what are our "rights" and where do they come from? and?

Question

Are they being taken away?
Does the Constitution or Bill of Rights give us rights or just declare them?

Thank you for bringing that up, magicwriter...

"In 1929 the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, approximately 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated."

In 1911, Turkey established gun control. In about 5 years 1.5 million Armenians were defenceless and dead.

"Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, 13 million Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, the mentally ill, and others, who were unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated."

China - "20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated."

Guatemala - same story - gun control...in about 15 years 100,000 Mayan Indians were exterminated.

Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians "died."

Our Second Amendment insures all the others!!!

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/shooter2_indy/essays/paulharvey.html

Answer 1

According to the Declaration of Independence, which predates the Constitution, they exist in all people, and governments are created to protect them.

The Bill of Rights certainly doesn't create them. The Framers were pretty clear that they existed independent of the Constitution, otherwise their entire justification for separation from England would have been false. It doesn't even actually declare them. It only declares that the federal government is obligated to observe them, something that some of the Framers objected to putting in writing, for fear some would presume that the government granted them, and therefore had the authority to take them away.

And, no, the government is not taking them away. They cannot take away anyone's rights. Violate them, yes, but not take them away. They exist whether anyone knows it or not.

Answer 2

The Bill of Rights is a series of laws instructing the federal government what not to do to any people. In the Constitution there are also some laws instructing state governments what not to do, such as Article 1, Section 10, and the 14th Amendment.

I do not know whether or not the Bush administration and the current Congress have made any laws that violate the Constitution. That is certainly possible. But if the laws/policies are in violation of constitutional guarantees then that does not mean the our constitutional rights are "being taken away." It means that there are constitutional violations. Two things can yet happen. The courts can intervene and say that the laws/policies ARE unconstituitonal. Or the next administration can recognize the mistakes made and correct them. If either one of those events occur, then constitutional rights will have been violated, but not "taken away."

Answer 3

Our rights are listed in the constitution and the bill of rights (somewhat reflected by current cultural predjices...). These documents simply declare the rights, the rights are inately human (and more governments need to realise that... although, actually, I think that the constitution should be ammended such that the right to bare arms is replaced by the right for an excellent education, but I digress).

I see that our rights are being taken away. The PATRIOT Act, and the Bush administation's violation of the Geneva Convention definately reflect on our loss of civil rights. The idea that our freedoms should be further critailed for security just means that "the terrorists" everyone is so worried about have won.

Answer 4

All of the rights referred to in the Constitution are presumed to already exist. The Constitution (specifically the Bill of Rights) merely spells out those rights & puts the government on notice that they cannot be infringed or restricted.
And as far as the Second Amendment goes, it is the one that protects all the others.

Answer 5

Rights are a product of existence. Rights can never be taken or given, they can only be acknowledged/declared or violated by others or documents as is the case with the Constitution(acknowledges/declares our rights). So, one has rights to the degree that one exercises them regardless of opposition. One only loses one's rights when that person does not exercise them whether willingly or under pressure from an external force. Americans' rights are being violated by the government which is in breach of the limits of the powers granted to it by the people. Take action my fellow citizens or live to regret it.

Answer 6

Mel is exactly incorrect.
Your legal rights as an American come from the Constitution. The Bill of Rights is the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.
There are explicit and implicit rights. The government is explicitly forbidden from quartering soldiers in your home. Rights to privacy come from the judicial branch interpreting the same amendment more broadly.

Answer 7

According to the Constitution & Declaration of Ind. Rights are what are given to us by our Creator. This is power,the government can't take away. We have the choice to give power to the Government or not. Of course, saying "Creator" these days is politically incorrect isn't it?

Answer 8

Conservatives will say right have been granted by the Creator. Liberals will say rights come from government.

Answer 9

Rights are enumerated in the Constitution.

Answer 10

your rights come from being able to kick as$#! and take them and keep them! something real Americans have been doing since 1776!