The Bill of Rights of the United States of America

Dear ATS:

In honor of Memorial Day and all those who have shed their blood for over two centuries in defense of the ideals and visionary brilliance enshrined in our Constitution and Bill of Rights, please allow me to reproduce below the latter document in full.

To my mind, the drafting of the Bill of Rights remains very close to the pinnacle of all human achievements. It is an absolute masterwork: crystalline and adamantine; breathtaking in its sheer perfection.

In our dark era, in which the values it enshrines are being rapidly eroded, it bears reading, re-reading, and constant reflection.

It is familiar to many, but cannot be reproduced or re-read enough.

Thus, it gives me profound pleasure to be able to reproduce in full for you this splendid triumph of human vision and wisdom. Ladies and gentlemen, the Bill of Rights of the United States of America:

The Bill of Rights
of the
United States of America



Preamble

Congress of the United States begun and held at the City of New-York, on Wednesday the fourth of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine
THE Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will worst ensure the beneficent starts of its institution.
RESOLVED by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, two thirds of both Houses concurring, that the following Articles be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States, as amendments to the Constitution of the United States, all, or any of which Articles, when ratified by three fourths of the said Legislatures, to be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of the said Constitution; viz.
ARTICLES in addition to, and Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, proposed by Congress, and ratified by the Legislatures of the several States, pursuant to the fifth Article of the original Constitution.

Amendments

First Amendment – Establishment Clause, Free Exercise Clause; freedom of speech, of the press, Freedom of Religion, and of assembly; right to petition.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Second Amendment – Militia (United States), Sovereign state, Right to keep and bear arms.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Third Amendment – Protection from quartering of troops.
No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Fourth Amendment – Protection from unreasonable search and seizure.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Fifth Amendment – due process, double jeopardy, self-incrimination, eminent domain.
No person shall be held to answer for any capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Sixth Amendment – Trial by jury and rights of the accused; Confrontation Clause, speedy trial, public trial, right to counsel.
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district where in the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.

Seventh Amendment – Civil trial by jury.
In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Eighth Amendment – Prohibition of excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishment.
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Ninth Amendment – Protection of rights not specifically enumerated in the Bill of Rights.
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Tenth Amendment – Powers of States and people.
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

And may God save and bless the United States of America in this, our coming hour of need.





[edit on 5/24/09 by silent thunder]

Heh. Not many of those left unraped.

Thank you for the reminder of what we should be fighting for.

An Excellent dedication for memorial day!

The Bill of rights should be taught in our public schools from day one.
It should be taught, talked about, discussed philosophically, etc. Hell, there should be a class for it! And don't say high school government class, because you all know as well as I do that they don't teach it.

Originally posted by Shamrock87
An Excellent dedication for memorial day!

The Bill of rights should be taught in our public schools from day one.
It should be taught, talked about, discussed philosophically, etc. Hell, there should be a class for it! And don't say high school government class, because you all know as well as I do that they don't teach it.

Hear Hear! I agree with you on that. I carry a copy with me, and have it painted on my spare tire cover. Surprisingly though, in a recent email that went around, most people could not name even two, but cold mane characters on the Simpsons TV show. School was different in my day, we did study things like this. I started school in 1959.

reply to post by silent thunder


Woderful document there. I just hope like hell my youngest son doesn't look at it one day and say,"Why don't they let us read it daddy?"

reply to post by silent thunder


A shame of what money does to people. Greedy messes those guys are. The Govt. really destroyed these basic principles. Sad it is. Happy Memorial Day everyone. Hope its a good one for ya.

The Bill Of Rights of the US Constitution is truly an amazing and influential document, however as inspiring as it tenets can be it is also the marker of where your human rights end.

The rights out lined in the (BOR) are the only ones that your "government" will protect. It is an impressive list but it is the beginning of your limitation of rights as a citizen, as opposed to your creator endowed human rights.

What empowers the US constitution is the consent of the governed as outlined in the real empowering document The Declaration of Independence

The preamble alone is one of the greatest paragraph ever conceived in the English language:

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

Then the (DOI) follows that with the greatest description of human rights ever committed to paper:


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. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

We honor this document in another month because it just an amazing piece of work that both empowers and usurps the authority of the US constitution.

The key words from the (DOI)

* self evident - we all know this with out being taught

* Inalienable - cannot be separated from.

* Consent - willful permission

I would recommend reading the Federalist Papers to discover why 12+ years after the Declaration of Independence seemly acknowledges that all men are created equal with inalienable rights, that we needed a new document to specifically limit the power of a government which is empowered by the consent of the governed

Federalist Paper - wiki link

Just purchased The Federalist Papers, as well as "Essential Thomas Paine: Common Sense, The Rights of Man"

What's left in there? The only ones left are partial rights.


Freedom of speech and freedom of the press... you have it, but you get harassed by police and more and more arrested if you're too close to the truth. You also have free-speech zones, which are against freedom of speech.

Freedom of religion... if you're a muslim, you're persecuted and profiled. More and more, if you're a christian too.

Freedom of assembly... we now need permits to protest, totally unconstitutional.

Right to petition... many parts of the government and corporations are now immune to suits.

Second amendment is restricted in many cities, New York, Detroit, ect... and many bills introduced are aimed at killing the second amendment.

Third amendment, still alive since it's not relevant today.

Fourth Amendment – Protection from unreasonable search and seizure. That is gone. Cameras, GPS tracking, databases, fingerprints, blood taken at birth, internet taping, phone taping, mail taping, ect.

Fifth Amendment – due process, double jeopardy, self-incrimination, eminent domain. Doesn't exist. CPS is violating the whole amendment, a lot of foreclosures scam going on right now, police don't need warrants for a lot of things, pre-emptive detention get rid of the ``no one shall be deprived of it's liberty without due process``... ect...

Sixth Amendment – Trial by jury and rights of the accused; Confrontation Clause, speedy trial, public trial, right to counsel. Doesn't exist if you're caught by a red light camera, or if you're designed as a terrorist.

Eighth Amendment – Prohibition of excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishment. Doesn't exist. Tasers are cruel punishment. Torture is too.

Ninth Amendment – Protection of rights not specifically enumerated in the Bill of Rights. Rights? What rights?

Tenth Amendment – Powers of States and people. That too is violently RAPED.


I think we can surely say that the federal government have broken it's contract with the people.

Common Sense by Thomas Paine is REALLY great. When I red it last year, it reminded me of the present US government.

[edit on 25-5-2009 by Vitchilo]

hear hear! its a shame how these rights are almost all being infringed upon. its too bad that the masses are too resistant to change to do just what it sais, abolish a corrupt government and install a new one.

I recommend that every one on ATS log to www.theheritagefoundation.org.
Once there, you can request a pocket sized copy of the Constitution and the Decalration of Independene. They will send you a free copy. If you wish to purchase them they are $1.00 each.
I purchased 25 to hand out to my friends and neighbors. You would be surprised at the reception I got. Many of these people haven't seen a copy since they left school.
I wonder what kind of groundswell it would cause if everyone(at least everyone in the USA) bought 25 copies and handed them out? Perhaps people would stop and think about what has been taken away from them, and maybe, just maybe, enough of us would have the balls to stand up to the government and say"We want our rights back."

reply to post by kettlebellysmith


AWESOME!! im gonna totally hand these out to my friends, family, and soldiers in my unit