The Bill of Rights For Dummies Speaks For Itself.

It is important that each American citizen know what the Bill of Rights means.

This is the Bill of Rights for Dummies:

First Amendment: You are free to say what you want about your government and the people in your government without being afraid of being harassed, arrested, or being prevented from speaking your mind.

The First Amendment in the Bill of Rights also states that journalists are free to express their opinions about the government whether good or bad because the government cannot decide what is news and what isn't.

This amendment also states that you have the right to worship God in the way you choose as long as no one gets hurt, and you are also free to not worship God at all.

Amendment Two provides the right of self defense with whatever weapon is available as long as you are the defender and not the attacker and extends to unlawful attacks by the government itself.

Amendment Three of the Bill of Rights for Dummies states that the government can't force you to provide room and board for soldiers against your will and they can't make you rent a room to a soldier so he can keep an eye on you.

This amendment is basically obsolete.

Amendment Four prevents the government from going through anyone's possessions without first going to a judge and stating the reason for going through his things, his mail and/or tapping his phone.

Amendment Five of the Bill of Rights for Dummies states that you cannot be forced to testify against yourself or provide incriminating information to the powers that be about yourself.

This amendment also states that you can not be tried twice for the same crime, or have your property taken by the government without paying you for it.

Amendment Six states that you are entitled to a public trial that follows certain procedures before a jury of people like yourself, to figure out if you're innocent or guilty of the crime of which you're accused. It's supposed to happen quickly, so that an innocent person isn't wrongly jailed for a long time.

TAKE A BREAK

OFF BREAK - BACK TO THE AMENDMENTS

Amendment Seven of the Bill of Rights states that if someone sues you, or you sue someone else, you get to present the case to a jury and let them decide.

Amendment Eight states that the government isn't allowed to set bail so high you'd never be able to obtain it.

Also, no 'cruel and unusual punishment' upon any prisoner by the government.

Amendment Nine states that the Constitution is supposed to explain the powers of government as to what it can or cannot do.

Amendment Ten of the Bill of Rights for Dummies states that powers not granted by the Constitution to the government are supposed to remain in the hands of the citizens or in the separate states.

THE BILL OF RIGHTS FOR DUMMIES-NOT REALLY

Here is a different slant to the Bill of Rights for Dummies. Let's consider what the Bill of Rights isn't, courtesy of Jim Grunewald.

'The Bill of Rights is not a neat phrase to attach to the name of every bill you want to pass in Congress.'

'It doesn't mean that you have any right to anything of mine. Nor does it mean that I have any right to anything of yours.'

'It doesn't mean that the color of our skin gives us any more or less rights regardless of what happened to our grandparents or great grandparents or to other people of the same color.'

'It doesn't mean that the government should come to my aid whenever I feel offended by something someone else has said or done.'

'What it means is that God gave us rights to be sovereign individuals and the government is obliged to protect those rights.'

'What it means is that we can live free. Not free of charge, but free to determine our own destinies. Our destinies do not include holding others back.'

'What it means is that since we are free, we also necessarily have responsibilities.'

'What I consider most important, however, is the Bill of Rights should reiterate to everybody that not only do we get our rights from a higher authority, but we also get our rules from Him as well. If we forget that, rights and rules will be whatever the prevailing fancy is- another name for mob rule. Remember- The Constitution, it's not just a good idea; it's the law.'