Why is it that out of Bill of Rights, conservatives only seem concerned about the 2nd one?

Question

They apparently feel the President has the right to suspend all other rights if he feels like it. But, don't touch the guns. I don't get it.

Keith, the constitution doesn't even talk about immigration. Have you even read it?

Why do people keep asking me what right I have been stripped of? Is that the best argument you can give? Must you personally be stripped of rights to complain on others' behalf? The constituion guarantees people to a trial, jury and no torture. It says "people", not "the people", not "American citizens." If the US government engages in any of those actions it's against the constitution

Have any of you even read the constitution?

Answer 1

It's the "Stupid factor," the S factor: Some people -- sometimes through no fault of their own -- are just not very bright.

It's not merely that some people are insufficiently intelligent to grasp the nuances of foreign policy, of constitutional law, of macroeconomics or of the variegated interplay of humans and the environment. These aren't the people I'm referring to. The people I'm referring to cannot understand the phenomenon of cause and effect. They're perplexed by issues comprising more than two sides. They don't have the wherewithal to expand the sources of their information. And above all -- far above all -- they don't think.

Answer 2

That seems to be the one that is most threatened. It is obvious that the other 9 amendments, freedom of speech, freedom of press, religion, searches and seizures, etc. are well protected by the Supreme Court and the judicial system. No one, the President, Congress, the courts, judges, or any one else, should have the right to suspend or repeal ANY right that is guaranteed in the Constitution. Even if you are a staunch advocate of gun control, you must realize that to allow the government, whether a conservative president or a liberal congress or in any configuration, to whittle away at the Constitution will eventually lead to the erosion of the entire Constitution and thereby the foundation of our nation.

As a police officer, it is frustrating to see dangerous criminals released back into society to prey upon citizens like yourself due to a technical violation of their rights. But I also realize that if the judicial sysyem failed to support their rights, then our entire judicial system would begin to implode upon itself and collapse. It would be easy to believe that these criminals have too many rights and freedoms under the Fourth and Fifth Amentments, but those rights are guaranteed and must be maintained in order for us all to live in a free society.

To most conservatives, it seems that liberals want to take the rights away from the law-abiding middle class, and give more rights to the criminal element. They preach freedom, but then desire to take away freedoms that they does not fit their idealism. Conservatives view liberals as hypocrites.

Both views, conservative and liberal, are needed to balance the scales of government. Both are necessary to ensure our rights are protected; ALL of our rights, even the ones like the Second Amendment that you don't agree with.

Answer 3

Regardless of the general rhetoric "We the People" is no longer a valid statement. Government has been usurped by Corporations, and will be so controlled until the American people wake up and say "STOP!!" However, Americans are all to willing to listen to our politicians, whose job is no longer to work for our interest, but for corporations. Our rights are seen by most corporations as no more than a contract to be amended or arbitrated. Disregarding the many people over the year who have died to protect those rights. All too often most Americans are too busy surviving to pay real attention to the government. We have allowed our war powers to take over the daily workings of our government. Our rights and abilities to be resolute and strong in our Independence have been stripped away in the name of profits. Eventually, there will be a great upheaval in this country, but for now we suffer under the burden of stupidity, ineffectual government, and absolute power without any accountability.

Answer 4

And why does it seem that the same leftists who get all weepy about every last comma and jot in the First Amendment apparently believe the Founding Fathers were kidding about the Second and Tenth?

It's the Second Amendment which guarantees all the others. If the Chinese had had something analogous to the Second Amendment, there never would have been a Tiananmen Square massacre.

Answer 5

It is not the only concern, but a primary concern for one reason only: the tyranny of government.

The Founding Fathers addressed this issue because arms were confiscated by the British to inhibit a Colonial uprising against British oppression. Simply put: If the masses have no arms, then they are at the mercy of the few.

Would you like to give up all arms so that we can share in the enjoyment of a tyrannical and oppressive government?
I didn't think so.

And I suggest you study your civics lessons--Congress and Senate are legislative, the President is executive. But I will admit, the lines that SHOULD divide both seemed to be more blurred of late.

Answer 6

And this is based on what evidence...? None, I presume, except some lame and unfounded belief on your part.

The fact is that we support all the rights, but we find that the left who claims to be the most ardent of rights supporters, don't really live up to their self-laudatory claims.

Campaign finance reform limits a person's ability to financially support a candidate (helps incumbants) or to be able to campaign for or against candidates and people and proposals without being in some narrow legally-defined organization subject to scrutiny and tax laws, etc. I'm sorry, but how does that NOT infringe on my free speech rights? And why do you support such infringement?

I could also talk about the leftist campaign against students and teachers being able to freely practice religion in public schools, and how they are prevented from mentioning God in any public address. This is government enforcing mandatory secularism upon people, an infringement of their fundamental right.

I could talk about the lefitst environmentalists who consider riding roughshod over property rights to be more important than supporting property rights guaranteed by the 5th amendment. I could also talk about the feminist driven restraining order laws where peoples' rights can be taken away without due process. I could talk about how the taxation for welfare and social security and medicare is a taking without just compensation.

And don't get me started on the 10th Amendment...

Answer 7

All of these people who say,

"What rights have you lost?" Simply aren't in tune to what the govt. is doing.

The govt. has a record of every phone call made since 2001. Not just calls to the Al Qaeda hotline. EVERY SINGLE one.

Now you may say so what? Well, investigations used to have to get permission from the judicial branch to get this information. Now the executive branch has this on everyone.

This is what people have a problem with. The executive branch is working in the dark away from oversight to spy on it's people without investigating. It's all fishing and its all about looking at everyone.

If you want to live in a society like that, you would be delighted to live in North Korea. I won't give the govt. that much leeway in my life.

Answer 8

What rights, guaranteed by the Constitution and written in the Bill of Rights, has the president suspended?

If you are talking about the current fiasco of the senate demanding subpeonas on his cabinet he is within his rights and the powers granted the president and the senate is over-reaching theirs.

Answer 9

It is the Democrats who hurt free speech by calling every thing they don't like "hate speech". And they are the ones against freedom of religion because we are not allowed to pray in public or display religious symbols unless we are Islamic. They want to stop Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity's freedom of the press but not their own biased liberal media. Your assertion is ridiculous.

Answer 10

Actually, conservatives are interested in all of them. Liberals are interested in limiting the first one (See McCain Finegold law, the Fairness Doctrine), no second amendment, reinvented the fourth, and they've absolutely destroyed the tenth amendment.