06-11-2009, 01:07 PM
I dunno Ev-dawg. The constitution does not grant us what rights we possess. It recognizes "certain inalienable rights endowed to us by our creator" that our federal government may not infringe upon. Says as much in the preamble, which is why I thought it was appropriate.
Like it or not, the declaration of independence, despite being ostensibly as you say about "declaring independence from british colonial rule" has set the tone for quite a bit of policy, and not unjustly so. They were saying that all men, british citizens or not, regardless of what The Crown had to say about it, were endowed with certain unalienable rights. Pretty strong language to lay the foundation for a new nation, and certainly not to be discarded so flippantly when discussing civil rights.
Like it or not, the declaration of independence, despite being ostensibly as you say about "declaring independence from british colonial rule" has set the tone for quite a bit of policy, and not unjustly so. They were saying that all men, british citizens or not, regardless of what The Crown had to say about it, were endowed with certain unalienable rights. Pretty strong language to lay the foundation for a new nation, and certainly not to be discarded so flippantly when discussing civil rights.
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