http://swindy.blogspot.com/2008/07/and-this-is-why-we-have-legislation.html
Status of the Bill of Rights
Amendment 1 –
Freedom of Speech (On life support)
Freedom of Religion (OK)
Freedom of Press (corrupt)
Freedom of Assembly (Curtailed)
Freedom to Petition the government (OK)
Amendment 2 – Right to Bear Arms (Alive and well*)
Amendment 3 – Quartering of Troops (Antiquated and irrelevant)
Amendment 4 – Protection Against Unreasonable Search and Seizure (Dead**)
Amendment 5 -
Protection from Double Jeopardy (OK)
Protection from Self Incrimination (Alive and Well***)
Assurance of Due Process (Dead)
Eminant Domain (Perverted and Abused by the corrupt US government)
Amendment 6 – Right to a Speedy and Public Trial (Dead)
Amendment 7 – Right to trial by jury in civil matters (OK)
Amendment 8 -
Protection Against Excessive Bail (Broken)
Protection Against Cruel and Unusual Punishment (Dead****)
Amendment 9 – Rights Retained By the People (Dead*****)
Amendment 10 – Rights Retained By the States (Dead – and has been for a long time)
* – Although there was a recent victory for the second amendment with the overturning of the DC handgun ban, I would argue that the intent of the 2nd amendment is to protect the populace from an overreaching government. Until the people have no restrictions on privately held weapnory (including nuclear weapons), this is an impossibility.
** – See FISA bill
*** – But Abused by the rich and powerful
**** – See: Military Commissions Act – The definition of torture is left to the discretion of the president
***** – While not formally null, the rights retained by the people is largely gone. Most Americans could not even tell you what the ninth amendment IS, and the ones that can, most likely don’t know what it means. Basically, what it means is that whatever is not specifically prohibited by law, is therefore legal (see: abortion).
So that is my Bill of Rights overview. As you can see, our rights specifically granted to us are going away, one by one; And you can forget about the ones that are retained by the people.
