Continuing on from . . .
Recognizing the dangers of a standing army – even a well regulated militia – the government can NOT force you to quarter soldiers in your home without your consent. Hopefully this will also apply to the new Civilian National Security Force (CNSF). (and, and . )
Citizens are protected against unreasonable searches and seizures by the Government – hopefully this too will apply to the CNSF.
Citizens have the right to NOT witness against yourself or be tried twice for the same crime and the government can’t take your stuff without due process or compensation.
Citizens have the right to a speedy, PUBLIC trial by an impartial jury of your peers, the right to confront your accuser and the right to Defense Counsel in Federal Courts.
Citizens have the right to jury even in Civil trials if the amount in question is over $20.00 [how much would that be today]
Citizens are protected against excessive bail, excessive fines and cruel and unusual punishment. [of course the devil is in the detail and depends on what your definition of “is” – is or in the case what your definition of unusual is . . .]
Now for some of the best (often most over looked) bits
“The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people“. Simply instructs that power not listed in the Constitution (thereby claimed by the Government) were powers belonging to the people. Thus, this was an attempted limiting factor on the Federal Government.
Our founders often thought of their own States as distinct and Sovereign – from each other and from a centralized government. To that end, they proviced that “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“
As originally intended, the “Bill of Rights” was to protect the governed from those doing the governing or protect US from the government.
The Bill of Rights simply enumerates some of our many “Blessings of Liberty”- blessing that we take for granted and blessings that disallowed in many corners of the world. The Blessings of Liberty are among the things that makes us (or US) UNIQUE in the whole history of mankind.
These are blessing worth protecting and fighting for. Blessing that must vigilantly be guarded from usurpation by the natural tendencies of government and secured from external assault
