Who here knows their ninth amendment rights?

[proiowadem]

"The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

THe ninth amendment is the "escape clause" for those among our founding fathers who believed that listing some rights in the "Bill of Rights" would encourage the belief that those rights that were written down were the only rights that the people had. The ninth amendment ensures the protection of rights that aren't specific ly written down.

This is the vastly under used amendment.
<http://supreme.lp.findlaw.com/constitution/amendment09/>

A few rights that I believe are protected through the ninth amendment
1. You have the right of medical choice. This covers; Abortion, right to die, and medical marijuana. to name a few.
2. The right of privacy
3. The right to choose who you marry (ie gay marriage)
4. Any other rights you think you have that doesn't take away the rights of ohters.

You realy should know your ninth amendment.

[slackmaster]

1. We have a right to own, do, or say whatever the fuck we damn well please

Except the few things that have been regulated or outlawed by due process of law.

BTW I totally agree that everything on proiowadem's short list belongs there. Congratulations on not making the common mistake of confusing rights with entitlements.

[proiowadem]

3. rights are that which we naturaly have

they are not given and can not be taken away, only given away.

[Mountainman]

2. This is the greatest right of all, An ye harm none, do what ye will.

This includes not harming yourself also. I never understand those who want to tell me that I need to run my life according to their beliefs. Screw them. I also am not a product of the U.S. constitution. By that I mean I existed before and I will exist after the constitution. My rights do not flow from some man's or men's document not do they flow from someone's god.

[proiowadem]

4. no you have the right to harm yourself

but you probably shouldn't

[Mountainman]

5. self delete

[proiowadem]

7. We hold these truths to be self evident

they aren't god given, they are a matter of fact

[WilliamCash]

15. Declaration

Not to be picky, but your quote is from the Declaration of Independence, not the Constitution. And the full quote is:

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.

I think the Founders (at least the signers of the Declaration) did consider their rights to be from God. This was to distinguish between rights given by man, and rights given by God. Rights given by man can be taken away. Rights given by God cannot. The Founders wanted to emphasize that the government was not giving people rights; it was simply recognizing that human beings have rights just by virtue of being born, although they phrased it as rights coming from God.

[bee]

13. here here.

a well deserved toast to the Rede... :toast:

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

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[Chocolatebison]

6. I disagree

on the right to marry.

There is no 'right' marry anyone or anything period.

It's all religeous mumbo-jumbo (marriage).

Certain civil unions, fine. Certain priveldeges, fine.

But 'marriage' is religeous BS.

[proiowadem]

8. Your letting their religion mumbo jumbo blind you

if marriage is strictly a religious act then yes it may not be a right, however since it is a civil act with certain rights and responsibility, then two people have the right to join together in "marriage"

[FreedomAngel82]

12. The marriage is recognized by the law

I think that's how it's a right. In the ceremony the person performing it says: "by the power vested in me by the state of *insert state*". That's how it's a right.

[Don1]

14. By that logic

there should be no freedom of religion either.

[tom_paine]

9. Considering Bush-laundered "conventional wisdom" says the opposite

and is as universally accepted as the loopy idea that the Bill of Rights ONLY refers to citizens (and how SWIFTLY they pulled that one off after 9-11, like flipping a switch)

can it be said the 9th Amendment, like the 4th, 5th, and 8th, really even exists anymore?

[proiowadem]

10. yes because we say it does.

you also bring up a good point. How long will it be before we(americans and mankind) realise that "ALL men are created equal" doesn't say all Americans are created eqaul, it says ALL men are created equal

[FreedomAngel82]

11. Thanks for making this post

I think it's very important as well. Especially with the fundies going around proclaiming gay people can't get married. Under the Constiution they can.

[calimary]

17. Agreed! Thanks for posting - and Welcome to DU!

:toast: