The Bill of Rights is a reminder that for over 200 years our rights as citizens have been guaranteed. It is a reminder to the citizens of the world that America is truly the land of the free. The first ten amendments to the Constitution are extremely important, too important for us to meddle with at any time. They cannot be viewed as a list of individual laws from which we can pick and choose which we want to abide by and which we want to circumvent. The purpose of each amendment is to guarantee to posterity the rights the founding fathers, signers of the Declaration of Independence and the framers of the Constitution, believed were “…unalienable Rights…” which no government shall deny the people. The first ten amendments serve as a promise and a warning to the American People. They guarantee that “We the People” will remain free to govern ourselves and stand as a reminder to those who believe otherwise. 2nd Amendment
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. Early American citizen militias have been  replaced by an all volunteer professional military and National Guard. Because of this many argue that the 2nd Amendment no longer applies. This is not the case, the formation of a professional and organized National Guard does not in any way abate or alter the meaning of the key words incorporated into the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution, “…the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” Preservation of the 2nd amendment is extremely important. In order to maintain a free state, the people must retain the right to keep and bear arms. The Second Amendment does not grant us the right to bear arms. This right already existed when it was drafted. The Second Amendment merely prevents the government from infringing on our right to bear arms.
| | Two of the most important amendments incorporated into the “Bill of Rights” are: 9th Amendment
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. While this amendment does not stand alone, it shows that the drafters saw the need to protect against future and unforeseen abuses by the federal government. This amendment clearly tells us that in listing some rights, the drafters of the Bill of Rights, did not intend to limit other rights retained by the people. With this amendment they made it clear that the Bill of Rights was not complete, in effect the 9th Amendment adds an “and so on”. to the Constitution. 10th Amendment
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 amendment is the tool with which the states can exert power over the Federal Government. It gives the states the power of nullification and interposition; the asserted power of the states to declare federal actions unconstitutional. Thomas Jefferson believed that the Tenth Amendment was the cornerstone  of the Constitution and the key to creating what he called “an empire of liberty.” As Jefferson wrote over 235 years ago, “A bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference.” “We must demonstrate to our enemies and our allies that our strength is derived from the principles upon which the country was founded. If we abandon or compromise our principles we provide our enemies with their greatest victory.” Joseph Krysztoforski 2006 |
