Even though many people don’t always realize what the Bill of Rights protects them from, to give up any is like a trick question. Some critical ones protect from any injustice that could take place in the government. The people living in the U.S. take many of them for granted, and have no clue what other people, who don’t have these rights protecting them, go through.
The first amendment, which is the freedom of religion, speech, press, and assembly, is one I wouldn’t give up. This amendment states that every person has a say in the government. They could speak out without worrying about being hurt or abused back. Also, they could practice whatever religion they want, rather than being prosecuted for worshipping differently. This amendment also means that, if we wanted to, we could petition against the government. To lose your voice in a country would be something I wouldn’t want to go through.
The fourth amendment, no unreasonable searches or seizures, is another part of the Bill of Rights I wouldn’t surrender. If authorities forcefully came into someone’s home without notice, it would be unjustifiable, and harmful to other people. If someone’s family member were taken for no reason, there would be nothing to protect his or her right except for this amendment. To be searched for no reason would cause an uproar, but without this right, there would be nothing we could do about it.
The eight amendment, no excessive bail or fines, or cruel and unusual punishments would be impossible to give up. If, say, a government official didn’t like you and you ended up in court, you could get anything from owing a monstrosity of money or a death sentence. To let go of that could mean anything might happen. Religious people might have staged a riot, and went to a court to be found guilty. Would they deserve to be harmed or beaten for something they believe in?
Amendment six, the “right to speedy, public, impartial trial with defense counsel, and right to cross-examine witnesses”, would be vital to get a say in something. In order to find the opposite side guilty, you would need to cross-examine, and try to stump them and prove your innocence. Also, if you finally had a trial months after something occurred, you may have a hard time defending yourself, especially if you aren’t allowed one.
Amendment 3, “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,” is the last one I would not relinquish. To have someone you don’t know come in and force themselves upon you is not only unjust to other people, but is also the government’s job to keep them somewhere that offers food and protection. It might also cause enemies to target a family for allowing someone in. If a soldier were also just pretending, it could also be a gamble with other people’s lives.
All things considered, these rights protect us. Without them, we wouldn’t be the free Americans we are today, and we certainly wouldn’t have the freedoms we should appreciate everyday we are in the U.S.A.
Friday, September 19, 2008
From Toast
The freedoms I cherish the most are the freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition, rights in criminal proceedings, and the right against unreasonable searches and seizures. The freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition is very important because people should be able to practice what ever religion they want without the government choosing for them. You should be able to say what you want in speech or in writing. I you don’t like something you should have the right to protest against it to get what you want. When you are accused of being a criminal, you should be able to get a fair hearing and be allowed a lawyer. If there is a witness, the witness should be allowed to defend you. You should be able to protect your privacy from the government and the police. They should not be allowed to do an unreasonable search of your property without a good reason.
One amendment I would take away is the one that states “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.” If the government had a good enough reason to put a soldier in a home or building, then they should be allowed to put him there. Another amendment I would give up is the right to bear arms. You don’t need a weapon in your home. When are you going to use it? If there is a robbery, the robber won’t have a weapon so you won’t need one. I you have a weapon at home it might just tempt you to use it for unnecessary causes. The last amendment I would take away is the amendment that states that all states can be independent to all others. This one isn’t important because we are the United States of America. I we are united then we don’t need different laws and different governments. We should all be ruled by the same government.
One amendment I would take away is the one that states “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.” If the government had a good enough reason to put a soldier in a home or building, then they should be allowed to put him there. Another amendment I would give up is the right to bear arms. You don’t need a weapon in your home. When are you going to use it? If there is a robbery, the robber won’t have a weapon so you won’t need one. I you have a weapon at home it might just tempt you to use it for unnecessary causes. The last amendment I would take away is the amendment that states that all states can be independent to all others. This one isn’t important because we are the United States of America. I we are united then we don’t need different laws and different governments. We should all be ruled by the same government.
From Mr. C.
September 17, 2008…221 years from the day our Constitution was born. We celebrate through a day called Constitution Day (I know so original right?). And of course everyone should be filled with glee and be gay about it, but not every amendment is completely necessary, or necessary at all. People are brainwashed to believe that our government is perfect and completely true at a young age, but it is not. In fact, it is my belief, and the belief of many others, that 5 of the amendments are unnecessary. These amendments are 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8. As I plan on proving, these amendments are not just or fair for the people and/or government.
Amendment 3, my favorite to argue against actually, is the right prohibiting the government to have troops in your home during peacetimes. Well, going back SPQR, if you were truly patriotic of your country you would let the troops sleep in your own bed, as I would. These men and women defend their countries, some by volunteer, and you won’t let them sleep in your room, well if you truly are an American, than you would let them be quartered in your house, if your not…one word of advise…LEAVE! That brings me to Amendment 4. Let us just say that your next store neighbor might have a nuclear bomb in his house, and you tell a police man while walking they might, the police man is then told by everyone else in the vicinity that he does also. But because of Amendment numero cuatro, they have to get a warrant. A warrant… to search a man’s house that may blow up all of Rhode Island, it has become that we will defend a man’s right, and risk thousands of others. If a police believes something is suspicious, than he should be allowed to search a house, and if you were a true American you would even cook him some dinner, and say thanks for doing his job. And now Amendment 5, this Amendment is long, but one part of it I believe to be unfair and very un-American. The fact that we can not be tried for the same thing twice is completely unjust. If I am tried for murder of my wife, and I am so called “guilty” but then they retrieve tape from a hidden camera in the room in which she was killed, but it has my next door neighbor Marie killing her. In that case I can’t be tried again; I would have to be tried for something else. And lawyers might complain that they could keep calling for another court case, well frankly I don’t care if you spend the rest pf your life trying the same man over and over again, and justice doesn’t mean easy folks.
Number six…the right to have a speedy, public, trial with a defense court, impartial trial, and cross-examination. Like number 5, I disagree with only a part of the Amendment, and I disagree with the fact that I have the right to a public trial and a speedy one. Again justice doesn’t mean easy or in this case fast. America shouldn’t be revolving around a faster court system, more of a just justice system. And sure you might have to wait for a trial, at least you are getting one, move to a Communism if you are unhappy, see what their court systems are like. And now number ocho, Amendment eight states that we have the right to no have excessive fines, bails and no cruel punishments. Let say if a town is really poor, and the crime rate is very high. The town can make money by making bail and fines higher, making the people richer along with the town. It all makes sense, crime would be unaffordable. And for the cruel punishments, if you kill someone, than you deserve horrible punishment, you kill someone; you kill yourself, so crime now becomes expensive and suicidal.
As you can see Amendment 3,4,5,6, and 8 are unnecessary, taking away the meaning of justice in our country. Our country was built on justice, freedom, and truth, and I expect all of us to preserve that, as Americans, as good people, and as freedom fighters.
Amendment 3, my favorite to argue against actually, is the right prohibiting the government to have troops in your home during peacetimes. Well, going back SPQR, if you were truly patriotic of your country you would let the troops sleep in your own bed, as I would. These men and women defend their countries, some by volunteer, and you won’t let them sleep in your room, well if you truly are an American, than you would let them be quartered in your house, if your not…one word of advise…LEAVE! That brings me to Amendment 4. Let us just say that your next store neighbor might have a nuclear bomb in his house, and you tell a police man while walking they might, the police man is then told by everyone else in the vicinity that he does also. But because of Amendment numero cuatro, they have to get a warrant. A warrant… to search a man’s house that may blow up all of Rhode Island, it has become that we will defend a man’s right, and risk thousands of others. If a police believes something is suspicious, than he should be allowed to search a house, and if you were a true American you would even cook him some dinner, and say thanks for doing his job. And now Amendment 5, this Amendment is long, but one part of it I believe to be unfair and very un-American. The fact that we can not be tried for the same thing twice is completely unjust. If I am tried for murder of my wife, and I am so called “guilty” but then they retrieve tape from a hidden camera in the room in which she was killed, but it has my next door neighbor Marie killing her. In that case I can’t be tried again; I would have to be tried for something else. And lawyers might complain that they could keep calling for another court case, well frankly I don’t care if you spend the rest pf your life trying the same man over and over again, and justice doesn’t mean easy folks.
Number six…the right to have a speedy, public, trial with a defense court, impartial trial, and cross-examination. Like number 5, I disagree with only a part of the Amendment, and I disagree with the fact that I have the right to a public trial and a speedy one. Again justice doesn’t mean easy or in this case fast. America shouldn’t be revolving around a faster court system, more of a just justice system. And sure you might have to wait for a trial, at least you are getting one, move to a Communism if you are unhappy, see what their court systems are like. And now number ocho, Amendment eight states that we have the right to no have excessive fines, bails and no cruel punishments. Let say if a town is really poor, and the crime rate is very high. The town can make money by making bail and fines higher, making the people richer along with the town. It all makes sense, crime would be unaffordable. And for the cruel punishments, if you kill someone, than you deserve horrible punishment, you kill someone; you kill yourself, so crime now becomes expensive and suicidal.
As you can see Amendment 3,4,5,6, and 8 are unnecessary, taking away the meaning of justice in our country. Our country was built on justice, freedom, and truth, and I expect all of us to preserve that, as Americans, as good people, and as freedom fighters.
From Magic Kitten Princess
Our rights are secured by the ten amendments in the Bill of Rights. Americans have the basic rights that ensure our freedom. Although perfect in its entirety, the Bill of Rights, if need be could be shortened to these five amendments: Amendments number one, four, five, six, eight, and nine.
It is important to retain the amendment for free speech, press and protest. It gives the people the right to express themselves. Also, when posed with a threat to their freedom from a tyrannical government, the people have the rights to meet with their peers and discuss the issue freely along with protesting the unfair acts. This amendment helps defend freedom.
It is more important, in my opinion, than amendment number two. Amendment two gives citizens the right to bear arms and to have a militia. Although important, the ability to protest can be more effective than trying to kill the opponent.
Once again, amendment number three is important, but life can continue without it. First of all, not many wars have been fought on American soil, so I would not worry about a soldier demanding refuge in your home. It is more important to protect a civil right than housing a soldier.
Amendment number four is extremely important because it guarantees us the right to keep our possessions that rightfully belong to us. This amendment can help filter propaganda because the internet, television, and the telephone cannot be taken from us. These tools can help us20communicate with others far away and globalize us. We could not be cut off from the world with these tools.
Amendments five and six deal with court processes. They guarantee us the right to a fair, quick trial. They also provide the basis for innocent until proven guilty. They ensure us that we cannot be wrongly imprisoned under any circumstance. They give us the rights to lawyers, impartial jury members, and witnesses.
Although amendment number seven deals with court process as well, pertaining to the prosecution, it is less important than five and six. Those two make sure that we can not be wrongly imprisoned. Even though it is important to be able to sue, it is more important to be defended properly.
Eight is crucial to avoid torture and only have legal and just punishments. Torture is unacceptable by any means. This amendment protects our right to be defended properly along with five and six.
Amendment number nine is for those literal people that try to make life just a little harder. Just in case anyone is a little to literal and thinks that the rights not listed here are not given, this amendment says otherwise. This can prevent future dictators from manipulating our rights and eventually conquering us.
Ten is also important, but I will be honest that because I could only choose five to keep, and ten is my sixth most important, it has been eliminated by default. It is basically like number nine for the sta tes instead of the people. Yes, it is very important that the states don’t get manipulated by those legal sharks, but not as important as some of the other amendments.
It is important to retain the amendment for free speech, press and protest. It gives the people the right to express themselves. Also, when posed with a threat to their freedom from a tyrannical government, the people have the rights to meet with their peers and discuss the issue freely along with protesting the unfair acts. This amendment helps defend freedom.
