The Constitution serves the people of the United States by ensuring them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Public policies are how natural rights are defined. In what ways does one have the right to life. How much liberty is given. How is happiness acquired without bringing harm to others through its pursuit. Any given public policy should be able to provide these three rights. The Constitution's main purpose is to protect the natural rights of the citizens of the United States, and to insure that they live in a safe place where they are able to express themselves with these rights. If the government were to intrude on the natural rights, there is a a system of checks and balances in place to keep the government from getting …show more content…
This public policy was mainly disputed in the judicial branch, as marriage is already natural right given to the people. However, same sex marriage was never included in the original terms of marriage. Same sex marriage became a big debate for a great number of years until it was finally legalized all over the US following the Obergefell vs. Hodges case in 2015. Conservatives who were against its legality argued; “It’s been traditionally defined as between a man and a woman” “the purpose of marriage is for procreation, same sex couples can’t create children” or even “Children need both a mother and a father.” The natural rights provided by the constitution are not considered in these arguments. People should be allowed to live life with who they want as their spouse. They should be given the liberty of marrying who they want no matter what gender they are. They should be allowed to pursue happiness by pledging their love to whoever they want to. When same sex marriage was legalized, a giant step was taken in establishing the definition of natural rights. Public policies are vital in allowing the constitution to uphold the natural rights of the people. Each public policy should be able to provide the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Although the constitution is not perfect, public policy debates are what help to improve this form of government so that one day all of the people
The Constitution lays out the rights and obligations of the newly formed United States government. But, what of the rights and obligations of its citizens? Starting in 1791, only two years after the Constitution was ratified, the Constitution began to evolve and this process continues to this day. The first ten amendments to the Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights. This Bill of Rights outlines the protections citizens have from the government of the United States.
It acts as a defense from irresponsible disapproval of life, birthright, or property by the state outside the rule of law. According to the U.S Supreme Court, Clauses offer security such as the principle necessary by the constitution that a citizen to be made aware before the government performs in a way to restrict a person of a life, birthright, or assets interest. The principles that enable courts to guard specific rights perceived basic, restrictions on vague rulings and as the catalyst for steps undertaken by which United States courts have set up portions of the amendments to the American Constitution. (14Th
equal rights to all and promoting the good of the public. To the right of freedom of speech and
For some background, this case escalated to the Supreme Court since several groups of same-sex couples from different states, sued state agencies when their marriage was refused to be recognized. As it escalated through appeals, the plaintiffs argued that the states were violating the Equal Protection clause and the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Equal Protection, according to the Constitution refers to the fact that, “any State [shall not] deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law…” (23). The opposition of this case was that, 1) The Constitution does not address same-sex marriage as a policy, and 2) The sovereignty of states regarding the decision. Ultimately, and according to the Oyez project, the Court held that “[the Amendment] guarantees the right to marry as one of the fundamental liberties it protects, and that analysis applies to same-sex couples,” and therefore, same-sex marriage is a fundamental liberty.
Chapter fourteen of our text book covers the 3rd, 7th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 13th, and 14th amendments which cover different rights of the government and the people. In this paper, I will be summarizing these amendments and how they are important to us.
Civil liberties and civil rights are some of the most controversial issues within today’s society and government. The debates upon these liberties and rights are paramount. Topics such as the infringement of government upon these rights, through laws and such, and even the infringement of society upon them, through the sentiments of equality that the people hold, seem to take center stage whenever they are discussed. This controversy stems from the Constitution’s Bill of Rights and its ambiguity upon the fourteenth amendment and how it should apply and grow with society. In my opinion, I feel that civil liberties and civil rights are crucial to our country as a whole, but to address them here, in their entirety, would be impossible and overall useless. Still, if I were in government and amending or interpreting the Constitution, while also keeping the changes I’d like to make to the Constitution in mind from my last essay, I would like to identify freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and the pursuit of happiness to be the most fundamental civil liberties and civil rights mentioned, and I would like to reiterate or add this to my constitution.
According to Thomas Jefferson, all men are created equal with certain unalienable rights. Unalienable rights are rights given to the people by their Creator rather than by government. These rights are inseparable from us and can’t be altered, denied, nullified or taken away by any government, except in extremely rare circumstances in which the government can take action against a particular right as long as it is in favor of the people’s safety. The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America mentions three examples of unalienable rights: “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. I believe these rights, since they are acquired by every human being from the day they are conceived, should always be respected, but being realistic, most of the time, the government intervenes and either diminishes or
“The Constitution leaves in its wake a long legacy, forever shaping the fate of many other countries. Whether those countries are currently in a state favorable to liberty or not, it is undeniable that the U.S. Constitution’s principles have caused people to rethink how to organize their political systems” (Hang). Time has only added value to the Constitution, for every time we reference it in our lives it is a testament of our trust and loyalty in what it states about our rights as individuals and the role the government plays in our lives. When it was written, the Constitution was the law of the land that gave people rights they had previously lived without. Similarly, we live lives of choice and independence because of the same document while other countries limit all the rights we are guaranteed in the Constitution. Simply put, “The Constitution is important because it protects individual freedom, and its fundamental principles govern the United States. The Constitution places the government 's power in the hands of the citizens. It limits the power of the government and establishes a system of checks and balances”
the rights of the citizens of the United States. Following these Amendments can afford our
The founders understood that the American people needed to feel free within all these laws so they came up with the unalienable rights. These rights are protected by the bill of rights and are rights that cannot be taken away from us. “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” is a phrase that all American individuals know. The phrase gives three great examples of the unalienable rights that each American Individual has. Although the constitution also focused on individualism, we really don’t have a say in too much of what happens with big decisions, even while we
No argument shall take place against amendment one, amendment two, and amendment four because they apply in daily lives of all citizens. All citizens should freely speak their mind without disturbing public education. Citizens should remember about the National Firearms act before buying any firearms and getting a militia type gun or a shotgun with an eighteen inch barrel. Officers are required to have a search warrant before entering a citizens home, but school officials need a reasonable reason before searching a student’s belongings. School officials and students also should remember the exclusionary rule. The Bill of Rights and all other amendments served every citizen like a forever helping friend. The Supreme court plays its role to make decisions for cases that act as role models for other citizens and in the future.
The supreme court case of Obergefell v. Hodges is one huge reason why we have same-sex marriage as of today. Richard Hodges is the defendant while James Obergefell is the plaintiff. As a result of this case, states are unable to pass laws that limit marriage of same-sex couples. It requires all states to license marriages between these couples, and makes states recognise marriages made outside of said states. Before this case, there were several other cases that supported similar, but not exact situations, which will be briefly covered in this essay. However, the Obergefell v. Hodges case is what officially made same-sex marriage undeniable by all states in the union.
Women have fought for equal rights since the early 1820s and 1830s. There is a strong commitment to equality between women and men in the law. Equality among men and women has gone on for several centuries and nothing has been done about it. Providing equal rights within men and women may decrease pressure on both men and women of what their stereotypical jobs should be. If equal rights would release pressure on all humans, then why are women treated as the subdominant sex? Women should have the same rights as men and to do this it is up to the entire human race to work together to fight for equality between men and women.
As citizens of the United States, and as people living under a democracy, the government has certain responsibilities to us. We are guaranteed union, justice, tranquility, defense, welfare, and liberty. These rights are all very important to the well being of our country and the states that exist in it. I feel that there are three that are a little more important than the others.
On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court came to the conclusion that marriage is a right protected by the U.S. constitution in all 50 states. Prior to their decision, same sex marriage was legal in 37 states, including Washington D.C. Same sex marriage goes against what the bible says. I feel that homosexuality is unnatural and immoral. Gay marriage is incompatible with the beliefs of several Christian.