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Wake Up to Our Bill of Rights

Avatar for Gaye Levy Gaye Levy  |  Updated: August 1, 2022
Wake Up to Our Bill of Rights

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liberty July 2012Today is Bill of Rights Day.

Named as such in 1941 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Bill of Rights Day is a call for all American citizens to reflect, review and celebrate the historical significance of this anniversary and to ponder how the amendments affect our daily lives and ensure our most sacred basic rights and civil liberties – rights and civil liberties that in the past we have taken for granted.

It is somewhat coincidental that this year this day follows a massive shooting at a Connecticut elementary school and a renewed call to action among elected political leaders to take care of the firearms problem in the United States.  There is no other way to say it:  it is time that we the citizens wake up to our Bill of Rights.

What is the Bill of Rights?

On December 15, 1791, the first 10 amendments to our Constitution known as the Bill of Rights were ratified.  Let me list them for you in plain English. United States Bill of Rights

1.  The First Amendment says that “Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech.”

2.  The Second Amendment says the people have the right “to keep and bear arms.”

3.  The Third Amendment says soldiers may not be quartered in our homes without the consent of the owners.

4.  The Fourth Amendment says the people have the right to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures.

5.  The Fifth Amendment says that private property shall not be taken “for public use without just compensation.”

6.  The Sixth Amendment says that in criminal prosecutions, the person accused is guaranteed a right to trial by jury.

7.  The Seventh Amendment guarantees the right to a jury trial in civil cases where the controversy “shall exceed twenty dollars.”

8.  The Eighth Amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishments.

9.  The Ninth Amendment says that the enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights should not be construed to deny or disparage others “retained by the people.”

10.  The Tenth Amendment says that the powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to the states, or to the people.

To summarize, the Bill of Rights serves to define and limit the powers of the government and to furthermore remind government officials that they serve the citizens and not the other way around.

The State of Our Union

A little over a year ago I wrote about Liberty, Democracy and the State of Confusion.  Nothing has changed since then and if anything, things have become worse.

Violations to the first ten amendments to our Constitution run rampant and are likely to escalate.  Don’t get me wrong.  This is not partisan or political.  It is simply a fact that for the last twelve years, officials of our government have abused their power and our rights without recourse, punishment or remedial action.  Some might say that they have broken the law and are criminals.

WW1_Poster_Patriotic_USA_America-1LGCitizens no longer know who to trust or who to believe.  And many, who prefer to know nothing or not care, go blindly about their daily life abiding by the new-found rules, not realizing that inch by inch, day by day, their rights are being set aside it favor of – dare I say a socialist dictatorship?

Our Constitutional rights include the freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of religion, the right to trial by jury, protection against unreasonable search and seizure and the right to bear arms among other things.  Looking at this list and the state of our union, it appears to me that our republic is in a state of crisis.

The Final Word

The delegates that gathered in 1787 to form a new government agreed that this new government would be a republic.  That said, a republic is a type of government in which the people elect representatives to run the country.

The Preamble of the Constitution states:

“We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

The Bill of Rights, as the first ten amendments to the Constitution, lists our country’s most important rights and freedoms.  Let us not forget about these rights and freedoms and begin to oppose and issue a loud NO to those that try to take them away.

Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!

Gaye

Spotlight Item: Amazon books has a free copy of The United States Constitution and the United States Bill of Rights for the taking.  Why not download a copy now?  No Kindle?  No problem.  All you need to do is to go to the page where you can download a Free Reading App. Follow the instructions and you are all set.

Bargain Bin:  A have some new suggestions for you today – including a few items you may not have not seen before.  But first, some items to use to defend yourself in an attack.

Olight Special Ops Tactical LED Flashlight: Invest is a heavy-duty tactical flashlight that can be used to temporarily blind an assailant – among other things.

Sabre Compact Pepper Spray with Quick Release Key Ring: The portability of this pepper spray adds to its appeal since it can be easily carried on a key ring or in a handbag or backpack.

Sabre Family Home and Property Protection Pepper Spray:  You can’t be hauled to the slammer for using pepper spray.  Wasp spray, bear spray and the like are good too.  I keep some next to every exterior door in my home.  What I like about this one is that you can mount it to a wall, just like a fire extinguisher.

Holding Your Ground: Preparing for Defense if it All Falls Apart: You NEED this book if you care about defending your homestead. In addition, Without Rule of Law: Advanced Skills to Help You Survive will teach you skills to get through the most dire survival circumstances.

Philips goLITE BLU Light Therapy Device:  I own the Phillips goLite and upon checking, could not believe the current low price.  There is no better way to get through the doldrums of dark wintery days.  (And be sure to read my experience with it here: See the light on a dark and dreary day.)

Victorio Hand Grain Mill: No emergency food storage plan is complete without an electricity free grain mill. The Victorio hand operated grain mill has a precision stainless steel milling cone and is durable. It provides the ability to grind fine bread quality flour when you need it.

No Rinse Personal Care Products:  A selection of these products are on their way to me for review purposes.  These would make an idea component in a bug-out-bag or even on the shelf to use if there were a water or sewer outage.  I am especially anxious to try the No Rinse Shampoo.

Shop Amazon – Holiday Gift Cards – Instant Delivery or Free One-Day Shipping:  I hate the consumerism of the season but even I purchased a number of these Amazon gift cards to satisfy the holiday obligation.


For December, Emergency Essentials has a special sale on Freeze-Dried Chicken Breast Dices. The price is $27.99 which is 34% off the regular price of $42.95.

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5 Responses to “Wake Up to Our Bill of Rights”

  1. I thought the 5th was to keep us from having to incriminate ourselves. I tell the old woman many times,”I stand on the 5th”

    • The listing above was presented as a very brief summary listing of certain sections of the Bill of Rights amendments. The 5th amendment does indeed give us the right not to incriminate ourselves – among many other things.

      I felt that it was important to remind my readers that the Bill of Rights serves to define and limit the powers of the government and to furthermore remind government officials that they serve the citizens and not the other way around. As a result, I chose to include those items that addressed current abuses those rights. I apologize for not making that clear.

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