It is more important, in my opinion, than amendment number two. Amendment two gives citizens the right to bear arms and to have a militia. Although important, the ability to protest can be more effective than trying to kill the opponent.
Once again, amendment number three is important, but life can continue without it. First of all, not many wars have been fought on American soil, so I would not worry about a soldier demanding refuge in your home. It is more important to protect a civil right than housing a soldier.
Amendment number four is extremely important because it guarantees us the right to keep our possessions that rightfully belong to us. This amendment can help filter propaganda because the internet, television, and the telephone cannot be taken from us. These tools can help us20communicate with others far away and globalize us. We could not be cut off from the world with these tools.
Amendments five and six deal with court processes. They guarantee us the right to a fair, quick trial. They also provide the basis for innocent until proven guilty. They ensure us that we cannot be wrongly imprisoned under any circumstance. They give us the rights to lawyers, impartial jury members, and witnesses.
Although amendment number seven deals with court process as well, pertaining to the prosecution, it is less important than five and six. Those two make sure that we can not be wrongly imprisoned. Even though it is important to be able to sue, it is more important to be defended properly.
Eight is crucial to avoid torture and only have legal and just punishments. Torture is unacceptable by any means. This amendment protects our right to be defended properly along with five and six.
Amendment number nine is for those literal people that try to make life just a little harder. Just in case anyone is a little to literal and thinks that the rights not listed here are not given, this amendment says otherwise. This can prevent future dictators from manipulating our rights and eventually conquering us.
Ten is also important, but I will be honest that because I could only choose five to keep, and ten is my sixth most important, it has been eliminated by default. It is basically like number nine for the sta tes instead of the people. Yes, it is very important that the states don’t get manipulated by those legal sharks, but not as important as some of the other amendments.
From Q
Our rights are secured by the ten amendments in the Bill of Rights. Americans have the basic rights that ensure our freedom. Although perfect in its entirety, the Bill of Rights, if need be could be shortened to these five amendments: Amendments number one, four, five, six, eight, and nine.
It is important to retain the amendment for free speech, press and protest. It gives the people the right to express themselves. Also, when posed with a threat to their freedom from a tyrannical government, the people have the rights to meet with their peers and discuss the issue freely along with protesting the unfair acts. This amendment helps defend freedom.
It is more important, in my opinion, than amendment number two. Amendment two gives citizens the right to bear arms and to have a militia. Although important, the ability to protest can be more effective than trying to kill the opponent.
Once again, amendment number three is important, but life can continue without it. First of all, not many wars have been fought on American soil, so I would not worry about a soldier demanding refuge in your home. It is more important to protect a civil right than housing a soldier.
Amendment number four is extremely important because it guarantees us the right to keep our possessions that rightfully belong to us. This amendment can help filter propaganda because the internet, television, and the telephone cannot be taken from us. These tools can help us20communicate with others far away and globalize us. We could not be cut off from the world with these tools.
Amendments five and six deal with court processes. They guarantee us the right to a fair, quick trial. They also provide the basis for innocent until proven guilty. They ensure us that we cannot be wrongly imprisoned under any circumstance. They give us the rights to lawyers, impartial jury members, and witnesses.
Although amendment number seven deals with court process as well, pertaining to the prosecution, it is less important than five and six. Those two make sure that we can not be wrongly imprisoned. Even though it is important to be able to sue, it is more important to be defended properly.
Eight is crucial to avoid torture and only have legal and just punishments. Torture is unacceptable by any means. This amendment protects our right to be defended properly along with five and six.
Amendment number nine is for those literal people that try to make life just a little harder. Just in case anyone is a little to literal and thinks that the rights not listed here are not given, this amendment says otherwise. This can prevent future dictators from manipulating our rights and eventually conquering us.
Ten is also important, but I will be honest that because I could only choose five to keep, and ten is my sixth most important, it has been eliminated by default. It is basically like number nine for the sta tes instead of the people. Yes, it is very important that the states don’t get manipulated by those legal sharks, but not as important as some of the other amendments.
It is important to retain the amendment for free speech, press and protest. It gives the people the right to express themselves. Also, when posed with a threat to their freedom from a tyrannical government, the people have the rights to meet with their peers and discuss the issue freely along with protesting the unfair acts. This amendment helps defend freedom.
It is more important, in my opinion, than amendment number two. Amendment two gives citizens the right to bear arms and to have a militia. Although important, the ability to protest can be more effective than trying to kill the opponent.
Once again, amendment number three is important, but life can continue without it. First of all, not many wars have been fought on American soil, so I would not worry about a soldier demanding refuge in your home. It is more important to protect a civil right than housing a soldier.
Amendment number four is extremely important because it guarantees us the right to keep our possessions that rightfully belong to us. This amendment can help filter propaganda because the internet, television, and the telephone cannot be taken from us. These tools can help us20communicate with others far away and globalize us. We could not be cut off from the world with these tools.
Amendments five and six deal with court processes. They guarantee us the right to a fair, quick trial. They also provide the basis for innocent until proven guilty. They ensure us that we cannot be wrongly imprisoned under any circumstance. They give us the rights to lawyers, impartial jury members, and witnesses.
Although amendment number seven deals with court process as well, pertaining to the prosecution, it is less important than five and six. Those two make sure that we can not be wrongly imprisoned. Even though it is important to be able to sue, it is more important to be defended properly.
Eight is crucial to avoid torture and only have legal and just punishments. Torture is unacceptable by any means. This amendment protects our right to be defended properly along with five and six.
Amendment number nine is for those literal people that try to make life just a little harder. Just in case anyone is a little to literal and thinks that the rights not listed here are not given, this amendment says otherwise. This can prevent future dictators from manipulating our rights and eventually conquering us.
Ten is also important, but I will be honest that because I could only choose five to keep, and ten is my sixth most important, it has been eliminated by default. It is basically like number nine for the sta tes instead of the people. Yes, it is very important that the states don’t get manipulated by those legal sharks, but not as important as some of the other amendments.
From Evil McNuggets
The freedoms that our Bill of Rights gives the people of America are cherished throughout the country. However, the five Amendments that I cherish most are the First, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, and Ninth Amendments. It would be complete insanity to give up any of our valued rights, but the Amendments I believe are still important, but not quite up to the same importance as the others, are the Second, Third, Fourth, Seventh, and Tenth Amendments. Without the Bill of Rights our country would be in ruins and the Government would ruthlessly control us. Without the Bill of Rights we might as well be speaking with a British accent, asking someone to pass the tea.
In the First Amendment, it states that the people of America have freedom of press, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech. This gives us the ability to believe in anything we want, say almost whatever we want, and print anything we want, as long as it’s appropriate. Without this Amendment the Government would control everything on the television, computers, and newspapers, and we would have to have to practice what ever religion they wanted us to. This makes this Amendment valued all over America. The Fifth Amendment says that you are not obligated to answer anything that any person asks you, until you are in court with an impartial jury. Without this Amendment the Government could control any aspect of a person’s life, and they couldn’t do a thing about it. The Sixth Amendment states that you have the right to be put on fair trial, and you are innocent until proven guilty. In the Eighth Amendment your right to not be charged excessive fines or bails and to not be cruelly or unusually punished is given. In a world without this Amendment, you could be charged an extra fifty dollars on a parking fine because the policeman didn’t like your face, or criminals in jail could have their ears twisted around four times a day just because the guards feel like it. Lastly, the Ninth Amendment says that the laws in the Constitutions cannot be changed around for specific people, and they cannot be bent for people who have special connections to the Government. If you break a law, you break a law, and that’s that.
The Second Amendment I believe is not important because no one in America (other than soldiers or policeman) needs to own a gun. A gun is not a weapon of defense, it is a weapon of attack, and cannot really protect you from anything, just scare others. Also, the only reason citizens would need a gun is to protect themselves from an armed criminal, and if there was no freedom to bear arms, there would be no armed criminals! The Third Amendment is not as significant as the others because recently and currently there are no wars going on in our country. With no wars going on in America, soldiers will not be fighting here, and do not need to come into our homes anyway. The Fourth Amendment isn’t the most beloved law because if you follow the law, and don’t get tangled up in criminal business, there would be no reason for your personal belongings needing to be searched. In the Seventh Amendment of the Bill of Rights, it makes clear that any case involving a value of more than twenty dollars must be tried with a fair jury or in any court in the United States of America. I believe that this Amendment is basically useless at this day and age because all cases involving money today are much more than twenty dollars. This Amendment should not be taken away completely, but the amount of money it involves should be increased. Finally, the Tenth Amendment of the United States of America Bill of Rights says that each State has its own Government, and that each State can have separate laws than other States. This is not as important because every State should have the same laws. That way, if you cannot get out of committing a crime in one State, you have no where to run to. Though these Amendments seem not as important as the other Amendments, they are extremely necessary, and I would not give them away unless I had absolutely no choice.
In the First Amendment, it states that the people of America have freedom of press, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech. This gives us the ability to believe in anything we want, say almost whatever we want, and print anything we want, as long as it’s appropriate. Without this Amendment the Government would control everything on the television, computers, and newspapers, and we would have to have to practice what ever religion they wanted us to. This makes this Amendment valued all over America. The Fifth Amendment says that you are not obligated to answer anything that any person asks you, until you are in court with an impartial jury. Without this Amendment the Government could control any aspect of a person’s life, and they couldn’t do a thing about it. The Sixth Amendment states that you have the right to be put on fair trial, and you are innocent until proven guilty. In the Eighth Amendment your right to not be charged excessive fines or bails and to not be cruelly or unusually punished is given. In a world without this Amendment, you could be charged an extra fifty dollars on a parking fine because the policeman didn’t like your face, or criminals in jail could have their ears twisted around four times a day just because the guards feel like it. Lastly, the Ninth Amendment says that the laws in the Constitutions cannot be changed around for specific people, and they cannot be bent for people who have special connections to the Government. If you break a law, you break a law, and that’s that.
The Second Amendment I believe is not important because no one in America (other than soldiers or policeman) needs to own a gun. A gun is not a weapon of defense, it is a weapon of attack, and cannot really protect you from anything, just scare others. Also, the only reason citizens would need a gun is to protect themselves from an armed criminal, and if there was no freedom to bear arms, there would be no armed criminals! The Third Amendment is not as significant as the others because recently and currently there are no wars going on in our country. With no wars going on in America, soldiers will not be fighting here, and do not need to come into our homes anyway. The Fourth Amendment isn’t the most beloved law because if you follow the law, and don’t get tangled up in criminal business, there would be no reason for your personal belongings needing to be searched. In the Seventh Amendment of the Bill of Rights, it makes clear that any case involving a value of more than twenty dollars must be tried with a fair jury or in any court in the United States of America. I believe that this Amendment is basically useless at this day and age because all cases involving money today are much more than twenty dollars. This Amendment should not be taken away completely, but the amount of money it involves should be increased. Finally, the Tenth Amendment of the United States of America Bill of Rights says that each State has its own Government, and that each State can have separate laws than other States. This is not as important because every State should have the same laws. That way, if you cannot get out of committing a crime in one State, you have no where to run to. Though these Amendments seem not as important as the other Amendments, they are extremely necessary, and I would not give them away unless I had absolutely no choice.
From Curly
"The instructor said,
Go home and write
a page tonight
And let that page come out of you---
Then, it will be true."
(Theme for English B by Langston Hughes)
A page about giving up five rights. Well, I would definitely not give up any of my rights without a fight, but if I were in a ‘do it or die’ situation, I think I would choose to live and just hope the following five rights were the rights I would have to lose:
Amendment 2- Bearing arms
Amendment 5- Criminal proceedings; due process; eminent domain
Amendment 7- Civil trials
Amendment 8-Punishment for crimes
Amendment 10- Powers reserved to the states
Protecting oneself is very important. If people lost the right to bear arms, they would no longer have the right to own firearms and the state might lose its right to maintain a militia. With out this right, anyone in possession of firearms without a license would be severely punished. The laws for gun licenses might have to be rewritten, and those in possession of a license would have to obtain a new license.
