Humpday Humor: NSA Spying

Dan Carlin talks about "the line" on NSA spying...

If you are interested in history you'll want to check out Dan's "Hardcore History".

*clip from The Joe Rogan Podcast

Twitter Misunderstands Rights and Privileges

The people who run Twitter are asking for permission to exercise their right to free speech.

This all stems from government spying programs targeting users of the social media platform.  In response Twitter wants to inform the public of the extent of the dragnet on their website.

Unfortunately the lawyers at Twitter are displaying a misunderstanding of "rights" and "privileges".  This is peculiar because humans don't need permission to exercise rights, especially those laid out in the Bill of Rights.

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.

Link to AP story

Humpday Humor: Was the Constitution Written in Swahili?

What language was the U.S. Constitution written in?



From C-SPAN's Washington Journal

Happy 'Bill of Rights' Day

On this day in 1791 the Bill of Rights was ratified by Virginia.  According to their by-laws this made it legal in the United States.

While not a complete list of your rights (there are many millions of those) it was a good start.  The 9th amendment makes this concept clear:

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

Standing Up For Your Rights Is A Gift

Last week someone made a call complaining that two people were engaging in "lewd acts".  An employee of the Los Angeles Police Department showed up to the scene.  After questioning the female suspect the employee responded by handcuffing her.

Danielle Watts ended up in handcuffs because she refused to show her papers.    

Danielle Watts in handcuffs 

This week Watts was interviewed on CNN.  Here is a clip of the exchange...

Anchorwoman: 

Why wouldn't you just give them your ID?

Danielle Watts: 

"Because I believe in America and what it stands for.  I believe in freedom.  A country that calls itself the land of the free and home of the brave.  If I'm within my constitutional rights to say 'NO unless you are charging me with a crime, I will not be giving you my ID', that is a right that I stand up for".

Watts goes on to add that standing up for her rights "was a gift and a blessing".

Story from CNN

U.S. Senator admits the Bill of Rights no longer applies

An almost enlightening statement of honesty from Sen. Dianne Feinstein:

“I was saddened and disappointed that we could not take a step forward to ensure at the very least American citizens and legal residents could not be held in detention without charge or trial," Feinstein said. "To me that was a no-brainer.”

The Fifth Amendment of the Bill of Rights is pretty clear:

Amendment V

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, ...nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law;

When U.S. Senators admit they have reneged on their oath to uphold The U.S. Constitution (and The Bill of Rights) then we have officially lost Ben Franklin's republic. 

From the Huffington Post