Some of my thoughts...

Rights..that makes me think about a lot of stuff. What is a right? How dearly do you hold them to you? I look at a country like Pre-war Afghanistan. Women virtually have no rights. Men have little to no rights. Either you're a Muslim, or you're dead. Either you fight for the Jihad, or you're dead. Support the Taliban, or you're dead. Gee, really great rights there--and everyone says the United States is so bad. Are we forced to support our President? Of course not, and you have the right to speak out against him.

Some people ask me why I joined the military--especially when Bush is in office and we're going to war with Iraq--and they're usually against it. Do you know what I say to them, especially when they start protesting against Bush, or whoever may be in office, whatever? I say this: So you can say what you just did--because I'm supporting and defending your constitutional rights.

One should feel so blessed that they have these rights and freedoms, and if they don't, I offer them to calmly leave this country. They have that right, too.


Amendment I
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.

Even though the fathers of this country believed so strongly in God, and his will (ie: Manifest Destiny), they granted the freedom of religion. You don't have to believe in the same entity as them. You can be a Muslim, Jew, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu--whatever--and still live in the great country that is the United States of America. I can't say the same for Germany during World War II, with the Jews being stripped of their rights and freedoms, not being able to believe in what they felt so strongly about. Or perhaps the citizens of Afghanistan, as I earlier mentioned. Women being raped and shot in public. I guess they have a right--the right to death.

You all have the freedom of speech, which I also touched on. You're protected to say whatever you want. You can speak out all you want against this country, and still have the right to live here like a normal person. That sounds like quite a bargain, to me. In a lot of other countries, you'd be executed for it.

The freedom to peaceably assemble. You can protest businesses, or anything you want that you don't like. Another thing you'd be executed for in another country. Every citizen has the right to stand out in front of military installations, in front of armed guards, and protest right there--and not be shot for it. Wow, that's quite a valuable right.

The right to petition the government for a redress of grievances. I think that one pretty much explains itself. You can't get in trouble for taking up your beef with the government. That's pretty amazing, I think.


Amendment II
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.


A militia. Not the police, not the National Guard, but a militia. Necessary to the security of a free state. Does anyone know why the forefathers fled England? To escape persecution. They knew what was going on, and they had the better sense to get out of there before things got worse. They knew it was wrong what the King was doing. But obviously, they knew that arms were necessary to protect themselves from that, and that proved true during the Revolutionary War, when England tried to come and lay the smack down. We stood up for what we believed in, and because of arms, you all have the rights that you have today. In 16th century England, you'd be killed for speaking out against the King. We are a free state, because we have the right and tools to protect it and our rights.


Amendment III
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.

So, even though our military sacrifices their lives to protect you, your rights, and your country--you can choose to NOT lodge them in your home. Brothers, cousins, sisters, fathers, friends may be dying for you, but you have the right to say that you don't want them to stay in your home. Wow.


Amendment IV
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.

This is one right that people feel quite adamant about. You're protected from the police storming into your house and looting through your stuff. And if an officer does in fact have probable cause, that cause is resting on his career. But you know, if we weren't armed, and had the right to protect this right--as well as our homes--police, government, whoever would see fit to just waltz into your house and go through everything and anything they want, whenever they feel free to do so. Just as the Nazis did to the Jewish population.


Amendment V
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.

So in a country like, say, Pakistan, your hand is cut off for stealing. No chance to defend your story, no chance for an investigation, nothing at all. You're promised the right of due process of law. You do have the right to have an investigation done, and not be judge or convicted on the spot. You also don't have to testify against yourself. Another right I'm sure a lot of you feel strong about.

And that's only the first five. I don't know about you, but those rights mean a lot to me, and they wouldn't be here unless we had the right to protect them--which we do. And it seems that some people want to strip us of that right.

Someone mentioned earlier, that the only reason the Japanese didn't attack us on land, was because they knew how well armed the American people were. They wanted to kill us and take our rights and country--but knew better, because we were ready to fight for them.

One thing that separates the U.S. from other countries in the world is the way it stresses the [b]individual[/b].  As you point out, this is what all the amendments are about.  It may sound silly to some of you but even Canada, where I grew up, is worlds away from the U.S. (well, except for maybe CA and MA[:D]).

Welcome to ARFCOM!

Danny

Thanks :)

Yes, Welcome! and thanks for your service to our country!

Welcome, new friend!

I'm waiting for your thoughts on the rest of the Bill of Rights.

Welcome.

Welcome son.  And yes, I'm old enough to be your Father or maybe your GrandFather.  

Everyone, no matter where they live, has these rights. Government NEVER gives rights - it only prevents them from being exercised.

Those people have the same rights, they will just be killed for exercising them.

Thanks for the warm welcomes

And I'll get to the rest of them here soon :D