An Oldie....but Appropriate

P

poadeleted1

Deleted by request
Joined
Apr 8, 2005
Messages
652
Provided in a semi-humorous vein. If it bothers you, feel free to skip on by....

The Bill of Non-Rights

“We the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior, and secure the blessings of debt free liberty to ourselves and our great-great-great-grandchildren, hereby try one more time to ordain and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt ridden, delusional, and other anal retentive bed-wetters.

We hold these truths to be self evident: that a whole lot of people are confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim they require a Bill of NON-Rights.”

ARTICLE I: You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV, or any other form of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.

ARTICLE II: You do not have the right to never be offended. This country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone–not just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc.

ARTICLE III: You do not have the right to be free from harm. If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful, do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all your relatives independently wealthy.

ARTICLE IV: You do not have the right to free food and housing. Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than the creation of another generation of professional couch potatoes.

ARTICLE V: You do not have the right to free health care. That would be nice, but from the looks of public housing, we’re just not interested in public health care.

ARTICLE VI: You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim, or kill someone, don’t be surprised if the rest of us want to see you fry in the electric chair.

ARTICLE VII: You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob, cheat, or coerce away the goods or services of other citizens, don’t be surprised if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you still won’t have the right to a big screen color TV or a life of leisure.

ARTICLE VIII: You do not have the right to a job. All of us sure want you to have a job, and will gladly help you along in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of the opportunities of education and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful.

ARTICLE IX: You do not have the right to happiness. Being an American means that you have the right to PURSUE happiness, which by the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an over abundance of idiotic laws created by those of you who were confused by the Bill of Rights.

ARTICLE X: This is an English speaking country. We don’t care where you are from, English IS our language. Learn it or go back to wherever you came from! (lastly….) NOW..

ARTICLE XI: You do not have the right to change our country’s history or heritage. This country was founded on the belief in one true God. And yet, you are given the freedom to believe in any religion, any faith, or no faith at all; with no fear of persecution. The phrase IN GOD WE TRUST is part of our heritage and history, and if you are uncomfortable with it, TOUGH!!!!
 
10 and 11 have problems.

10. How do you know that the immigrants who come here aren't TRYING to learn English? Just because they can't speak it when they get here doesn't mean they don't want to learn, correct?

11. The use of "In God We Trust" on coins did not become regular until 1908. It didn't become motto until 1956, and didn't appear on paper money until 1957. The proclaimation of a God fearing country in times when we were fighting the atheistic communists. Several bad ideas were made around that time, including the addition of "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance. All in an effort to distinguish this nation from our enemy. It's not a matter of history. This nation was not founded upon Christianity or any other religion. There is not a single reference to God or a Divine power in the founding document of this nation, the Constitution of the United States of America. And historically, our original motto, which seems long forgotten today, was "E Pluribus Unum". Out of many, one. That is history and heritage, and a symbol to the world that we stand united. The replacement motto is an affront to the First Amendment, and as Theodore Roosevelt put it...

[FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]"My own feeling in the matter is due to my very firm conviction that to put such a motto on coins, or to use it in any kindred manner, not only does no good but does positive harm, and is in effect irreverence, which comes dangerously close to sacrilege...It is a motto which it is indeed well to have inscribed on our great national monuments, in our temples of justice, in our legislative halls, and in building such as those at West Point and Annapolis -- in short, wherever it will tend to arouse and inspire a lofty emotion in those who look thereon. But it seems to me eminently unwise to cheapen such a motto by use on coins, just as it would be to cheapen it by use on postage stamps, or in advertisements."[/FONT]
Click to expand...
 
wbarnhill said:
10 and 11 have problems.
Click to expand...

Great post!

I tried to give you positive feedback on this one but it wouldn't let me since I gave you some on another post quite some time ago.

Jeannie
 
The opening act: The Declaration of Independance references "God" in the first paragraph and "our Creator" in the next ...

http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/declaration_transcript.html

The Constitution not mentioning God or founding of a Christian nation is a bit of a disengenious point of reference, IMHO. The Constitution defines the government, its responsibilities, duties, limits and powers. I don't feel it was the intent to define what the nation was founded on, it sets forth the "hows" of the government, not the beliefs of the founders.

It is our Declaration of Independence that establishes what our country was founded on, it is the Consitution that defines how our country was to be run.
 
gkainz said:
The opening act: The Declaration of Independance references "God" in the first paragraph and "our Creator" in the next ...

http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/declaration_transcript.html

The Constitution not mentioning God or founding of a Christian nation is a bit of a disengenious point of reference, IMHO. The Constitution defines the government, its responsibilities, duties, limits and powers. I don't feel it was the intent to define what the nation was founded on, it sets forth the "hows" of the government, not the beliefs of the founders.

