U.S. Bill of Rights

[Mel]

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 4, Issue 2 (August 2010).

U.S. Bill of Rights
By Casey (Casey.)

In the United States, we have the Constitution, and in the body of the Constitution is the U.S. Bill of Rights, which is comprised of the first ten amendments. Many democratic countries have a Bill of Rights, which are the rights that the people of that nation are entitled to.

There are ten amendments that make up the Bill of Rights. The first is the most commonly known amendment, but is often used incorrectly. The First Amendment is freedom of speech, press, assembly, and religion, as long as it does not affect the well-being of the public. There are restrictions of course. If you are not causing a disturbance or harm to the general public, you have those rights. However, if you are not obeying the laws, the first amendment is null and void.

The Second Amendment is also well known, but again, often misinterpreted. The Second Amendment is the right of the state to have a well armed militia, and for the militia men to be able to keep and bear arms. Often, it was taken as the right of the people to bear arms, but that is quite a stretch of the amendment. Gun use will not be infringed upon if it is necessary to the security of a free state, with the militia being like the National Guard.

The Third Amendment is also related to the military, but not gun use. It's actually not very well-known, as it hasn't been implemented in decades. This right is for the protection from the quartering of troops during peace time, which basically means that unless you consent to soldiers staying on your property, by law, during a time of peace, they cannot be housed on private property.

Next, is the protection from unreasonable search and seizures, which basically means that your home, documents, and property are secure from being searched without cause and without a warrant.

Maybe you've heard someone say that they pleaded the fifth, and you didn't know what they meant. The Fifth Amendment is basically against self-incrimination, the right to have a lawyer and the right to remain silent until you speak to your lawyer.

The Sixth and Seventh Amendments go together, as both are about a fair trial. The Sixth Amendment is for the right to a fair, speedy trial by an impartial jury. The Seventh Amendment is civil trial by jury.

The Eighth Amendment is against cruel and unusual punishment, and excessive bail. This means that the punishment, or jail time, can't exceed the maximum norm for the crime. It also protects from cruel punishments, like torture.

The Ninth Amendment is the protection of rights not specifically mentioned in the constitution.

The Tenth Amendment is about the power of the state and the people. It basically says that the powers not mentioned in the constitution that are not prohibited by the state are reserved to the state, or to the people, respectively.