[blackbart.223]

"The right to bear arms is not granted by the Constitution; neither is it in any manner dependent upon that instrument for its existence. The second amendment means no more than that it shall not be infringed by Congress, and has no other effect than to restrict the powers of the national government."

So, in effect, You are saying individual states also have the right to limit free speech, the right to peacefull assembly etc? As to Supreme Court rulings, they are unrealiable at best. They ruled in favor of forced busing which is clearly unconstitutional.

[supercat]

So, in effect, You are saying individual states also have the right to limit free speech, the right to peacefull assembly etc?

Under a principled and consistent reading of the Constitution of the United States, such powers are reserved to the states. Many if not all states' constitutions have provisions which in some measure restrict those states from infringing upon citizen's freedoms of speech, press, assembly, and religion. While such protections may be insufficient, and there may be a need for federal protections from the states, such protections should be granted by passing a new constitutional amendment, not just by reading into the Constitution stuff that--much as we might like it--isn't really there.

[DugwayDuke]

I concurr with Supercat's comments.