Hello All:
I am always on the lookout for something new to learn and these two pieces of knowledge were no different. I must have forgotten this information somewhere along the line; it was like reading it for the first time 
The first new thing I learned was, well, not really ‘learned’ but, rediscovered, was the Fourteenth Amendment to our beloved Constitution. I always ‘knew’ what it was, said, and protected, however, I now know WHY we have it.
Initially the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution were collectively called the “Bill of Rights,” and were not considered binding on states, only the federal government. It wasn’t until the Fourteenth Amendment, in 1868, that the movement to nationalize the Bill of Rights took hold. That movement continues today, and is known as INCORPORATION; the idea that the Fourteenth Amendment serves as a vehicle to nationalize the Bill of Rights. Several rights have been ‘incorporated’ over the years; others have not. Unincorporated rights include the entire Second, Third, and Seventh Amendments, and ‘portions’ of the Fifth and Eighth. Technically, this means that the ‘unicorporated rights’ are still debatable; that the Court hasn’t yet sent a clear signal to the states to start honoring those rights, but many states still do so voluntarily; ‘voluntarily’ not to be confused with, or interchanged with ’selectively!’
Second Amendment: Right to keep and bear arms: 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 Amendment: Protection from quartering of troops: 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.
Seventh Amendment: Civil Trial by jury: 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.
Fifth Amendment: due process, double jeopardy, self-incrimination, eminent domain: No person shall be held to answer for any 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.
Eighth Amendment: Prohibition of excessive bail, and cruel and unusual punishment: Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
Fourteenth Amendment: Defines a set of guarantees for United States citizenship, prohibits states from abridging citizens’ privileges or immunities and rights to due process and the equal protection of the law!
Here is where I learned my second piece of knowledge. Although, I have always believed it to be true of the governing officials of the Town of Springerville, especially the local police. They actually DO NOT KNOW that the Constitution, and all of the wonderful Amendments mentioned above, exists, even in Springerville. The one that really clarifies this ignorance to the Constitution is the Fourteenth Amendment; the part about “Equal protection of the law.”
Why do I believe the ignorance of the local cops is clarified? Because when I filed police reports for criminal trespass, criminal damage, harassment, and stalking, my reports were ‘disappeared,’ even after Butthead admitted to doing all of the above. However, when Beavis and Butthead filed reports that my yard lights were harassing and stalking them the Springerville Keystone Cops called down the STATE police to ‘investigate’ that report.
They essentially, and blatantly I might add, violated my Fourteenth Amendment Rights. In order to give them the benefit of the doubt, I have decided they are staggeringly ignorant and don’t really know anything about enforcing the law. Law? What law? “Oh, now I remember; the laws we make up as we go along; to suit the situation or WHO the person is,” or in my case, is not.
Regards,
Looking4trth
looking4trth
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