Monday, September 17, 2007

Constitution Day in the U.S.

A copy of the US Constitution and Bill of Rights, presented for your browsing pleasure on this day celebrating what it means, or might mean, or what some once might have meant for it to mean to be an American. Print it out; it's yours to keep.

2 comments:

dr. hypercube said...

Matt - the Constitution is so pre-9/11. Now, with the Permanent Global War on Terrah(tm) we must be prepared to sacrifice liberty for an (illusory) sense of security!

Sarcasm alert for above (see Ben F. on the last point). Thanks for posting this - the final defense of the Constitution is up to us - the people.

Not to get all militia-psycho here, but a point of pride - Article 10 of the NH Constitution's Bill of Rights:

[Art.] 10. [Right of Revolution.] Government being instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security, of the whole community, and not for the private interest or emolument of any one man, family, or class of men; therefore, whenever the ends of government are perverted, and public liberty manifestly endangered, and all other means of redress are ineffectual, the people may, and of right ought to reform the old, or establish a new government. The doctrine of nonresistance against arbitrary power, and oppression, is absurd, slavish, and destructive of the good and happiness of mankind.

Matt Mullenix said...

Doc H: I was hoping and expecting someone to get all militia-psycho. :-)

Please feel free.

Your point is well taken and came to mind when reading the ammendments. A common sense reading of most of them indicates they've become more like suggestions----maybe fine ideals in a perfect world but impractical in these dangerous, uncertain times. All agreed? Good. Now move along. Nothing more to see here.