Bill of Rights you say...
I'd love to break each down with recent examples of how much water those rights seem to hold lately but I'm tired and for now I'll digress and instead just post the Bill of Rights as a refresher for those of our community that is a little foggy on the topic. Perhaps I'll revisit the discussion later to provide examples of each that might raise an eyebrow or two but for now-
Bill of Rights Amendments
First Amendment
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
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
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
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
No person shall be held to answer for a 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 offense 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
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 wherein 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
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 reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
Eighth Amendment
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
Ninth Amendment
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Tenth Amendment
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.
So that's where we started after the war for our independence concluded and was ratified by Congress on December 15, 1791. Kind of wild to me that I still to this day remember that date.
I don't care to look up/fact check myself but if I remember correctly the Bill of Rights was supposed to be 12 amendments as opposed to 10 (I can already hear George Carlin's stand up on how '10 sounds official') But if I recall correctly, I'm sure I'll be called out if I'm wrong- one of the amendments that didn't make the cut related to how communities outside of the cities were represented in Congress and the other was dealt with Congress not being able to give themselves pay raises. Please don't take that as doctrine/fact- just going off of memory in this regard and if I'm wrong, then I'm wrong and I'm ok with that.
Last thing I'll include- and I will copy & paste this one because some of us were required to memorize this speech in elementary school so I wanted to make sure I got this right but on November 19, 1863 (not even 100 years after the Bill of Rights became part of our national fabric) we had another controversial political that delivered a 2 minute speech that we're still talking about over 150 years later...
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
-Abraham Lincoln
I'll leave you with that because we talk about this over 150 years later, and this was delivered not even 100 years into our nation's history and if anyone has any reasonable understanding of US history and what transpired at Gettysburg, maybe that'll help temper our current angst with our political climate when put into perspective of what was being discussed/dealt with nationally 160+ years ago.
If anyone wants to point out errors in my recollection- feel free to. If anyone wants to start sharing recent examples of where the Bill of Rights didn't deliver as advertised- well please feel free to share those examples too.
-LD