Poll of the Day > What's the most important amendment in the Bill of Rights?

(+) Yeah! (+)

First
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Second
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Third
No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Fourth
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Fifth
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Sixth
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.

Seventh
In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Eighth
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

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

Tenth
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

I feel like 1 and 10 are the obvious answers but I expect some 2s and maybe well see a few others

The first is obviously the most important.

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

...

So stop using the constitution like a hammer!

BlackScythe0 posted...

The first is obviously the most important.

I dunno the third is pretty darn important

MrMelodramatic posted...

I dunno the third is pretty darn important

It literally says "but in a manner prescribed by law" during war time.
They can make a law to force you to house soldiers during war time if they want.

I'm trying to figure out how the seventh is still relevant in the modern-age. I'm assuming that we take the true dollar value of a set of goods into account when deciding whether or not a lawsuit involving those goods warrants a trial by the seventh amendment. If a lawsuit involves a dispute over the value of goods, then would the aforementioned value need to be at least twenty present-day American dollars, or the value of twenty American dollars back in seventy-seventy-six, which would be about six-hundred and ninety-three American dollars in the present-day, if Google is to be trusted?

The 1st is what made this country the beacon that it is. The 2nd is what keeps it that way. Loose the 2nd amendment, and there's absolutely nothing stopping every other right from being stripped away. History shows the people with the guns will always enforce their will on the people without.

Probably number 1. But in the eventuality of my appearance in court Im gonna go with the fifth.

If not the first, the fourth imo. Can't have cops just looking around your house and car without probable cause.

BADoglick posted...

If not the first, the fourth imo. Can't have cops just looking around your house and car without probable cause.

of course, civil asset forfeiture is a thing... they can search and charge innanimate objects with crimes all they want

Third obviously.

MrMelodramatic posted...

I feel like 1 and 10 are the obvious answers but I expect some 2s and maybe well see a few others

The problem with the 10th is that the government tends to break it all the time.

BADoglick posted...

Can't have cops just looking around your house and car without probable cause.

If only it prevented them from breaking into people's houses and murdering them.

Obviously the 1st, but the 4th and 8th are also super important and seem to both a) often be forgotten about and b) are frequent targets of the Supreme Court having the rights we used to have get chipped away.

all equally important

The first. The fourth is 2nd most important but is heavily abused by cops.

First, theres a reason its the first.

The first is the answer...although the second is growing in importance in an "important because it's killing us" kind of way.

Although I'm glad the third is keeping that pack of soldiers lurking just outside of my house from coming in.

Ozmose posted...

Loose the 2nd amendment, and there's absolutely nothing stopping every other right from being stripped away. History shows the people with the guns will always enforce their will on the people without.

*hardest eye roll possible* Whoever controls the army wins. Whichever yahoos have the most guns in their houses is only important if society completely breaks down. Until that point it just makes random stupid violence much worse.

Tough call between 1, 5, and 9.

GanonsSpirit posted...

Third obviously.

Except that the government can totally pass a law that requires you to house soldiers at wartime. The amendment only prevents it during peace time, in which case, why the fuck would they need you to house soldiers anyway?

Zareth posted...

why the f*** would they need you to house soldiers anyway?

cuz they didn't give soldiers the parcels of land and furloughs they were promised?

most of these are bypassed with exception loopholes or outright ignored by local and federal governments in the US

Zareth posted...

Except that the government can totally pass a law that requires you to house soldiers at wartime. The amendment only prevents it during peace time, in which case, why the fuck would they need you to house soldiers anyway?

Because the British government didnt have the military infrastructure in cities. So when they came in on ships, the British government would force citizens to provide food and lodging.

Zareth posted...

Except that the government can totally pass a law that requires you to house soldiers at wartime. The amendment only prevents it during peace time, in which case, why the fuck would they need you to house soldiers anyway?

You don't say.

VampireCoyote posted...

most of these are bypassed with exception loopholes or outright ignored by local and federal governments in the US

Pretty much. Especially with things becoming more privatized in the US. It becomes very easy for the governments to use them as a proxy to circumvent various rules & the rules have always been thrown out in various ways in times of war or extreme circumstance or outright ignored all together until enough fuss was made about it. Ultimately, it is nice that we have the bill of rights, but it is going to take more than a piece of paper to protect you