that was established by our Constitution was the best government ever established by mankind. And I think most, if not all, of the problems of our government today stem from ignoring the limits of the Constitution, and if we can find a way to get back to it, we might be able to save our republic to last another 250 years,” he said.

In celebration of the launch, Serefine is hosting an exclusive meet & greet and book signing event at My Cafe Buzz, located at 325 W. High St., Bellefonte, PA, on May 5 at 10 a.m. The book signing will offer an intimate opportunity for fans and newcomers alike to engage with the author. Attendees can expect to gain firsthand insights into the motivations behind the book, the research process, and the importance of staying informed and vigilant in today’s political climate.

“Trust Shattered” can be pre-ordered now at www.trustshattered.com/.