If the fifth amendment was nullified, people accused of crimes would still have the right to an impartial jury and a lawyer, but the government would no longer have to obtain a formal accusation, and therefore, the accused might not be put on trial. The accused would then suffer the consequences for the actions he/she was accused of doing. If the accused is put on trial, they could legally be tried twice for the same crime. The accused could also be forced to testify during a trial. Also, the government would now be able to take private property for public use without paying the owner.
If the right to civil trials is annulled, a person would no longer be guaranteed the right to a jury if the sum of money at stake is more than $20.
If the eighth amendment was negated, the court could legally impose bail that is excessive and an accused person could receive cruel and unusual punishment, such as physical torture, for their actions.
If the tenth amendment was void, powers not given to the federal government would no longer be given to the states. These powers are not written in the constitution, so there is a possibility that all the powers could be withdrawn from action.
Our country would suffer greatly from the loss of so many important rights. The court systems would change tremendously. After a few unfair trials and awful punishments, people might try to avoid crimes so they could stay away from the courts. There is a slight chance that our economy would improve, then again there are some people who are addicted to crime like others are to cigarettes. Still, no one ever said more amendments couldn’t be added after five of the first ten were taken away....
Go home and write
a page tonight
And let that page come out of you---
Then, it will be true."
(Theme for English B by Langston Hughes)
A page about giving up five rights. Well, I would definitely not give up any of my rights without a fight, but if I were in a ‘do it or die’ situation, I think I would choose to live and just hope the following five rights were the rights I would have to lose:
Amendment 2- Bearing arms
Amendment 5- Criminal proceedings; due process; eminent domain
Amendment 7- Civil trials
Amendment 8-Punishment for crimes
Amendment 10- Powers reserved to the states
Protecting oneself is very important. If people lost the right to bear arms, they would no longer have the right to own firearms and the state might lose its right to maintain a militia. With out this right, anyone in possession of firearms without a license would be severely punished. The laws for gun licenses might have to be rewritten, and those in possession of a license would have to obtain a new license.
If the fifth amendment was nullified, people accused of crimes would still have the right to an impartial jury and a lawyer, but the government would no longer have to obtain a formal accusation, and therefore, the accused might not be put on trial. The accused would then suffer the consequences for the actions he/she was accused of doing. If the accused is put on trial, they could legally be tried twice for the same crime. The accused could also be forced to testify during a trial. Also, the government would now be able to take private property for public use without paying the owner.
If the right to civil trials is annulled, a person would no longer be guaranteed the right to a jury if the sum of money at stake is more than $20.
If the eighth amendment was negated, the court could legally impose bail that is excessive and an accused person could receive cruel and unusual punishment, such as physical torture, for their actions.
If the tenth amendment was void, powers not given to the federal government would no longer be given to the states. These powers are not written in the constitution, so there is a possibility that all the powers could be withdrawn from action.
Our country would suffer greatly from the loss of so many important rights. The court systems would change tremendously. After a few unfair trials and awful punishments, people might try to avoid crimes so they could stay away from the courts. There is a slight chance that our economy would improve, then again there are some people who are addicted to crime like others are to cigarettes. Still, no one ever said more amendments couldn’t be added after five of the first ten were taken away....
From DeliciousCake
The Bill of Rights, it’s something we all are protected by and have to follow. But what if we could only have 5 of the 10 rights in the Bill of Rights? This decision puts anyone who tries to answer it in a tough situation. We all have lived with the Bill of Rights and the 10 amendments that are on it for our entire lives, so who knows what would happen if we had half of those rights taken away?
If I had to choose 5 of the 10 rights, I would choose freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, the right to privacy, the right to no cruel and unusual punishments, and the right to a trial by jury. I would choose to keep freedom of speech because it is one of the most important amendments. It allows us to speak our mind freely, without being arrested. I would choose to keep the right to bear arms because it’s one of the few ways that people can protect themselves from people that are trying to hurt them. I would choose to keep the right to privacy because nobody really wants someone to know every little thing about them and everything they’ve ever said to anyone. I would choose to keep the right to no cruel and unusual punishments because everyone deserves to get punished equally if they have all done the same crime. Finally, I would choose to keep the right to a trial by jury because without a jury, one man can be making a decision that can change or end someone’s life. That person’s judgment can be way off and you could be unjustly punished. Without this right, someone who is famous and rich could be treated differently than a person who is poor and not famous at all.
If I had to choose 5 of the 10 rights, I would choose freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, the right to privacy, the right to no cruel and unusual punishments, and the right to a trial by jury. I would choose to keep freedom of speech because it is one of the most important amendments. It allows us to speak our mind freely, without being arrested. I would choose to keep the right to bear arms because it’s one of the few ways that people can protect themselves from people that are trying to hurt them. I would choose to keep the right to privacy because nobody really wants someone to know every little thing about them and everything they’ve ever said to anyone. I would choose to keep the right to no cruel and unusual punishments because everyone deserves to get punished equally if they have all done the same crime. Finally, I would choose to keep the right to a trial by jury because without a jury, one man can be making a decision that can change or end someone’s life. That person’s judgment can be way off and you could be unjustly punished. Without this right, someone who is famous and rich could be treated differently than a person who is poor and not famous at all.
From What Rubbish
If I had to choose 5 of the 10 amendments to eliminate I would most probably eliminate amendment 2,3,4,8 and 10. The second amendment is Bearing Arms, the third is Quartering of Troops, and the seventh is Civil Trials. The last two amendments I have chosen are number eight, Punishment for Crimes, and ten, Powers Reserved to the states.
First of all, the second amendment, Bearing Arms, is one very controversial right. To some it means that it gives the authority of one to own firearms, while others disagree and say it means that it secures the right for each state to have and maintain a militia. Because this is such a controversial r ight and its meaning is up for debate what is the point of the right in general? Well, I think that this amendment should be eradicated altogether because of its ambiguity. A right with more clarity will be less susceptible to such controversy. I believe that the rights should be firm in there meaning if a whole country is entitled to it.
Secondly, I think we should eliminate right 3, Quartering of Troops. This law prevents soldiers from being sheltered in any house without the consent of the owner. I don’t think this is that big of a deal. As Americans we have our duties and if that includes protecting our soldiers then so be it. American soldiers risk their lives for us, for our country, and sharing our homes with them is the least we can do. Third, I think that the fourth amendment, Searches and Seizures can be eliminated. This amendment basically states that the people are protected from their house being searched unnecessarily. Well, as good people one must have nothing to hide. If you do have something to hide well then that’s too bad for you (you should not have anything to hide and that’s my point)!
The fourth amendment I would eliminate would be number 8, Punishment for crimes. This basically means that excessive bail or terrible punishments should not be required. Well, what is an excessive bail money amount? To a making 5 dollars a day 500 dollars would be a lot, but to a man making 1000 dollar a day it is nothing much.
Lastly, I would eliminate number 10, Powers reserved to the state. This law is unnecessary to me. People are people why can’t one nation have all the same rules and regulations? Having different state laws don’t really make sense to me. A country is a country and we should all follow the same laws.
The bill of rights is very important to me and having to relinquish 10 amendments is very hard. I am very grateful that the people of the United States have these rights.
First of all, the second amendment, Bearing Arms, is one very controversial right. To some it means that it gives the authority of one to own firearms, while others disagree and say it means that it secures the right for each state to have and maintain a militia. Because this is such a controversial r ight and its meaning is up for debate what is the point of the right in general? Well, I think that this amendment should be eradicated altogether because of its ambiguity. A right with more clarity will be less susceptible to such controversy. I believe that the rights should be firm in there meaning if a whole country is entitled to it.
Secondly, I think we should eliminate right 3, Quartering of Troops. This law prevents soldiers from being sheltered in any house without the consent of the owner. I don’t think this is that big of a deal. As Americans we have our duties and if that includes protecting our soldiers then so be it. American soldiers risk their lives for us, for our country, and sharing our homes with them is the least we can do. Third, I think that the fourth amendment, Searches and Seizures can be eliminated. This amendment basically states that the people are protected from their house being searched unnecessarily. Well, as good people one must have nothing to hide. If you do have something to hide well then that’s too bad for you (you should not have anything to hide and that’s my point)!
The fourth amendment I would eliminate would be number 8, Punishment for crimes. This basically means that excessive bail or terrible punishments should not be required. Well, what is an excessive bail money amount? To a making 5 dollars a day 500 dollars would be a lot, but to a man making 1000 dollar a day it is nothing much.
Lastly, I would eliminate number 10, Powers reserved to the state. This law is unnecessary to me. People are people why can’t one nation have all the same rules and regulations? Having different state laws don’t really make sense to me. A country is a country and we should all follow the same laws.
The bill of rights is very important to me and having to relinquish 10 amendments is very hard. I am very grateful that the people of the United States have these rights.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
From Big Mac
All of the first ten amendments, or Bill of Rights, are important, while some play a bigger role in my particular life than others. Some amendments that I don’t feel necessary are Amendment 2, 3, 4, 6, and 10. These are all amendments that are not of much importance to me.
Amendment 2 is the right to bear arms. Being under-aged, I don’t even have this right, so it’s pretty obvious that I can live without it. Besides, you don’t need a gun. The odds on your house getting robbed are very slim, and the chance that it will get robbed while you’re there is even less. It is more likely to accidentally shoot someone. Amendment 3 basically states that troops can not be quartered in your house in a time of peace. What’s the big deal having a couple of more people in your house? I do believe that they should not be allowed to stay unless it is totally necessary, though.
The fourth amendment says that there should be no unreasonable searches or seizures. The police should have the right to go through your home even without a warrant if something fishy is going on. Amendment 6 says that you have a right to a speedy, public trial. In my opinion, trials should not at all be public. Only immediate family members, the judge, the jury, the defendant, and the plaintiff should be allowed in the courtroom during the trial.
Finally, the tenth amendment states that all states can be independent to all others. It really isn’t necessary to have each state free. We are all part of the U.S., so why should our governments be any different?
Each amendment of the Bill of Rights plays an important role in some peoples’ lives. These five just don’t apply to me.
Amendment 2 is the right to bear arms. Being under-aged, I don’t even have this right, so it’s pretty obvious that I can live without it. Besides, you don’t need a gun. The odds on your house getting robbed are very slim, and the chance that it will get robbed while you’re there is even less. It is more likely to accidentally shoot someone. Amendment 3 basically states that troops can not be quartered in your house in a time of peace. What’s the big deal having a couple of more people in your house? I do believe that they should not be allowed to stay unless it is totally necessary, though.
The fourth amendment says that there should be no unreasonable searches or seizures. The police should have the right to go through your home even without a warrant if something fishy is going on. Amendment 6 says that you have a right to a speedy, public trial. In my opinion, trials should not at all be public. Only immediate family members, the judge, the jury, the defendant, and the plaintiff should be allowed in the courtroom during the trial.
Finally, the tenth amendment states that all states can be independent to all others. It really isn’t necessary to have each state free. We are all part of the U.S., so why should our governments be any different?
Each amendment of the Bill of Rights plays an important role in some peoples’ lives. These five just don’t apply to me.
