The Bill of Rights

by Senator Brent Hill

The Bill of Rights, which consists of ten amendments to the Constitution, was added after ratification of the Constitution. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion, speech and the press. It states that, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Those words are direct and simple. Yet they have been twisted by lawyers, judges and politicians over the years until we have lost the perspective upon which they were based. It has evolved into court-ordered bans against manger scenes on public property at Christmas time, prayer at public meetings, and even representations of the Ten Commandments on government buildings. Our Founding Fathers, who wanted to make sure that the power of government could never be used to silence religious expression, would be appalled.

It is ironic indeed when many of the same people who defend the right of pornographers to distribute their videos and magazines would deny freedom of expression to people of faith because of some concern that society might be influenced. I will solemnly defend every individual’s rights under the First Amendment, but exercising that same right, I will not remain silent regarding my disagreement with their positions.

The Second Amendment provides for our right to bear arms. It consists of only 26 words and they are pretty straightforward: "A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right for the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." I am a staunch supporter of a person’s right to own a gun to protect life, family and property. But, under the guise of a "right to bear arms," we sometimes provide easy opportunity for corrupt individuals to harm our lives, family and property.

The Third Amendment was in reaction to the British, who had forced people to take soldiers into their homes. It prohibits such an imposition without the consent of the home owner or as prescribed by law.

Amendments four through eight provide protection for those who are accused of illegal acts. They prohibit unreasonable searches and seizures, guarantee the right to a fair trial by jury, and require that bails, fines and punishments be fair and humane.

The Ninth and Tenth Amendments were adopted to reassure people that the national government would not swallow up the powers of the states and the people. The framers of the Constitution were cautious not to grant the federal government excessive power. As John Quincy Adams said in 1825, "The Constitution . . . is a charter of limited powers."

The Constitution and Bill of Rights were penned by great and inspired leaders of this nation. As James Russell Lowell stated, "Our American Republic will endure only as long as the ideas of the men who founded it continue dominant."

When our son Kevin was about six, I heard him singing America as he was getting out of the shower. He didn’t quite get the words right, but the meaning was powerfully present: