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To: Knitebane
The Constitution as signed on Sept. 17, 1787, enumerates some rights:

The privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.
No Bill of attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.
The trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury...
No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.
...no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.
...no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.

19 posted on 09/17/2008 9:17:09 AM PDT by Verginius Rufus
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To: Verginius Rufus
Those are not rights guaranteed so much as they are restrictions on the government.

But I understand that reasonable people can both look at "no ex post facto law" and one can see a right guaranteed and one can see a restriction on government. After all, restricting government IS what guarantees rights.

However, and back to the point, the Constitution does not protect the lives of citizens. It leaves that up to the states.

21 posted on 09/17/2008 9:48:46 AM PDT by Knitebane (Happily Microsoft free since 1999.)
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