Defying the Ten Amendments
On December 15, 1971, the first Ten Amendments of the United States Constitution were ratified. For the most part the ratification of this document forever changed how Americans lived their lives. Throughout history, Americans as well as the American Government have been defying the Amendments and finding ways around them.
The First Amendments reads “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.” (Historical Impressions) Due to all of the different religions and the passion people have for them, this amendment has been defied many times throughout history. A man named Joshua Davey knows all about being defied of his free exercise right that the First Amendment is supposed to give Americans. Davey was a gifted student who received a state scholarship but stumbled on a problem. The scholarship allowed the gifted students “to pursue any major, with one: exception: a degree in devotional theology.” (Free Exercise of Religion.1) The scholarship was taken away from Davey because his intention was to major in theology at a private religious college. Davey sued Washington and the case was taken to the Supreme Court where it was decided that there was a violation of the Free Exercise principles. This is only one of many examples of the violation of the First Amendment made by the government that have been taken to the Supreme Court.
Though the First Amendment as well as others have reach the Supreme Court numerous amounts of times, there is only five known cases of the violation of the Second Amendment that have reached the Supreme Court. Not a single one was won. The second Amendment states that “A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the people to keep and...