From: rpetty@mu.enet.dec.com (Rich Petty)
Subject: Re: U.S. Bill of Rights today (was alt.activism et al: Who's free'er)
Reply-To: rpetty@mu.enet.dec.com (Rich Petty)
Organization: Evans & Sutherland
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 16:58:56 GMT


|>Thus spake exukjb@exu.ericsson.se (ken bell): 
|>
|>>Yeah, take a look at the UN's Declaration on Human Rights to see a
|>specific 
|>>application of exceptive clauses in the specification of rights as a
|>matter 
|>>of policy -- "Such-and-such a right [freedom of speech, etc]", it
|>reads, "
|>>shall not be abridged, UNLESS.." the government deems it necessary in
|>|>>order to establish law, order, peace...". 
|>>
|>>No, uh uh.  Give me the absolute guarantees in the Bill of Rights 
|>>without exceptive clauses anytime, because remember, the purpose of
|>those 
|>>ammendments were to protect citizens' rights against encroachments
|>from the 
|>>state, and with such absolute guarantees, any right can be abrogated
|>in 
|>>the name of some ostensibly overriding good. "Let no more be heard of
|>the 
|>>power of man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the 
|>>Constitution. (TJ)" I dunno, call me an extremist. 
|>
|>	Really?
|>
|>		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.
|>
|>		REALITY I:
|>	Polygamy in the Mormon faith: Banned.
|>	Peyote use among the Native Americans: Banned.
|>	Satanic worship: Subjects the participants to potential sanctions
|>			 by the child protective services even if no laws
|>			 are violated.
|>	Religious influence on political structures: See the Republican
|>			 			     Platform.
|>	Establishment: Statement by the President (who is sworn to uphold
|>		       the Constitution) that atheists aren't citizens or
|>		       patriots; this is a Christian nation.
|>	Free Speech: Censorship of adult materials.
|>
|>		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.
|>
|>		REALITY II:
|>	This right exists.

I don't agree with this.  The U.S. government has been gradualy
restricting this right as
now certain weapons are illeagal to own: automatic weapons, assault
rifles etc. The 
reasoning being that there is no "sporting purpose" for these weapons. 
I beleive this
 amendment was written as a means for citizens to protect themselves
against an
opressive government. Right now any militia is seriously "under-gunned"
and stands
absolutly NO chance against  the military establisment. You can bet that
they will
have these weapons and more. 

|>
|>		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.
|>
|>		REALITY III:
|>	Emminent domain laws permit the Government to seize your property
|>and use it for any purpose they wish. They may not quarter soldiers in
|>you
|>home WITH you, but they MAY evict you THEN quarter them.
|>
|>		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.
|>
Thanks to the "war on drugs", which the government has been battling
forever and has
no chance, or intention of winning, most of our so-called rights have
become "privilages".
So what is the answer?

	
sig. under construction.........................
Xref: sparky alt.society.civil-liberty:5820 alt.politics.usa.constitution:130