It is our Declaration of Independence that establishes what our country was founded on, it is the Consitution that defines how our country was to be run.
Click to expand...
I must disagree. The Declaration of Independence explains the reasons for dissolving ties to Britain. It does not state our foundation as a nation, since soverignty was, as of the Declaration, held by each State. After the Declaration, the Articles of Confederation were drafted, a precursor to the Constitution. Even through the AoC, soverignty still resided with the States. The Constitution solidified our nation as the supreme law of the land.
 
To Young Mr. Barnhill's Point - to wit: 10 and 11 have problems.

10. How do you know that the immigrants who come here aren't TRYING to learn English? Just because they can't speak it when they get here doesn't mean they don't want to learn, correct?

Let us skip 11 for the moment. And ignore the fact that some people would have religion as the over-riding thing, as is evident in some countries where I personally would be executed for my failure to believe in the local god or god figure.

As for 10 - a weak argument at best. Many, many MANY immigrants have come to the shores of the United States of America seeking a better life and opportunity. Look at the influx of Vietnamese immigrants following the fall of South Vietnam. And not only here, but other places as well. In order to be successful, it is incumbent upon them to learn the language of the land, as many, if not most have done. When in europe recently, one of my co-workers was a Vietnamese refugee living in Germany. No english, but his German was flawless. I could not say as much for mine, or my vietnamese - but then, I don't live there.

I can understand the difficulty. My Grandmother struggled all her life to speak English. She was Finnish, and spoke Finn, Sweedish and Russian all very well. My grandfather was Norwegian and he spoke Sweedish, Norwegian and Russian. And both of them spoke English. In their little town in Northern MN, they could have never learned much, but it was a source of pride that they could and did. That is something that seems to be missing now. Personal pride in being able to become part of something new - the American experience - and maintain some cultural ties to "the old country".

What is your proposal? That we all learn all the languages of all the people so they feel welcome and comfortable? No, ENGLISH is our common thread. It has to be so, because for all our "diversity" it is one of the few things that we have in common. As long as you want to participate. If you are just here for the ride, well, maybe it's time to either buy another ticket or get off this ride.
 
wbarnhill said:
I must disagree. The Declaration of Independence explains the reasons for dissolving ties to Britain.
Click to expand...
Agreed so far

"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."


wbarnhill said:
It does not state our foundation as a nation, since soverignty was, as of the Declaration, held by each State. After the Declaration, the Articles of Confederation were drafted, a precursor to the Constitution. Even through the AoC, soverignty still resided with the States. The Constitution solidified our nation as the supreme law of the land.
Click to expand...

Disagree here (Italics mine)

"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, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

Sounds like our case on founding a nation to me.
 
OK, without getting all...you know....getting your frillies in a wad, lets try it like this:

The illegal immigration thing is an easy issue to explain. I had a liberal friend who argued with me on the subject, and I explained it like this:

The USA is our home, we live here… and we have rules, just like we have rules for our homes.
You don’t let just any idiot in your home, you have to get to know the person first.

1) Are you a felon? If so, I ain’t lettin’ you in my home. Why would anyone want criminals in their house… or their country?

2) Can you speak my language? If not, why would I want you in my home? What good is it if I cannot communicate with you.

3) Are you a mooch? I don’t let people in my home who raid my fridge without asking. Same goes for illegals and government services. If you bring your own beer though, we’re cool. I.e. if you work for it.

4) Do you know something? I’m not in the habit of letting dumb, lazy people in my home. Why would I want you here? We have enough dumb people to deal with as it is.

5) Do you know stuff about me, and do I know stuff about you? You don’t let someone who you know nothing about and who knows nothing about you into your home. So lets try some basic questions… like you know, What’s a Bill of Rights and where’s the statue of Liberty. And I’ll ask you some questions like “Where are you from?”

6) Are you sick or diseased? I don’t let people who are hacking up germs in my home, and we don’t want diseased people imported into our country either.

7) Do you hate me? If you espouse a hatred of me, I don’t want you in my home… or my country.

This is what Legal immigration is all about. Liberals make it out to be some racial thing, but you’ll notice that nowhere in that text did I ask or care about race or nation of origin. I don’t care where your house is, I don’t care what color your skin is. But I do care about those things above.

We live here, this is our home, and it’s our right to say who comes in and who stays out. Anyone who says different has an agenda… a pretty messed up one at that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top