Trashing the Bill of Rights: Where America Stands Now

I know, I know. It’s a Russian thing. When we’re about to do something stupid, we like to catalog the full extent of our stupidity for future reference.– Susan Ivanova, Babylon 5

Perhaps I have some Russian blood in me. Even though I’m not particularly a fan of the US Constitution (I would have come down on the side of the Anti-Federalists), I still say it’s time to take a moment and catalog what has happened to America.

I am under no impression that this is going to wake people up, by the way. Most Americans just don’t want to know. In fact, they pay people to tell them that everything is okay and that the people who complain are crazy, stupid, losers, or conspiracy believers.

Still, I want to catalog the extent of the current stupidity for the next generation – and to kill the lie that no one from my generation “saw it coming.”

Whatever our opinion of the US Constitution, it has clearly been the standard of reference in America and the trashing of this document matters for the future of the American people.

So, I will briefly explain what has happened to each of the ten amendments which make up the crucial section of the US Constitution: the Bill of Rights.

1st 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.

This one has been voided repeatedly and on many fronts. Here are just a few examples:

And there are many more instances. You have free speech only until you reach the end of your leash.

2nd 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.

More or less all levels of the US government (along with their sycophants) are openly at war with the right of the people to bear arms. I won’t bother itemizing anything here.

3rd 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.

So far as I know, this one hasn’t been trashed yet. (There really is no need these days.)

4th 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.

And what are our “papers”? That HAS TO include emails, which took over from “papers” very directly.

The US government, on almost every level, has become a full-blown surveillance state, far beyond the Statsi’s wildest dreams. The National Security Agency alone spends billions of dollars per year to directly violate the 4th amendment. It’s not even close.

Most people have seen the stories of whistleblowersNSA rooms at AT&T, and covert agents admitting it all. Those who want to know, know.

These organizations hide behind dozens of laws, stacked one upon another, but it’s all complication and misdirection: The right of people to be secure in their papers (correspondence) is plain. And this amendment is purposely trashed on a daily basis.

5th 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 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.

There are too many trashings to be mentioned here. But we can start with the President of the United States killing US citizens with no trial, and then defending his right to do so.

We could go on with the standard police tactic of intimidating people until they testify against themselves, and much more.

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