From The Modinator
The right to a speedy trial, the right to bear arms, the right to have a lawyer, freedom from unreasonable search, and the right to be confronted by witnesses. These are the five amendments of the Bill of Rights that I would give up if I had to. The right to a speedy trial because one would eventually have to have a trial for the crimes committed. They can not be denied a trial and would get one soon enough. I would give up the right to bear arms because there could be a man with a totally clean record, who has never committed a crime, and is not insane, that suddenly wants to kill. This man could just get a permit and buy a gun, then run around wreaking havoc. This would be perfectly legal (except for the wreaking havoc part), but if bearing arms was illegal, then this man would probably have been caught and lives would have been saved. I would give up the right to have a lawyer because, unless one has paid for a lawyer, one will most probably get a lawyer that is not too good, and this person would probably have been better by themselves. The right to be confronted by a witness because the witness might not be willing to testify. Freedom from unreasonable search because some people are very good at hiding things from others. Especially drug dealers. If the police can come in and search houses and cars, many people would be saved from being harmed. (I also picked this one because the others seemed a little too important to let go of).
From lvdrlvr55
Even though it’s true that every single one of the Amendments in the Bill of Rights is wonderful and absolutely necessary, there are still some freedoms that I cherish more than others. For example, I would never give up my right to freedom of speech, religion, and press, as stated in Amendment I. My personality and opinion would virtually cease to exist if I were not allowed to speak my mind in public and be given the choice to choose what to believe and what not to believe in. It would be like living in a world full of robots, albeit the government officials who would get to decide what everyone else should believe and say. While I do believe that this freedom should be moderated to a justifiable extent to prevent dangerous or inappropriate threats, I would never let this right be taken completely away from me, even if it meant moving to another country, if need be. However, if I were forced to give up five rights, I’d choose to give up Amendments II, III, IV, IX, and X. Here are my reasons:
- Amendment II: This amendment states that all citizens should have the right to keep and bear arms. In some sense, getting rid of this right could actually lower the crime rates, as it would be harder for criminals to buy a weapon, much less find a manufacturer actually willing to illegally sell weapons. On the other hand, however, how would citizens protect themselves without weapons? Well, who says that I can’t teach myself some karate? It’s good exercise, after all.
- Amendment III: This amendment states that nobody (whether in time of peace or war) should have to offer hospitality to any soldier without their willing to do so. Even though giving up this right would require a huge sacrifice of both privacy and personal possessions and time, it would still be much easier to suffer through than having to giving up, say, Amendment XIII, which protects people from cruel and unusual punishments such as ridiculously high fines or excessive bails. If a soldier does happen to destroy one’s house or injure any member of one’s household, one still reserves the right to sue the soldier and get rewarded with money to pay off the expenses.
- Amendment IV: This amendment states that nobody’s property, house, or body may be searched or seized without a warrant from a judge with a probable cause. This amendment, like the last one, may be incredibly hard to give up, especially since it would involve practically giving up all our possessions to the government. But in the end, which one would you rather give up, your freedom to be yourself, to talk and believe whatever you want, or some of your physical possessions?
- Amendment IX: This amendment was created to protect human rights not listed or mentioned in the Constitution. However, this amendment has not yet been used to protect any rights not already mentioned in the Constitution. It is not very likely that it will be used anytime in the near future, and if it is, then it will not be needed as much as any of the rest of the amendments. This is probably the only amendment in the Bill of Rights that we would probably not miss all that much.
- Amendment X: This amendment states that the governmental powers not mentioned in the Constitution such as laws on marriage and divorces should be given to each individual state to determine by themselves, rather than have the federal government set a standard law that all the states must follow. If these types of laws were given to the federal government to determine, how bad could it really be? Not very. Although it’s true that less people might agree with the law rather than when each individual state voted to determine the law for their own state specifically, it couldn’t possibly make that much of a difference. As long as the people still get the chance to vote on the law, giving up this right should not be a very hard thing to do.
- Amendment II: This amendment states that all citizens should have the right to keep and bear arms. In some sense, getting rid of this right could actually lower the crime rates, as it would be harder for criminals to buy a weapon, much less find a manufacturer actually willing to illegally sell weapons. On the other hand, however, how would citizens protect themselves without weapons? Well, who says that I can’t teach myself some karate? It’s good exercise, after all.
- Amendment III: This amendment states that nobody (whether in time of peace or war) should have to offer hospitality to any soldier without their willing to do so. Even though giving up this right would require a huge sacrifice of both privacy and personal possessions and time, it would still be much easier to suffer through than having to giving up, say, Amendment XIII, which protects people from cruel and unusual punishments such as ridiculously high fines or excessive bails. If a soldier does happen to destroy one’s house or injure any member of one’s household, one still reserves the right to sue the soldier and get rewarded with money to pay off the expenses.
- Amendment IV: This amendment states that nobody’s property, house, or body may be searched or seized without a warrant from a judge with a probable cause. This amendment, like the last one, may be incredibly hard to give up, especially since it would involve practically giving up all our possessions to the government. But in the end, which one would you rather give up, your freedom to be yourself, to talk and believe whatever you want, or some of your physical possessions?
- Amendment IX: This amendment was created to protect human rights not listed or mentioned in the Constitution. However, this amendment has not yet been used to protect any rights not already mentioned in the Constitution. It is not very likely that it will be used anytime in the near future, and if it is, then it will not be needed as much as any of the rest of the amendments. This is probably the only amendment in the Bill of Rights that we would probably not miss all that much.
- Amendment X: This amendment states that the governmental powers not mentioned in the Constitution such as laws on marriage and divorces should be given to each individual state to determine by themselves, rather than have the federal government set a standard law that all the states must follow. If these types of laws were given to the federal government to determine, how bad could it really be? Not very. Although it’s true that less people might agree with the law rather than when each individual state voted to determine the law for their own state specifically, it couldn’t possibly make that much of a difference. As long as the people still get the chance to vote on the law, giving up this right should not be a very hard thing to do.
From I <3 Transylvania
The Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights consists of amendments that have secured our country through many years. Without them we would not be what we are today. But some amendments we could live without if we had to. This consists of: Amendment II, Amendment III, Amendment IV, Amendment VII, and Amendment X. The most important amendments that should be kept are: Amendment I, Amendment V, Amendment VI, Amendment VIII, and Amendment IX.
“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.” Though some carry guns for defense, it causes more trouble than it solves. Criminals get a hold on their guns from local stores. If guns were not as easy to get into someone’s hands, crime rates would go down. There will still be crimes, but guns are the number one weapons used and are most efficient. Without them, you couldn’t kill fast enough to escape without being caught. You wouldn’t need to use it as protection if no one else has it as a weapon against you. “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.” This means that anything that the Constitution does not say that the Congress can do should be left up to the states and people for decision. Not everyone makes good decisions, which is why we should not put it in the hands of random people. People can help in making the decisions, but in order to keep the country in order, we must make sure that only efficient laws are passed. In New Jersey there is a law that says it is illegal to “frown” at a police officer. Laws like that should not be made and we need to regulate them. “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.” This means that you do not have to allow soldiers to live in your home, except if there is a war. However, even in that situation, they can only do that if Congress has passed a law about it. Soldiers do not need to live in our homes because they live in tents or other shelters that the government equips them with. Therefore this amendment is unnecessary. “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 one says is very clear: No one can search through your belongings without a warrant (which they can only get if they have a really good reason to search through your belongings). However, there might be case where in order to safeguard a life of an individual or for the safety of the public it may be necessary that the government be allowed less restricted rights to conduct searches of one’s property, communications, etc. This is the same debate around the wire-tapping decrees pursued by the Bush Administration. “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.” This amendment should be updated. Twenty dollars is not a large amount these days. In certain cases, it is not clear that if a special case occurs, it should not be allowed that the same case should not be tried in, for example civil court and military court (i.e. common law and military law).
“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 means Congress cannot make to stop you from practicing your religion or speaking your mind and writing about it. Congress also cannot stop you from disagreeing with the government. This right it the most important right because without freedom of speech and the press we are like a dictatorship. Without freedom of religion we are just like we were in the past. The Pilgrims left England to come to America so they could have freedom of religion. People today would leave America to go to a place that has freedom of religion. “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” This means that you are not allowed to be tortured as a punishment, or any other kind of cruel punishment. The government also cannot make you pay more than is reasonable fines and other charges. People need punishments that are efficient, but not unreasonable. For a small-scale crime, the criminal should not have to pay a very large sum of money. Torturing is wrong to do to anyone, for it is inhumane. “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.” This means that just because these certain rights are listed in the Constitution, it does not mean that you do not have other rights as well. The Constitution cannot contradict in its writing or it loses its value. “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.” This amendment means that you cannot be on trial for any serious crime without a Grand Jury meeting first to decide whether there's enough evidence for a trial. If the jury decides that you are innocent, the government cannot try again with another jury. It also says that you don't have to say anything at your trial. The judge cannot give you a death sentence, put you in jail, or fine you, unless a jury convicted you of a crime. The government cannot take your house or your property, unless the government pays for it. It is harassment if the government keeps bringing someone back to court for the same charges, with no new, significant evidence. The accused would have to keep paying his/her lawyers and also will waste a lot of time, energy, and live in fear and stress. “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.” This amendment means that if you are arrested, you have a right to have your trial soon. The government cannot keep you in jail without putting you on trial. The trial must be public, so everyone knows what happens in the court. The case also has to be decided by a jury of citizens from your area. You have the right to know what you are accused of, to see and hear the people who are witnesses who are against you, and to have the government help you get witnesses on your side. You also have the right to have a lawyer to help you win your case. This prevents the government from arbitrarily keeping people arrested without any proven reason, and thus disrupting someone’s life, for no reasonable cause.
All in all, there are perhaps debatable aspects of some of the amendments in the Bill of Rights, which mostly pertain to the utility or the modernity of their clauses. However, the basic ideas stated by the Bill of Rights are as important today as they were two centuries ago and are key ingredients for the prosperity and well-being of our society.
The Bill of Rights consists of amendments that have secured our country through many years. Without them we would not be what we are today. But some amendments we could live without if we had to. This consists of: Amendment II, Amendment III, Amendment IV, Amendment VII, and Amendment X. The most important amendments that should be kept are: Amendment I, Amendment V, Amendment VI, Amendment VIII, and Amendment IX.
“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.” Though some carry guns for defense, it causes more trouble than it solves. Criminals get a hold on their guns from local stores. If guns were not as easy to get into someone’s hands, crime rates would go down. There will still be crimes, but guns are the number one weapons used and are most efficient. Without them, you couldn’t kill fast enough to escape without being caught. You wouldn’t need to use it as protection if no one else has it as a weapon against you. “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.” This means that anything that the Constitution does not say that the Congress can do should be left up to the states and people for decision. Not everyone makes good decisions, which is why we should not put it in the hands of random people. People can help in making the decisions, but in order to keep the country in order, we must make sure that only efficient laws are passed. In New Jersey there is a law that says it is illegal to “frown” at a police officer. Laws like that should not be made and we need to regulate them. “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.” This means that you do not have to allow soldiers to live in your home, except if there is a war. However, even in that situation, they can only do that if Congress has passed a law about it. Soldiers do not need to live in our homes because they live in tents or other shelters that the government equips them with. Therefore this amendment is unnecessary. “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 one says is very clear: No one can search through your belongings without a warrant (which they can only get if they have a really good reason to search through your belongings). However, there might be case where in order to safeguard a life of an individual or for the safety of the public it may be necessary that the government be allowed less restricted rights to conduct searches of one’s property, communications, etc. This is the same debate around the wire-tapping decrees pursued by the Bush Administration. “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.” This amendment should be updated. Twenty dollars is not a large amount these days. In certain cases, it is not clear that if a special case occurs, it should not be allowed that the same case should not be tried in, for example civil court and military court (i.e. common law and military law).
“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 means Congress cannot make to stop you from practicing your religion or speaking your mind and writing about it. Congress also cannot stop you from disagreeing with the government. This right it the most important right because without freedom of speech and the press we are like a dictatorship. Without freedom of religion we are just like we were in the past. The Pilgrims left England to come to America so they could have freedom of religion. People today would leave America to go to a place that has freedom of religion. “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” This means that you are not allowed to be tortured as a punishment, or any other kind of cruel punishment. The government also cannot make you pay more than is reasonable fines and other charges. People need punishments that are efficient, but not unreasonable. For a small-scale crime, the criminal should not have to pay a very large sum of money. Torturing is wrong to do to anyone, for it is inhumane. “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.” This means that just because these certain rights are listed in the Constitution, it does not mean that you do not have other rights as well. The Constitution cannot contradict in its writing or it loses its value. “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.” This amendment means that you cannot be on trial for any serious crime without a Grand Jury meeting first to decide whether there's enough evidence for a trial. If the jury decides that you are innocent, the government cannot try again with another jury. It also says that you don't have to say anything at your trial. The judge cannot give you a death sentence, put you in jail, or fine you, unless a jury convicted you of a crime. The government cannot take your house or your property, unless the government pays for it. It is harassment if the government keeps bringing someone back to court for the same charges, with no new, significant evidence. The accused would have to keep paying his/her lawyers and also will waste a lot of time, energy, and live in fear and stress. “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.” This amendment means that if you are arrested, you have a right to have your trial soon. The government cannot keep you in jail without putting you on trial. The trial must be public, so everyone knows what happens in the court. The case also has to be decided by a jury of citizens from your area. You have the right to know what you are accused of, to see and hear the people who are witnesses who are against you, and to have the government help you get witnesses on your side. You also have the right to have a lawyer to help you win your case. This prevents the government from arbitrarily keeping people arrested without any proven reason, and thus disrupting someone’s life, for no reasonable cause.
All in all, there are perhaps debatable aspects of some of the amendments in the Bill of Rights, which mostly pertain to the utility or the modernity of their clauses. However, the basic ideas stated by the Bill of Rights are as important today as they were two centuries ago and are key ingredients for the prosperity and well-being of our society.
From Toast
The freedoms I cherish the most are the freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition, rights in criminal proceedings, and the right against unreasonable searches and seizures. The freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition is very important because people should be able to practice what ever religion they want without the government choosing for them. You should be able to say what you want in speech or in writing. I you don’t like something you should have the right to protest against it to get what you want. When you are accused of being a criminal, you should be able to get a fair hearing and be allowed a lawyer. If there is a witness, the witness should be allowed to defend you. You should be able to protect your privacy from the government and the police. They should not be allowed to do an unreasonable search of your property without a good reason.
From dpmk24
dpmk24:
If I had to abdicate 5 of the ten amendments on the Bill of Rights, it definitely would be a difficult choice.
Amendment One: Keep
We all need freedom of speech and expression. Even though some of us may be less than others in terms of writing ability, we all should have the right to point out problems and such. We all should have the right to freedom of religion even if we worship invisible flying spaghetti monsters.
Amendment Two: Keep
What if a government seizes control over America? We may erupt into civil war (again). Without the right to bear arms, we are defenseless and can only run and hope we live. Of course, this would also help so someone could assasinate the leader.
Amendment Three: Discard
It may seem unwise to do this but seriously, if they live at your house, it makes it all the while easier to slip them poison in their coffee. Otherwise, you could make like Home Alone and knock them out with household objects.
Amendment Four: Discard
Even if the government seizes something, you can probably surprise them with a firearm and get the property back. Then, after losing some officers, they'll give up and look for something else to seize.
Amendment Five: Discard
Actually, this isn't really helpful as if you commit a "crime" against the law a judge isn't going to decide your verdict. The officer who catches you will.....by firing his gun.
Amendment Six: Discard
If you really do go against the government and have an impartial jury, the government would give an elaborate case against you in which you are sure to lose. Plus, they can probably slip some money to the jury,
Amendment Seven: Discard
Same as Amendment Five, the police will probably just plunk you into jail without a trial.
Amendment Eight: Keep
It always helpful to (if you don't get plonked in jail) have a protection against excessive fines and such so you won't fined a million dollars for walking outside your house.
Amendment Nine: Keep
The Rights after the Bill of Rights include some important ones and shouldn't be disregarded such as voting for President. The President cannot reject this and we are allowed to not vote for him. Basically, he can't be a ruler until death.
Amendment Ten: Discard
Technically the states wouldn't really have any power anyway because the President woudl consolidate all of it into his position and incarcerate or slaughter those who do not conform.
If I had to abdicate 5 of the ten amendments on the Bill of Rights, it definitely would be a difficult choice.
Amendment One: Keep
We all need freedom of speech and expression. Even though some of us may be less than others in terms of writing ability, we all should have the right to point out problems and such. We all should have the right to freedom of religion even if we worship invisible flying spaghetti monsters.
Amendment Two: Keep
What if a government seizes control over America? We may erupt into civil war (again). Without the right to bear arms, we are defenseless and can only run and hope we live. Of course, this would also help so someone could assasinate the leader.
Amendment Three: Discard
It may seem unwise to do this but seriously, if they live at your house, it makes it all the while easier to slip them poison in their coffee. Otherwise, you could make like Home Alone and knock them out with household objects.
Amendment Four: Discard
Even if the government seizes something, you can probably surprise them with a firearm and get the property back. Then, after losing some officers, they'll give up and look for something else to seize.
Amendment Five: Discard
Actually, this isn't really helpful as if you commit a "crime" against the law a judge isn't going to decide your verdict. The officer who catches you will.....by firing his gun.
Amendment Six: Discard
If you really do go against the government and have an impartial jury, the government would give an elaborate case against you in which you are sure to lose. Plus, they can probably slip some money to the jury,
Amendment Seven: Discard
Same as Amendment Five, the police will probably just plunk you into jail without a trial.
Amendment Eight: Keep
It always helpful to (if you don't get plonked in jail) have a protection against excessive fines and such so you won't fined a million dollars for walking outside your house.
Amendment Nine: Keep
The Rights after the Bill of Rights include some important ones and shouldn't be disregarded such as voting for President. The President cannot reject this and we are allowed to not vote for him. Basically, he can't be a ruler until death.
Amendment Ten: Discard
Technically the states wouldn't really have any power anyway because the President woudl consolidate all of it into his position and incarcerate or slaughter those who do not conform.
From BaseballProdigy04
Homework: Article (5 freedoms I would give up if I had to) – Due Thursday, September 18, 2008
The United States of America, our homeland, is a nearly perfect country. We have an excellent education system, equality no matter what race or gender you are, a spectacular government, and a very reasonable, civilized Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights consists of ten amendments that allow us to live in a fair, peaceful and successful society. I personally believe that without the Bill of Rights, our country would crumble beneath our feet, like a cat being crumbled beneath a speeding car. Despite the fact that all ten amendments are incredibly essential to keeping our amazing nation civilized, it is possible for some to be deemed more important than others. It was extremely hard to decide which five amendments to give up, but, after weighing each of their effects on society, I have come up with the five amendments I deem to be the least important, when having a civil, successful society in our glorious nation of America.
First of all, I would give up the amendment that states “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.” Personally, I disagree with this amendment. If taking over a certain home or building was absolutely necessary to ensure a successful outcome in an important mission or war, then an army should be permitted to use the structure. Sometimes, winning an important battle is worth taking over someone’s home. Who knows: maybe that battle may hold the future success of our country.
The second amendment I would give up would be the one that states that “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.” Basically, this means that no man or woman will be held without trial and that certain questions asked during interrogation, such as ones that may suggest the accused is guilty, may not be answered. I believe that if I had to choose, then this amendment would be outlawed. Sometimes, asking questions, even those that may imply that the accused is guilty, is necessary.
The third amendment I would sacrifice would be the amendment declaring that “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.” In other words, when a crime is committed, and the alleged perpetrator is caught, the accused has the right to a quick, fair trial within the governing body over them. This amendment could easily be removed, because hey, a trial takes as long as a trial takes. Whether it takes ten years for a trial to come or ten days, the suspected criminal must wait out the time in jail.
The fourth amendment I would forgo would be the one stating “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.” Hypothetically, say you stole a CD. This amendment means that you wouldn’t be able to sue for an unreasonable fee, such as one million dollars. Even this is an important amendment to society; I would probably give it up, simply for the fact that something simple and worthless to one person can be complex and valuable to another. People should be allowed to sue for as much money as they want, but it should be up to the judge whether the amount of money desired to be sued for is reasonable or not.
Finally, the Fifth Amendment I would relinquish would be the one stating that “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.” This means that states are permitted to put up their own laws. I most certainly disagree with this amendment, and believe that the President and the Legislative Branches should be put in charge of making all laws. Take fireworks for example. A law in New Jersey states that fireworks are prohibited in our great state, yet in South Carolina, they are perfectly legal. There is much controversy over issues like these, dealing with people smuggling illegal goods into certain states. If we had one source of laws instead of 50, problems like this would be diminished.
Personally, I feel that the Bill of Rights is absolutely flawless as it is right now, but if it needed to be tweaked slightly it would do more good than bad. I would never eliminate any of our amendments, but who knows; maybe a future, mentally insane president will. My personal philosophy is: You never know. Until that day, we should stick with the Bill of Rights we have right now. Our country is pretty much perfect, and I wouldn’t change a thing.
The United States of America, our homeland, is a nearly perfect country. We have an excellent education system, equality no matter what race or gender you are, a spectacular government, and a very reasonable, civilized Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights consists of ten amendments that allow us to live in a fair, peaceful and successful society. I personally believe that without the Bill of Rights, our country would crumble beneath our feet, like a cat being crumbled beneath a speeding car. Despite the fact that all ten amendments are incredibly essential to keeping our amazing nation civilized, it is possible for some to be deemed more important than others. It was extremely hard to decide which five amendments to give up, but, after weighing each of their effects on society, I have come up with the five amendments I deem to be the least important, when having a civil, successful society in our glorious nation of America.
First of all, I would give up the amendment that states “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.” Personally, I disagree with this amendment. If taking over a certain home or building was absolutely necessary to ensure a successful outcome in an important mission or war, then an army should be permitted to use the structure. Sometimes, winning an important battle is worth taking over someone’s home. Who knows: maybe that battle may hold the future success of our country.
The second amendment I would give up would be the one that states that “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.” Basically, this means that no man or woman will be held without trial and that certain questions asked during interrogation, such as ones that may suggest the accused is guilty, may not be answered. I believe that if I had to choose, then this amendment would be outlawed. Sometimes, asking questions, even those that may imply that the accused is guilty, is necessary.
The third amendment I would sacrifice would be the amendment declaring that “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.” In other words, when a crime is committed, and the alleged perpetrator is caught, the accused has the right to a quick, fair trial within the governing body over them. This amendment could easily be removed, because hey, a trial takes as long as a trial takes. Whether it takes ten years for a trial to come or ten days, the suspected criminal must wait out the time in jail.
The fourth amendment I would forgo would be the one stating “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.” Hypothetically, say you stole a CD. This amendment means that you wouldn’t be able to sue for an unreasonable fee, such as one million dollars. Even this is an important amendment to society; I would probably give it up, simply for the fact that something simple and worthless to one person can be complex and valuable to another. People should be allowed to sue for as much money as they want, but it should be up to the judge whether the amount of money desired to be sued for is reasonable or not.
Finally, the Fifth Amendment I would relinquish would be the one stating that “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.” This means that states are permitted to put up their own laws. I most certainly disagree with this amendment, and believe that the President and the Legislative Branches should be put in charge of making all laws. Take fireworks for example. A law in New Jersey states that fireworks are prohibited in our great state, yet in South Carolina, they are perfectly legal. There is much controversy over issues like these, dealing with people smuggling illegal goods into certain states. If we had one source of laws instead of 50, problems like this would be diminished.
