Why do we think this part of the Constitution only applies to us?

Question

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that ALL men are created equal, that they are ENDOWED BY THEIR CREATOR with certain UNALIENABLE Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

If it only applies to the nation formed from the founders who wrote it does it also apply to the immigrants who came afterward from Irealand, Italy, Scotland, and so on? Many came without visas. We are the product of many of these later immigrants.

If it DOES apply to the immigrants who came after it's writing why does it not apply to the immigrants of today?

Should we rewrite this phrase of our Constitution to say "unless you are Mexican or Hispanic"?

PERFECT AMERICAN.....So would "permission to stay" equal AMNESTY today?

YOUR BEST FRIEND.....Is that not one of the reasons slavery was abolished?

MR CELLOPHANE....So we should assume that the writers of the Constitution considered themselves to be ALL MEN - the only ones who had rights ENDOWED BY THEIR CREATOR? That's rather arrogant don't you think?

SASHIE....Where does it say we CAN'T?

JD....Thanks for reading my question even if you couldn't answer it. btw, I was reading your other brilliant answers as well....3 million jump the border every day from Mexico?! Do you sit there and count them or what? I'm amazed that you alone know this fact. Very impressive. Shall I bow at your feet now?

Answer 1

As many have already said, those lines you use are from Thomas Jefferson's editted 'Declaration of Independence'. It was merely congressional document forwarded to the British King, and not an official policy of America.

Our founders were idealistic of this country. Although when you get down to the truth of the issue, all of them wanted America for white people. Even Jefferson believed that slaves would have to be eventually shipped to Africa to prevent the calamity between the two races (which he highly feared), and what he thought were cultural difference. It's not that they were overtly racists in todays terms, they were more or less realists to how different the cultures were. Within many of our founder journals they noted it would take quite sometime for even eastern europeans to evolve enough to be part of America. Thus the reason why immigration was restricted to the western europeans for sometime.

'The People' in all essence were American born or former western europeans. The founders really wanted to make a country like Europe, but without the messy politics of Europe. Only when the 14th amendment was made (which was more or less forced on to the south), was anyone but white considered a person with constitutional rights.

In the case of foreigners/illegal immigrants not having special rights in America,... it's fairly simple. The Constitution give Congress the right to dictate policy on immigration/naturalization. While history shows you that for consesus building, the Constitution did a horrible think in permitting slavery; it also shows you the pragamatism of politics. Reality is illegal immigration has conflicting nature like slavery. People of all sides favor it or disfavor it, depending on the interests. While you might consider it wrong, the laws of our land and our people say in larger force that it's right. It may not be perfect, and it may have to be worked on, but that's government, and people.

I would not pull the race card on this, though, as it depletes the actual nature and reasoning of why we have it today. As I've shown you (very honestly), that our past exhibits many wrongs, but our present has much more to do with structural capabilities and cultural harmony.

Answer 2

The statement is a broad statement about humankind and applies to the world. The actual constitution is what applies only to americans and legal immigrants. What you have stated is the preamble and it means what it says. By the way not all illegal immigrants are hispanic that is part of the problem with the whole border and immigrant issue that is being debated. Yes no illegal immigrants should come here and be given any rights that are supposed to be for those that are here legally no matter what race or background they come from. Did you know that you have less right in mexico and many other countries if you became a legal citizen there because you were not born there than we give to illegals here? If you have a problem with the way things work than run for office, good luck getting elected though.

Answer 3

the declaration of independence was wrote for the citizens of USA. Also the old wave of illegal immigrants is different from todays wave. They brought with them trades and skills. They assimilated learned our culture and loved America with all their heart. They came here to be true Americans and that was their mission right from the get go. They did not use government funding and hospitals like it was their personal ATM machine. They came here to be citizens and pledge alligence to our flag. Now I'm not saying to forget who you are and where you come from but don't come over here and steal my job and think you are better than me.Don't put me down while you bankrupt my country. The contributions these two waves of illegal immigrants have made are completely different from eachother and cannot even begin to be compared. Different problems and a different world today. There is just too much at stake to ignore our laws any longer.

Answer 4

You are right, most of us are descendants of immigrants. The hell of it is that there is a simple solution to the problem. If we made it legal for nonresidents to work in this country, and regulated who could not come in like the ones who had criminal records not of a political nature. Then we could make a mandatory jail sentence for anyone who worked one of them without proper tax ID numbers. They would pay twenty five percent of their wages as a nonresident tax. They would also be free to go back to Mexico every day if they worked close enough to the border. Then Motorola and other companies would not have the fortune of working people for three dollars a day, because they wouldn't be trapped in Mexico any more. The factories that have relocated in Mexico would be forced to pay a competitive wage and that would bring them back home as there would be no more advantage to operating in another country. The state Of Texas would be the industrial capitol of the world and the U.S. economy would boom. Plus on Friday they would all go back to Mexico to be with their families instead of being here drunk and miserable.

Answer 5

Your Brilliance Is Astounding

This Paragraph Is NOT From The US Constitution

It Is From The Declaration Of Independence



The unanimous Declaration
of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events,
it becomes necessary for one people
to dissolve the political bands
which have connected them with another,
and to assume among the powers of the earth,
the separate and equal station
to which the Laws of Nature
and of Nature's God entitle them,
a decent respect to the opinions of mankind
requires that they should declare the causes
which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain unalienable Rights,
that among these
are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights,
Governments are instituted among Men,
deriving their just powers
from the consent of the governed, --





deriving their just powers
from the consent of the governed, --

That Means
The Government Does
What WE THE PEOPLE Tell ThemTo






3 million jump the border every YEAR from Mexico



You Can Bow All You Want
While You're Down There .............

Answer 6

You raise an excellent point. I totally agree. My ancestors came to Australia in boats less than 200 years ago, without any paperwork or prior approval. How come people today can't? I don't believe we (white people) own the land that we invaded. It was the Aboriginal people's in the first place. We were just the first wave of immigrants, and it should continue as to make the world a beautiful multicultural place so that our kids can learn compassion and tolerance.

Answer 7

What is the "pursuit of happiness"? You can pursue happiness without catching it. But, remember that there is precedent. I recall that slavery existed in the US under the Constitution and those words.

Answer 8

It is for those who are citizens, or those who in the past, came here legally. Most of those you speak of, from Italy, Ireland etc, passed thru Ellis Island or other ports of entry, and were given permission to stay. ANd it does apply to the immigrants of today, the legal ones.

Answer 9

The Constitution does apply only to citizens. You can figure that out when you see that the freedoms and privileges it grants are granted only to them. That line that says "that all men are created equal" is referring to the fact that the rich, the middle class, and the poor all deserve the same rights and that your economic status should not determine how much freedom you are allotted.

Answer 10

Because its tittled the US Constitution,and it applies only to the citizens of the United States of America.It apples to legal citizens,our founding fathers never envisioned any thing like what this country is going thru with the illegal aliens.The US Constitution by name alone answerer's your question.Its not Mexico's Constitution its the United States Constitution.so it only applies to" legal "Americans.
Not illegal aliens from any country.