The Bill of Rights
© Copyright 2000 Richard Brodie
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Ten of the Amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America |
of the utmost freedom of man in the land, the Congress: |
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. | Shall ever regard this grand charter's role inherent to the people: worshipping of God in the faith of one's choice; speaking freely or forming a committee to go before some magistrate to beseech fairness; or printing off-beat rebel sheets. No person shall ever be excepted! |
Article II
| 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. | Shall not make guns illegal. Patriots beware! Note gun prohibition. If elected, defeat the heresy; perfect freedom. Rise against the betrayal! |
Article III
| No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law. | Shall frown on the barbaric concept whereby uniformed military are required to be stationed in homes. Sweep out the woeful notion! An intense ban! |
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. | Shall be prepared to assure all citizens' privacy, forbidding public harassers such as a building agency's effete bureaucrats to peep around in a person's house, perhaps to obtain dirt on one's home and castle that's none of their business. With tapped phones or bugs, there'll also be zero tolerance. Hereafter, that ends! No debates! |
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. | Shall not prefer charges lightly in cases wherein felony offenses are committed, when an ultimate penalty would be appropriate, a principle which is not so applicable to occurrences that involve people who inflict barbaric injuries while on an infantry mission; and refrain from placing people at risk for total loss of basic freedom, by being subjected to miserable expropriation injustice, or made to reveal personal secrets. Furthermore, justice sure won't be served if a man be unlawfully put on trial more than once. No! a thousand times no! Sorry, it's now forbidden! |
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. | Shall, in a non-civil case, be sure that a court is convened with no delay, no unfortunate postponement; that poor people who stand indicted in it can discover the charges, and names of accusers; and that the circumstances will be clarified by the deliberations of twelve unbiased jurors. It is affirmed that cases not be heard non-locally, with free lawyers for all. Ah! the hope is that these provisions might diminish the chance of any abusive miscarriage of justice by the system.! |
Article VII
| In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law. | Shall, where a cash amount's not ridiculously little, no matter how extraordinarily complex the case, assure it's heard by twelve talented jurors, deliberating ably for over a month if necessary, whose judgement cannot be contravened. Why? Chiefly to find the truth. |
Article VIII
| Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. | Shall require abusive fund deprivations be cut. Shall nix merciless unexpired confinements. None! Issue closed! |
Article IX
| The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. | Hear ye! Other signal truths are not specified; but not spelling them out is not an indication they aren't to be respected or honored. |
Article X
| 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. | Stop central authority governance, where the intent is to destroy the other Houses that predate it. So to stop, let it be estopped by title. Be it ever so detested! |