Personally, I feel that the Bill of Rights is absolutely flawless as it is right now, but if it needed to be tweaked slightly it would do more good than bad. I would never eliminate any of our amendments, but who knows; maybe a future, mentally insane president will. My personal philosophy is: You never know. Until that day, we should stick with the Bill of Rights we have right now. Our country is pretty much perfect, and I wouldn’t change a thing.
From Silence Dogood
In many ways, we all take advantage of our rights given to us by the Constitution. For many of us it does not even slip through our mind, that before this sacred document was written, people did not have these rights. Nobody was allowed to express negative views about the government, and even your religion was a decision of the government. People were not entitled to a trial by jury, and government agencies were not required to have a warrant in order to search your belongings. Such a life seems almost to be fictional, and yet even today many countries have not given their citizens these rights which we Americans feel to be essential.
It is my strong belief that the first amendment to our Bill of Rights may be the most cherished out of all. The freedom of religion, press, and expression allow every person to be an individual. It enables us to make our own decisions, and show the world who we are, whether by the god we worship, or the words we write, or even the clothes we wear, this right allows us to be unique individuals. It also permits us to make a difference in our society. If we disagree with the government, we should be allowed to protest, and see that this problem is resolved. I allows us to reach out to each other and express our problems, and improve our society together. Finally it allows us to pursue whatever goals we strive to achieve. Whether we are choosing which vocation to pursue, or fighting for a cause, the first amendment is crucial. In addition, the 4th amendment is also important. Nobody should be allowed to search through anyone’s belongings without a legitimate reason and a warrant. This ensures privacy and security of personal belongings. To commence, another indispensable amendment is the 8th. It ensures that the penalty for a crime will correspond to the crime committed. Therefore, this will ensure that penalties for crimes will stay reasonable and however also making sure to address the crime sufficiently. Furthermore, amendment 6, right to a speedy trial, confrontation of witnesses, is also vital, in order to be sure that what the defendant is saying is true. Witnesses are key to understanding what actually happened during a crime, if they are unbiased, and therefore, it is very important that a defendant or plaintiff is able to call their witnesses. Lastly, the 9th amendment, or construction of constitution states that rights are not limited to those stated in the Constitution. This is important, because as time goes on, our society changes, and therefore, our laws must change as well. In many cases, it is required to add more laws so that everyone can live in a just society.
However, not all of the rights in our Bill of Rights are imperative. For example, the right to bear arms(2nd amendment) is one that is unnecessary. Guns, and other firearms are dangerous when in the hands of inexperienced people, and may result in terrible accidents. Therefore I do not believe that it is a needed law. In addition, the 3rd amendment is also unnecessary. Nowadays, soldiers live in their own tents with others, and do not need shelter from others. In addition, the 5th amendment, or trial and punishment, compensation for takings, is also an excess to our Bill of Rights. If a person is under suspicion of committing a crime, they should be able to explain the situation that had occurred. If they do not answer the questions, that may only arouse suspicion that they are guilty and are concealing the truth. I believe that if evidence is discovered to suggest that a person who was penalized for committing a crime, is actually innocent, that the court should be able to reexamine the case and attempt to reimburse the person. Therefore, the 7th amendment is also extraneous. Furthermore, the last amendment, or powers of the states and people, states that if a power is not entitled to the United States by the Constitution, nor is it prohibited to the states, then it is given to the states, or the people. This is unreliable, because a lot of state laws are unjust and don’t make much sense. For example, one New Jersey law states that it is illegal to frown at a police. Therefore, I believe that the people of a state should not be relied upon because some suggestions may be extreme or strange. In summary, many of our rights are essential, while others aren’t as needed. However, all of these laws should not be taken advantage of . Everyone should be thankful that our country entitles these rights to us, whereas many citizens fo other countries are not as privileged
It is my strong belief that the first amendment to our Bill of Rights may be the most cherished out of all. The freedom of religion, press, and expression allow every person to be an individual. It enables us to make our own decisions, and show the world who we are, whether by the god we worship, or the words we write, or even the clothes we wear, this right allows us to be unique individuals. It also permits us to make a difference in our society. If we disagree with the government, we should be allowed to protest, and see that this problem is resolved. I allows us to reach out to each other and express our problems, and improve our society together. Finally it allows us to pursue whatever goals we strive to achieve. Whether we are choosing which vocation to pursue, or fighting for a cause, the first amendment is crucial. In addition, the 4th amendment is also important. Nobody should be allowed to search through anyone’s belongings without a legitimate reason and a warrant. This ensures privacy and security of personal belongings. To commence, another indispensable amendment is the 8th. It ensures that the penalty for a crime will correspond to the crime committed. Therefore, this will ensure that penalties for crimes will stay reasonable and however also making sure to address the crime sufficiently. Furthermore, amendment 6, right to a speedy trial, confrontation of witnesses, is also vital, in order to be sure that what the defendant is saying is true. Witnesses are key to understanding what actually happened during a crime, if they are unbiased, and therefore, it is very important that a defendant or plaintiff is able to call their witnesses. Lastly, the 9th amendment, or construction of constitution states that rights are not limited to those stated in the Constitution. This is important, because as time goes on, our society changes, and therefore, our laws must change as well. In many cases, it is required to add more laws so that everyone can live in a just society.
However, not all of the rights in our Bill of Rights are imperative. For example, the right to bear arms(2nd amendment) is one that is unnecessary. Guns, and other firearms are dangerous when in the hands of inexperienced people, and may result in terrible accidents. Therefore I do not believe that it is a needed law. In addition, the 3rd amendment is also unnecessary. Nowadays, soldiers live in their own tents with others, and do not need shelter from others. In addition, the 5th amendment, or trial and punishment, compensation for takings, is also an excess to our Bill of Rights. If a person is under suspicion of committing a crime, they should be able to explain the situation that had occurred. If they do not answer the questions, that may only arouse suspicion that they are guilty and are concealing the truth. I believe that if evidence is discovered to suggest that a person who was penalized for committing a crime, is actually innocent, that the court should be able to reexamine the case and attempt to reimburse the person. Therefore, the 7th amendment is also extraneous. Furthermore, the last amendment, or powers of the states and people, states that if a power is not entitled to the United States by the Constitution, nor is it prohibited to the states, then it is given to the states, or the people. This is unreliable, because a lot of state laws are unjust and don’t make much sense. For example, one New Jersey law states that it is illegal to frown at a police. Therefore, I believe that the people of a state should not be relied upon because some suggestions may be extreme or strange. In summary, many of our rights are essential, while others aren’t as needed. However, all of these laws should not be taken advantage of . Everyone should be thankful that our country entitles these rights to us, whereas many citizens fo other countries are not as privileged
From mdgt0fdrknsz
As much as the entire Bill of Rights defines freedom for all Americans, the five rights I’ve decided are most essential are our freedom of speech, establishment, and assembly, right to keep and bear arms, protection from unreasonable search and seizure, right to trial by jury, and prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment. These, in my opinion, are the rights that best set us apart from many countries in the world that lack as much liberty. In such countries, people are jailed, harmed, or killed for speaking their minds and standing up against the government. It is because of the freedom of speech that people were inspired to change the world in which we live in, from fighting slavery, segregation, and the limits of women’s rights. Corrupt governments may often abuse their powers to seize their own people’s property without just reason. Cruel, unusual punishment may still be practiced; sometimes even torture. When people commit crimes in many other countries, their rights to trial by jury don’t exist and they must attempt to prove their case in a biased court. With our guaranteed trial by jury, we have often proved to others that we are still capable of bringing criminals to justice without resorting to corruption and unfair trial. Town and state-wise, we should have a right to protect ourselves by keeping a weapon in the case of a dire, life-threatening situation and forming a local police force or militia to keep order.
The other five rights have served us well, but if the choice had to be made, I would prefer to give up protection from quartering of troops, prohibition of double jeopardy, right to a civil trial by jury, protection of rights not specifically enumerated in the Bill, and the powers of states and people. I would much rather have the right to speak freely and be free from cruel and unusual punishment and be required to keep a soldier in my home if needed. While it may be quite a hassle to take care of the soldier and feed him/her, they are probably fighting for us and I don’t mind giving a little back to keep my other rights. Double jeopardy may be an unfair situation to be in, but it wouldn’t be that bad to have to prove my case twice so as to keep my more important liberties. An uncivil trial by jury may prove to be a problem, but it would be better than no trial by jury at all. After all, the amendment is basically a reinforcement of the guaranteed trial by jury, which is still a strong law on its own. A state and town’s loss of authority would probably prove to be a major issue. But if it had to be done, Americans would still have their freedom of speech and could speak out against the government if it had too much power. State laws and town laws tend to be slightly more trivial than the important federal laws, such as the drinking age, the legal age to drive, the seriousness of a certain crime, etc. All of these, if needed, could just as easily be made a federal law. In fact, differences between state laws often lead to abuse of the right. For example, if in one state the drinking age is 21 and in a bordering state it’s 20, 20 year olds from the first state could easily go across the border to the second state and get away with ignoring the legal drinking age. All five of these rights are extremely important to the way we live now, but if we had to, we could give them up to keep our most important and fundamental freedoms.
The other five rights have served us well, but if the choice had to be made, I would prefer to give up protection from quartering of troops, prohibition of double jeopardy, right to a civil trial by jury, protection of rights not specifically enumerated in the Bill, and the powers of states and people. I would much rather have the right to speak freely and be free from cruel and unusual punishment and be required to keep a soldier in my home if needed. While it may be quite a hassle to take care of the soldier and feed him/her, they are probably fighting for us and I don’t mind giving a little back to keep my other rights. Double jeopardy may be an unfair situation to be in, but it wouldn’t be that bad to have to prove my case twice so as to keep my more important liberties. An uncivil trial by jury may prove to be a problem, but it would be better than no trial by jury at all. After all, the amendment is basically a reinforcement of the guaranteed trial by jury, which is still a strong law on its own. A state and town’s loss of authority would probably prove to be a major issue. But if it had to be done, Americans would still have their freedom of speech and could speak out against the government if it had too much power. State laws and town laws tend to be slightly more trivial than the important federal laws, such as the drinking age, the legal age to drive, the seriousness of a certain crime, etc. All of these, if needed, could just as easily be made a federal law. In fact, differences between state laws often lead to abuse of the right. For example, if in one state the drinking age is 21 and in a bordering state it’s 20, 20 year olds from the first state could easily go across the border to the second state and get away with ignoring the legal drinking age. All five of these rights are extremely important to the way we live now, but if we had to, we could give them up to keep our most important and fundamental freedoms.
From K57
The Bill Of Rights: What can I give up?
Of all of our rights, proclaimed in the Bill of Rights, there are a couple of which I deem exceedingly important and of which are not to be dismissed as of no consequence. These include the First Amendment of the First Ten Amendments, Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly and Petition. I believe that the freedom to express ourselves is crucial in having a say in the government. Also, the Second Amendment, Bearing Arms, is very critical. It is necessary that we have something to protect ourselves with and to properly maintain security. Next, I believe the Seventh Amendment is very necessary; any of the accused should have the right to a jury. They should have the right to have a chance, and to prove themselves innocent. The Eighth Amendment is also a very serious right to consider. Can one imagine what things would be like if trivial cases were addressed in a harsh and unfair way? What would life be like with cruel and unusual punishment? No, this amendment protects us from, being inflicted this way, whether it is through excessive fines, or cruel punishment. Lastly, I deem that the Ninth Amendment (Unremunerated Rights) is very important as well. It states that the rights given to us by the Bill of Rights are not the only rights that we have, and that the government cannot claim that they are.
