210th Anniversary of the Bill of Rights, a Document that Guarantees Freedom

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NEWS FROM THE SECOND AMENDMENT SISTERS
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 15, 2001
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THE BILL OF RIGHTS IS 210 YEARS OLD!

On December 15, 1791 the Bill of Rights was ratified. On December 15, 1791 the concept of FREEDOM became a guaranteed benefit for the Citizens of the United States of America.

The Constitution of the United States of America was adopted in 1787, only after the promise was made that there would be a Bill of Rights added to it. The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to the Constitution and were all ratified at one time.

The Bill of Rights enumerates, or lists, rights that belong to the people, to ALL people. Every human being has the rights that are listed in our Bill of Rights. Our Creator endows these basic human rights, whether you believe your Creator is God or your parents. Sadly, the FREEDOM to exercise these rights depends upon where you live in the world.

In the United States of America we have the FREEDOM to exercise our rights thanks to the Bill of Rights! The Constitution is a set of rules for the government. Amendments to the Constitution set forth more rules for the government to follow, or changes rules already in place. The Bill of Rights was so named as it guarantees that the government may not take away the rights of the people. The Bill of Rights guarantee of Freedom is what makes the United States of America unique in the world.

The United States of America was created because people desired Freedom. The United States of America continues because people still desire Freedom. Freedom has cost us dearly over the course of our history. From the first shots at Lexington and Concord right up to this very minute in Afghanistan, Americans are putting their lives in jeopardy in the name of preserving Freedom.

The United State of America means “Freedom” to many peoples throughout the world. It is this Freedom that attracts many people to our country. It is also this Freedom that stirs evil in the hearts of Freedom Haters. For whatever reason, the Freedom Haters fear losing their power. Many people in positions of power in this world hate the concept of Freedom. Since the USA stands for Freedom, they hate the USA. On September 11th the Freedom Haters struck the USA at home.

Those people that were killed on September 11th died not because they were in the military fighting in a foreign land, they died because they lived and worked in a land where they were free to do so.

Mostly, they had no choice in the matter, they were just doing what they did every Tuesday. They were free to choose what to have for breakfast that morning. They were free to choose their method of transportation that morning. They were free to travel from their homes to their jobs, free to stop for a cup of coffee on their way to work or to their flight. They were free to talk to whomever they wanted to, about whatever they wanted to. They were free to read a newspaper or listen to the radio that morning, free to learn whatever interested them. Freedom is a dangerous concept for those who would rule over others.

These ordinary people on an ordinary Tuesday had no idea that they would die for our Freedom. Indeed, most did not even know that the United States of America was under attack. However, those people on Flight 93, those ordinary everyday people just going about their day, made an extraordinary decision. The Heroes of Flight 93 made the decision to take the chance and fight back against the terrorists, for they already knew the fate of at least two other hijacked flights.

The USA was being attacked because we have Freedom, the people who died on September 11th died because we have Freedom.

The Bill of Rights is what gives the citizens of the United States of America the FREEDOM to exercise the rights all humans have. Please take a moment this week and remember just how precious a document the Bill of Rights is, and how it affects our everyday life.

Documentary History of the Bill of Rights

From link "Debates on the Bill of Rights, House of Representatives, ":
Madison:
"In our Government it is, perhaps, less necessary to guard against the abuse in the Executive Department than any other; because it is not the stronger branch of the system, but the weaker: It therefore must be levelled against the Legislative, for it is the most powerful, and most likely to be abused, because it is under the least control. Hence, so far as a declaration of rights can tend to prevent the exercise of undue power, it cannot be doubted but such declaration is proper. ...
It has been said, by way of objection to a bill of rights, by many respectable gentlemen out of doors, and I find opposition on the same principles likely to be made by gentlemen on this floor, that they are unnecessary articles of a Republican Government, upon the presumption that the people have those rights in their own hands, and that is the proper place for them to rest. It would be a sufficient answer to say, that this objection lies against such provisions under the State Governments, as well as under the General Government; and there are, I believe, but few gentlemen who are inclined to push their theory so far as to say that a declaration of rights in those cases is either ineffectual or improper. It has been said, that in the Federal Government they are unnecessary, because the powers are enumerated, and it follows, that all that are not granted by the Constitution are retained; that the Constitution is a bill of powers, the great residuum being the rights of the people; and, therefore, a bill of rights cannot be so necessary as if the residuum was thrown into the hands of the Government. I admit that these arguments are not entirely without foundation; but they are not conclusive to the extent which has been supposed. It is true, the powers of the General Government are circumscribed, they are directed to particular objects; but even if Government keeps within those limits, it has certain discretionary powers with respect to the means, which may admit of abuse to a certain extent, in the same manner as the powers of the State Governments under their constitutions may to an indefinite extent; because in the Constitution of the United States, there is a clause granting to Congress the power to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution all the powers vested in the Government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof; this enables them to fulfil every purpose for which the Government was established. Now, may not laws be considered necessary and proper by Congress, for it is for them to judge of the necessity and propriety to accomplish those special purposes which they may have in contemplation, which laws in themselves are neither necessary nor proper; as well as improper laws could be enacted by the State Legislatures, for fulfilling the more extended objects of those Governments. I will state an instance, which I think in point, and proves that this might be the case. The General Government has a right to pass all laws which shall be necessary to collect its revenue; the means for enforcing the collection are within the direction of the Legislature: may not general warrants be considered necessary for this purpose, as well as for some purposes which it was supposed at the framing of their constitutions the State Governments had in view? If there was reason for restraining the State Governments from exercising this power, there is like reason for restraining the Federal Government. ...
It has been objected also against a bill of rights, that, by enumerating particular exceptions to the grant of power, it would disparage those rights which were not placed in that enumeration; and it might follow, by implication, that those rights which were not singled out, were intended to be assigned into the hands of the General Government, and were consequently insecure. This is one of the most plausible arguments I have ever heard urged against the admission of a bill of rights into this system; but, I conceive, that it may be guarded against. I have attempted it, as gentlemen may see by turning to the last clause of the fourth resolution. "

BTW: the original Second Amendment:
"The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; a well armed and well regulated militia being the best security of a free country: but no person religiously scrupulous of bearing arms shall be compelled to render military service in person. "

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