Protect Your Rights!
When will all the people of the United States stand up for themselves?

Many of who have, whether by protesting (for or against the president and his administration's policies) have been treated as traitors or terrorists. How long will we allow our 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, and 9th amendment rights to be compromised? That is SIX amendments that the Bush Administration has violated and forced government agencies within individual states to violate on their behalf. Those of you who do voice what you believe publicly are worthy of a medal, particularly with the inevitability of being arrested for it. Those of you who are aware that this is happening and shrug your shoulders saying, "Well, they shouldn't speak ill of the president", simply do not care whether or not you have any rights or you are completely ignorant of the rights we have. I certainly hope it isn't the latter. This country was founded specifically so we, as a free nation, could speak our minds, have our privacy, and be treated fairly. We have had our rights violated in the past - but not so blatantly, viciously, consistently, and completely as under this administration.

The Constitutional Amendments that have been violated, and how they have been violated are:


ARTICLE [I.]
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

The president has required that "free speech zones" be created - out of his sight and unavailable to reporters - for those who would disagree with him, and in some cases, those who agree with him. NOWHERE in this amendment or anywhere else in our constitution does it specify or even vaguely imply that free speech is only allowed in certain areas. The purpose of this amendment is for people to freely speak their opinions in regards to our government SPECIFICALLY if we don't agree with them. "Free speech zones" are a direct violation of this very basic right. Not allowing reporters to talk with those with grievances is directly violating the freedom of the press and freedom of speech, which are both specifically given in this amendment. Requiring the press to change their wording, such as disallowing the the word "resistance" and replacing it with "insurgents" in regards to the Iraqi resistance, is also a violation of freedom of the press as well as freedom of speech. This president has claimed that anyone who has any kind of grievance with his administration might possibly be a terrorist, and that they are unpatriotic. Since when are you or I (I love this country with all my heart and soul) unpatriotic because we: disagree with the president, exercise our right to peaceably assemble, our right to free speech, and our right to tell our government what we disagree with? It is, again, the very reason this country was created in the first place.

ARTICLE [IV.]
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

The Patriot Acts I and II (Patriot Act II was passed, and signed into law the very day that Saddam was "captured", Sunday, December 13, 2003 - did you know that? Probably not.) This completely obliterates this amendment. The US Government now has every right to to search the homes, tap the phone lines, track your spending via credit card and other purchasing methods (the little savings cards from your local grocery), library records, business records, and more WITHOUT a warrant or notifying you at all. In other words - they can break into your house, search it top to bottom, take pictures and notes, WITHOUT EVER TELLING YOU THEY WERE THERE. No, this is not just for foreigners or people with criminal records, but this applies to EVERY SINGLE PERSON in this country regardless of age, race, gender, nationality, history, or status.


ARTICLE [V.]

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Citizens of the United States and citizens of other countries have been arrested and held without being given a reason, without being charged, are denied adequate care, legal council, contact of any kind with friends or family. Suspending the right of habeas corpus is illegal and wrong! This is a direct violation of this amendment, and negates the following amendment, Article VI, thus violating it through omission.

ARTICLE [VI.]

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Article [VIII.]
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Those being held, as mentioned above, are being cruelly and unusually punished by denying them their rights, as stated, and also are reported as being held in small spaces with little food or water, almost no time outside or with light, naked, and exposed to extreme temperatures with no means of protection or medical care. 21 detainees at Guantanamo Bay have attempted suicide 32 times due to the conditions that they are living in - 3 of the detainees are under the age of 16. This is not only cruel and unusual, it is criminal and abusive. Child abuse in any way should never be tolerated - PARTICULARLY government inflicted child abuse. This is simply repulsive and unforgivable.

ARTICLE [XIV.]

Section 1: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

The Bush Administration's forcing of State and local government agencies (i.e.:the police department) to enforce the violations of the first and fourth amendments, directly violates this amendment, and causes them to violate this and the first and fourth amendments - willingly or not.

Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age,(See Note 15)[(Note 15) The voting age was changed to 18, and women were allowed to vote] and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

Everyone knows what happened in Florida during the 2000 Presidential Election. Many were denied their right to vote for frivolous reasons (i.e.: they had in the past been convicted of a felony, or they had the same [last] name as someone convicted of a felony). Just because you have, in the past, been convicted of a felony, does NOT mean you are ineligible to vote. Felons are not only allowed to vote, as long as their probation or parole is over, but even felons that are still in prison can run for office - even for the presidency. They simply can't vote. President Bush ought to know that, as he is a convicted felon - according to many sources.

Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

This can still be considered speculative in some ways, but it has been proven that in the first days following the September 11th attacks, the Bush Administration aided 24 members of the (Osama) bin Laden family, as well as many other Saudis (up to 140) by transporting them - by plane, while all planes were grounded - from various places around our country, to Boston, and then on to France WITHOUT HOLDING THEM FOR QUESTIONING. This is, undoubtedly, a blatant violation of not only this amendment, but also severely compromising and ignoring the safety and security of our country and our citizens.

These are the facts. These are unacceptable facts. WE THE PEOPLE run this country, not the Bush Administration. The Constitution of the United States of America was created to protect us from the government we now have. I know it is hard to believe that a president could violate so many of our rights. Why would you want to believe it, particularly if you voted for him? That would make you feel responsible for our rights being taken away. But, they are your rights, too, and the president did not give you any reason to think that he would behave this way when you voted for him. IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT! However, now that you are fully aware of what is happening to our great nation, you can help us get our rights back by not voting for George Bush this November. Those of you who are afraid to stand up, remember what Thomas Jefferson said - "When the government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny."

Think of all these great quotes by all the great people this country has had as citizens:

"United we stand, divided we fall"
(we have never been so divided a country as now since the Civil War)

"I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
(though we may disagree with each other on some things, we have always tolerated everyone's beliefs because it is our right to disagree)

"A government of the people, by the people, for the people"
(when was the last time you truly agreed with, or believed in, what your Senators, Representatives, and those in the White House do "in the name of our country"?)

If you really want to be represented, then get out and vote in every election! Some people say that the"little" elections, such as local, don't make a difference. They do. The "little" elections put the people into power that create our laws, and the difference that makes ultimately shows up in Washington. Then there are those (including myself) who have used the argument, "I don't want to vote because instead of voting for someone I like, I have to vote for the person I hate the least. What's the point?" If you don't for-see an acceptable choice in an upcoming election, run for office yourself, or tell someone you know to run for office if you think they would do a good job. The point is, this country is our country, and how it is run is our decision.