HHHHHowever, I am willing to renounce some of these rights. To commence, the Third Amendment, Quartering of Troops, I deem is almost unnecessary. Though I know that it is important to maintain our own privacy, I do not think that this rule is as important as some of the others. Maybe it is necessary during a war that the troops be taken shelter, maybe it is not of choice to them for quartering. As long as they are not violating any other laws, and that they do not harm one’s security, I do not see any problem with this. I do not think that this is really an abuse, especially if the soldiers come during a war. Though I do believe some restrictions should be made, such as quartering of troops when there is no need (i.e. when at peace), I think there is no need to just restrict all cases of the quartering of troops.
Secondly, though I do disagree with searches and seizures, I think that I could live with it. Therefore, I believe that I could give up the Fourth Amendment. The rationale to this is that, if one is innocent, but being searched for, they will still be justified as innocent at the end of the search. If the accused are actually guilty, well they were correct, and the accused will receive some sort of fine or punishment, depending on the crime. Again, while I do not completely agree with searches, I still could live with them.
Next, I could give up the Fifth Amendment, which basically shields the rights of the accused. First of all, all of the accused are given right to a trial (Seventh Amendment), which makes it fair for them, secondly, even if the judges or the trial in general is unfair, the Eighth Amendment states that punishment for crimes cannot be cruel, harsh, or unfair. This will ensure that the accused will not be treated unfairly for punishment of a crime. This is why I believe that this amendment is just adding more details to the most important things in keeping the case fair.
The Sixth Amendment is like the preceding, in that it is just extra information. Though it may be crucial and I think it is what is most fair, the other two amendments previously mentioned, probably give more important rights than these two. This one is especially unnecessary, because it just explains the criminal proceedings and how the trial most proceed, I could give this up for a change in how trials run.
Lastly, I could renounce the Tenth Amendment, which reserves the right of powers to the states. This means that the rights that are not in the Constitution, but are also not prevented by it, are reserved for the states. I personally would be fine with just the rights from the Constitution because I know they are just and reasonable; these extra rights are just granted from each state, which means they are a mere addition and are optional.
In conclusion, there are some rights that I deem extremely critical and important for our nation and people, while there are others that do not resemble as much of this value, and can be renounced.
Of all of our rights, proclaimed in the Bill of Rights, there are a couple of which I deem exceedingly important and of which are not to be dismissed as of no consequence. These include the First Amendment of the First Ten Amendments, Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly and Petition. I believe that the freedom to express ourselves is crucial in having a say in the government. Also, the Second Amendment, Bearing Arms, is very critical. It is necessary that we have something to protect ourselves with and to properly maintain security. Next, I believe the Seventh Amendment is very necessary; any of the accused should have the right to a jury. They should have the right to have a chance, and to prove themselves innocent. The Eighth Amendment is also a very serious right to consider. Can one imagine what things would be like if trivial cases were addressed in a harsh and unfair way? What would life be like with cruel and unusual punishment? No, this amendment protects us from, being inflicted this way, whether it is through excessive fines, or cruel punishment. Lastly, I deem that the Ninth Amendment (Unremunerated Rights) is very important as well. It states that the rights given to us by the Bill of Rights are not the only rights that we have, and that the government cannot claim that they are.
HHHHHowever, I am willing to renounce some of these rights. To commence, the Third Amendment, Quartering of Troops, I deem is almost unnecessary. Though I know that it is important to maintain our own privacy, I do not think that this rule is as important as some of the others. Maybe it is necessary during a war that the troops be taken shelter, maybe it is not of choice to them for quartering. As long as they are not violating any other laws, and that they do not harm one’s security, I do not see any problem with this. I do not think that this is really an abuse, especially if the soldiers come during a war. Though I do believe some restrictions should be made, such as quartering of troops when there is no need (i.e. when at peace), I think there is no need to just restrict all cases of the quartering of troops.
Secondly, though I do disagree with searches and seizures, I think that I could live with it. Therefore, I believe that I could give up the Fourth Amendment. The rationale to this is that, if one is innocent, but being searched for, they will still be justified as innocent at the end of the search. If the accused are actually guilty, well they were correct, and the accused will receive some sort of fine or punishment, depending on the crime. Again, while I do not completely agree with searches, I still could live with them.
Next, I could give up the Fifth Amendment, which basically shields the rights of the accused. First of all, all of the accused are given right to a trial (Seventh Amendment), which makes it fair for them, secondly, even if the judges or the trial in general is unfair, the Eighth Amendment states that punishment for crimes cannot be cruel, harsh, or unfair. This will ensure that the accused will not be treated unfairly for punishment of a crime. This is why I believe that this amendment is just adding more details to the most important things in keeping the case fair.
The Sixth Amendment is like the preceding, in that it is just extra information. Though it may be crucial and I think it is what is most fair, the other two amendments previously mentioned, probably give more important rights than these two. This one is especially unnecessary, because it just explains the criminal proceedings and how the trial most proceed, I could give this up for a change in how trials run.
Lastly, I could renounce the Tenth Amendment, which reserves the right of powers to the states. This means that the rights that are not in the Constitution, but are also not prevented by it, are reserved for the states. I personally would be fine with just the rights from the Constitution because I know they are just and reasonable; these extra rights are just granted from each state, which means they are a mere addition and are optional.
In conclusion, there are some rights that I deem extremely critical and important for our nation and people, while there are others that do not resemble as much of this value, and can be renounced.
From Slater
When it comes to the Bill of Rights, I, as an individual, would choose certain amendments over others. To begin with, in my lifestyle, I think that the Second Amendment doesn’t apply to me. As important as I think it is to be able to defend myself, I do not think that I would need to bear arms. Not only do I think that if I needed to defend myself, I could hurt someone as it is without a gun, but I also think that holding a gun doesn’t solve problems; if anything, it makes them because of little children playing with them, or threatening to use it, both of which, could result in serious consequences.
The Third Amendment is another amendment that I could do without. As much as I wouldn’t like having soldiers randomly come into my house, if there was a reasonable enough explanation, I would accept it. In my opinion, having military come into my house is far better than having my freedom of speech taking away, not to mention, I know I would be able to deal with it.
The Sixth Amendment is another amendment from the Bill of Rights that I would be able to deal with not having. As much as I would want a quick trial, a jury of ordinary people, the right to know what I am accused of, and the right to a lawyer, I would be all right with not having any of those. After all, it doesn’t mean that I don’t have the rights to all of those; I just don’t get them right off the bat. If I ask, I would be able to hear what I am accused of, I would be able to find a lawyer. The only difference is, my lawyer would have to be at my own expense, but if the case was big enough, big bucks is worth it.
In addition to the rest, the Seventh Amendment is one that I don’t see as very important. To begin with, I would try not to do something that would get me in a civil case or sued. But if that doesn’t work out (which, people as volatile as they are probably won’t) I would be fine to have a civil case without trial by jury. If the trial was based on evidence, the law, and a unbiased judge’s opinion, I think that the result would be no different than that of a trial by jury. After all, people on Judge Judy don’t get a trial by jury and they end up just fine. Kind of.
I also think that the Tenth Amendment is one that I would be able to live without.
I don’t think that it is fair that separate states have their own laws. If anything, something that is allowed in one state and prohibited in another means that there is something acceptable in that, something that would be a good enough reason to allow it. Congress should vote for it as a nation-wide rule, and (when needed) the people can vote. Overall, though, I like the rights that I have, and if I had a choice, I wouldn’t choose. I couldn’t choose. This is the future of my life, we’re talking about here.
The Third Amendment is another amendment that I could do without. As much as I wouldn’t like having soldiers randomly come into my house, if there was a reasonable enough explanation, I would accept it. In my opinion, having military come into my house is far better than having my freedom of speech taking away, not to mention, I know I would be able to deal with it.
The Sixth Amendment is another amendment from the Bill of Rights that I would be able to deal with not having. As much as I would want a quick trial, a jury of ordinary people, the right to know what I am accused of, and the right to a lawyer, I would be all right with not having any of those. After all, it doesn’t mean that I don’t have the rights to all of those; I just don’t get them right off the bat. If I ask, I would be able to hear what I am accused of, I would be able to find a lawyer. The only difference is, my lawyer would have to be at my own expense, but if the case was big enough, big bucks is worth it.
In addition to the rest, the Seventh Amendment is one that I don’t see as very important. To begin with, I would try not to do something that would get me in a civil case or sued. But if that doesn’t work out (which, people as volatile as they are probably won’t) I would be fine to have a civil case without trial by jury. If the trial was based on evidence, the law, and a unbiased judge’s opinion, I think that the result would be no different than that of a trial by jury. After all, people on Judge Judy don’t get a trial by jury and they end up just fine. Kind of.
I also think that the Tenth Amendment is one that I would be able to live without.
I don’t think that it is fair that separate states have their own laws. If anything, something that is allowed in one state and prohibited in another means that there is something acceptable in that, something that would be a good enough reason to allow it. Congress should vote for it as a nation-wide rule, and (when needed) the people can vote. Overall, though, I like the rights that I have, and if I had a choice, I wouldn’t choose. I couldn’t choose. This is the future of my life, we’re talking about here.
From xxlemonliebe
If you were forced to choose 5 of your rights to keep, which 5 would you give up?
This is a really, REALLY hard question to answer. There’s one right that I don’t mind giving up, and that’s the Second Amendment: the right to keep and bear arms. I don’t really feel that we have much need for guns—but that’s probably just my inner hippie talking. J Still, that would be the easiest right for me to let go. The second easiest right for me to give up would probably be the Third Amendment, protection from quartering of troops. While housing a bunch of soldiers would be a problem, it’s a smaller problem than losing freedom of speech, or protection from unreasonable search and seizure.
It’s here that I come to a crossroads. The rest of my rights are all of equal value! Some I can’t even think about getting rid of, like right to assembly and unreasonable seizure, but I still want to keep the rest!
The Fifth Amendment (Right to silence) is something I am reluctant to give up, but it’s the easiest to. Right to silence takes away your right to stay quiet, but it shouldn’t make much of a difference if you are truly innocent and on trial. If we still have the right to a fair trial by jury, then innocence can be proven if the jury (and the judge) listen to you. I’m also willing to give up the Seventh Amendment: right to trial by jury if the value of the crime is more than $20. I’m okay with giving this up because the Sixth Amendment includes right to a fair jury and a speedy & public trial, so that right isn’t completely gone once it’s taken away.
I obviously want to keep the Sixth Amendment, because it’s the only reason I felt okay about giving up the Seventh Amendment. But, giving the government extra powers could make it incredibly corrupt and that would be a major problem. If the government had all the power, then America wouldn’t be a proper democracy anymore. So yet again, I am at a crossroad.
My final decision, after much pondering, is that a fair trial is something everyone needs, and America, made with the blood, sweat, and tears of every citizen and resident, has enough support that the government will most likely not become corrupt from excessive power. To sum everything up, I chose to give up the Second Amendment (the right to bear arms), the Third Amendment (protection from quartering of troops), the Fifth Amendment (right to silence), the Seventh Amendment (Right to trial by jury if the value of the crime is over 20 dollars), and the Tenth Amendment (Only powers specifically appointed to the government by the Constitution lay with the government; all other powers remain in individual states).
This is a really, REALLY hard question to answer. There’s one right that I don’t mind giving up, and that’s the Second Amendment: the right to keep and bear arms. I don’t really feel that we have much need for guns—but that’s probably just my inner hippie talking. J Still, that would be the easiest right for me to let go. The second easiest right for me to give up would probably be the Third Amendment, protection from quartering of troops. While housing a bunch of soldiers would be a problem, it’s a smaller problem than losing freedom of speech, or protection from unreasonable search and seizure.
It’s here that I come to a crossroads. The rest of my rights are all of equal value! Some I can’t even think about getting rid of, like right to assembly and unreasonable seizure, but I still want to keep the rest!
The Fifth Amendment (Right to silence) is something I am reluctant to give up, but it’s the easiest to. Right to silence takes away your right to stay quiet, but it shouldn’t make much of a difference if you are truly innocent and on trial. If we still have the right to a fair trial by jury, then innocence can be proven if the jury (and the judge) listen to you. I’m also willing to give up the Seventh Amendment: right to trial by jury if the value of the crime is more than $20. I’m okay with giving this up because the Sixth Amendment includes right to a fair jury and a speedy & public trial, so that right isn’t completely gone once it’s taken away.
I obviously want to keep the Sixth Amendment, because it’s the only reason I felt okay about giving up the Seventh Amendment. But, giving the government extra powers could make it incredibly corrupt and that would be a major problem. If the government had all the power, then America wouldn’t be a proper democracy anymore. So yet again, I am at a crossroad.
My final decision, after much pondering, is that a fair trial is something everyone needs, and America, made with the blood, sweat, and tears of every citizen and resident, has enough support that the government will most likely not become corrupt from excessive power. To sum everything up, I chose to give up the Second Amendment (the right to bear arms), the Third Amendment (protection from quartering of troops), the Fifth Amendment (right to silence), the Seventh Amendment (Right to trial by jury if the value of the crime is over 20 dollars), and the Tenth Amendment (Only powers specifically appointed to the government by the Constitution lay with the government; all other powers remain in individual states).
From havemorecookies
Without the Bill of Rights, I might not even be sitting here typing this article. Instead I might be cowering in a corner with my family in my house, scared to death of being taken away because I said my thoughts out loud. The Bill of Rights are extremely important (keep in mind that I might not even be able to say that if it werenʼt for the BOR), and we need this freedom to feel safe in our country. However, there are some I would be willing to give up. Amendment II, the right to keep and bear arms, states that you have a right to weapons, or owning a gun. I donʼt own a gun, and I donʼt think there will come a situation soon where I need one. Amendment III states that troops may not be quartered in homes during peacetime. There is no point of living in someone elseʼs house when you have your own house, so why would a soldier come knocking on my door when there is no war? Iʼm sure there a law for trespassing someone elseʼs property. Amendment IV states that nobody can be put on trial for a very serious crime, unless a group of people called a grand jury first decide that there is enough evidence to make a trial necessary. I would give this up because even if I did have a trial, there is still a chance that I am proved not guilty of the crime. Amendment VII states the right to a jury trial. A jury is needed so different opinions can be heard, but if the crime is really that bad, then the judge wonʼt change their decision easily. Amendment 9 states that you have more rights than just the ones listed in the Bill Of Rights. Some of those rights are natural rights (life, liberty, property, pursuit of happiness). Other amendments mostly cover those. Amendment 1 allows you to have the pursuit of happiness.
From ayx
There's a certain unadulterated majesty about the document known as the Bill of Rights.
There's a certain beauty about the whole concept of it all, a certain greatness that reasserts itself even when reassertion isn't necessary. There's a certain splendor about rights, about having choices, freedoms, fairness or as close as one can come to having those wondrous things.
And what if some of it was stripped away? Gone, gone, gone like the winds that pass us by, like the seconds that tick by only to never return? But no, not just some. What if we were faced with a most complicated choice? What if we had to choose the five freedoms we cherish most to keep in the Bill of Rights and throw away the rest? It is a complicated choice indeed, but not an impossible one.
In my personal opinion, I think that, if only five rights could remain on the Bill, one of said rights should be the first: "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." [1] In other words, freedom of speech and the freedom to worship whatever religion or lack thereof one wishes to worship. We humans are naturally expressive creatures. We often use whatever means necessary to express ourselves, whether it's body language or verbal communication or even sign language. Not only does it seem unfair to suppress this innate desire for expression, but it also seems foolish to do so. Additionally, in the past, man has faced many conflicts that revolved around religion. Take, for instance, those dark times during which people were harshly persecuted for practicing a religion other than the commonly accepted one; this kind of persecution still occurs today.
This next idea, to me, is a bit of a no-brainer. The next right that should be kept is the ninth: "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people." [2] Many, many things remain unmentioned. Even though said "things" are indeed unmentioned, citizens still have more rights certain rights simply aren't listed.
Another right should be the eighth: "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted." [3] I feel that it is unreasonable for individuals to receive unjust punishments that do not match the severity (or lack thereof) of their crime. If the crime is not too serious, one should not receive, for instance, a lifetime in jailor, worse, the death penalty; it does not seem reasonable. Individuals shouldn't be given immense fines or have immense bails, either, particularly when their crime isn't anything truly significant.
Next should be the fifth: "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." [4] One should not be tried for any serious crime without a grand jury, and, if declared innocent, the government should not try any certain person again for the same crime with another jury.
Last, although not least, should be the sixth: "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." [5] The accused should have the right to a swift trial; they should not be forced to stay in jail for years while they wait to have a child, particularly if they are innocent. The jury should not be biased, namely because that would be immensely unfair to the accused, and the accused should have a right to a public trial, which is, in most cases, more fair.
There's a certain beauty about the whole concept of it all, a certain greatness that reasserts itself even when reassertion isn't necessary. There's a certain splendor about rights, about having choices, freedoms, fairness or as close as one can come to having those wondrous things.
And what if some of it was stripped away? Gone, gone, gone like the winds that pass us by, like the seconds that tick by only to never return? But no, not just some. What if we were faced with a most complicated choice? What if we had to choose the five freedoms we cherish most to keep in the Bill of Rights and throw away the rest? It is a complicated choice indeed, but not an impossible one.
In my personal opinion, I think that, if only five rights could remain on the Bill, one of said rights should be the first: "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." [1] In other words, freedom of speech and the freedom to worship whatever religion or lack thereof one wishes to worship. We humans are naturally expressive creatures. We often use whatever means necessary to express ourselves, whether it's body language or verbal communication or even sign language. Not only does it seem unfair to suppress this innate desire for expression, but it also seems foolish to do so. Additionally, in the past, man has faced many conflicts that revolved around religion. Take, for instance, those dark times during which people were harshly persecuted for practicing a religion other than the commonly accepted one; this kind of persecution still occurs today.
This next idea, to me, is a bit of a no-brainer. The next right that should be kept is the ninth: "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people." [2] Many, many things remain unmentioned. Even though said "things" are indeed unmentioned, citizens still have more rights certain rights simply aren't listed.
Another right should be the eighth: "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted." [3] I feel that it is unreasonable for individuals to receive unjust punishments that do not match the severity (or lack thereof) of their crime. If the crime is not too serious, one should not receive, for instance, a lifetime in jailor, worse, the death penalty; it does not seem reasonable. Individuals shouldn't be given immense fines or have immense bails, either, particularly when their crime isn't anything truly significant.
Next should be the fifth: "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." [4] One should not be tried for any serious crime without a grand jury, and, if declared innocent, the government should not try any certain person again for the same crime with another jury.
Last, although not least, should be the sixth: "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." [5] The accused should have the right to a swift trial; they should not be forced to stay in jail for years while they wait to have a child, particularly if they are innocent. The jury should not be biased, namely because that would be immensely unfair to the accused, and the accused should have a right to a public trial, which is, in most cases, more fair.
From Evil McNuggets
The Bill of Rights is of great importance to our country. Without most of its Amendments, living in America would be insanity! But, if I absolutely had to efface one Amendment on the Bill of Rights, I would chose the Second Amendment. This Amendment, although it was once a greatly needed law, is no longer a necessity. In fact, most people would be better off without it. When the law was created, America was in a state of war, and therefore, the people of this great country needed protection in case of a surprise civilian attack by the opposing British forces. In this day and age, America's citizens are no longer in as much danger as they were back in the 1770s. Yes, we do have terrorist attacks, such as 9/11, but there is nothing we could do to stop that with a personal gun. The only threat to American civilians at this point in time is an armed criminal. If America didn't have the right to bear arms, we wouldn't have any armed criminals, and criminals without guns are much easier to catch. Without the Second Amendment, America would be a much safer place. The only people who should be able to carry a gun with them should be the law enforcement.
The most important Amendment is definitely the First Amendment. Without the Government giving us the freedom to believe in any religion we chose, or the freedom to speak out against something we don't find a particularly good thing, there might be a rebellion, and many protests. It is very important to the citizens to be able to express these rights. Any racists who hate any particular religion cannot do anything about the people who are faithful to that religion. If they commit any act of hatred towards a religious group, or people with certain opinions, they will be thrown in jail. This Amendments is one of the many that separates us from the dictatorships and communist countries there are in the world. Without the Bill of Rights, America would a terrible place to live in. The Government would control each and every one of our lives and we couldn't do a thing about it.
The most important Amendment is definitely the First Amendment. Without the Government giving us the freedom to believe in any religion we chose, or the freedom to speak out against something we don't find a particularly good thing, there might be a rebellion, and many protests. It is very important to the citizens to be able to express these rights. Any racists who hate any particular religion cannot do anything about the people who are faithful to that religion. If they commit any act of hatred towards a religious group, or people with certain opinions, they will be thrown in jail. This Amendments is one of the many that separates us from the dictatorships and communist countries there are in the world. Without the Bill of Rights, America would a terrible place to live in. The Government would control each and every one of our lives and we couldn't do a thing about it.
From bluemoose
If I had to give up 5 Amendments from the Bill of Rights, they would be the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 7th, and 10th. I would give up the right to bear arms because if they became illegal, then no one else would have guns and I wouldn't need to defend myself against other guns. Hopefully that would also make it harder for criminals to use guns because by using them, they're admitting to having an illegal item in their possession. Amendment 3 states that no one can be forced to let a soldier stay in their house. However, I don't think it is likely the government will want soldiers to stay in citizens' houses. Even if they do, housing isn't that big of a sacrifice compared to what many soldiers go through during wars. I'd also give up the requirement of obtaining a search warrant before searching a person's home or other property. If you don't have any illegal items with you, then having a police person searching through your belongings shouldn't be that big of a deal. Amendment 7 declares any court you are in during a trial must be recognized by the government. However, as long as you have an impartial judge as required by the 6th Amendment, a private court would serve the same purpose as a government-related one. I would give up the 10th Amendment because I don't think that it has a big impact on people. It only says that the state determines any laws on subjects that are not mentioned in the Constitution. It doesn't seem like an amendment that affects people as much as ones about free speech and free press or other rights in the 9th Amendment.
From samob7
The first amendment I would be willing to give up is the fourth amendment. I would be willing to give it up because some evidence may not be found because a search warrant was not issued and the police did not get permission from the person. The second amendment I would be wiling to give up is the third amendment of quartering troops. It only applies during times of peace and when it does it’s not that big of a deal. I would be willing to give up the right to bear arms. I don’t think it is necessary for citizens to own guns. I would be willing to give up the Civil Trials amendment. People are already allowed a lawyer and fair trial, the money at stake shouldn’t really matter. Lastly I would be willing to give up the tenth amendment. Powers given to state should be given to the federal government.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Welcome to the World of Blogging!
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This is a place where we will read, write and learn about various things related to the social studies. Some of the posts will be homework assignments, some will be posts made independently by students and some will be responses to readings and articles.
Comments will be moderated, as will all posts.
This is a place where we will read, write and learn about various things related to the social studies. Some of the posts will be homework assignments, some will be posts made independently by students and some will be responses to readings and articles.
Comments will be moderated, as will all posts.
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