On Sat, 20 Dec 2003 07:06:19 -0500, thunder wrote:

On Fri, 19 Dec 2003 21:38:10 -0500, John Gaquin wrote:


"Harry Krause" wrote in message
news:bs04l7$7r3t6


The righties make the argument that the U.S. Constitution only applies
to U.S. citizens in the USA or, at best, to some foreigners living in
the U.S.....Far too rigid.

On what legal basis would you hold that the US Constitution must apply to
non-citizens? US citizens in foreign countries are subject to whatever
laws apply in the host country, with no regard to whatever protections
they may enjoy at home. We owe no benefit or consideration to
non-citizens, particularly to non-citizens doing us harm.

On what legal basis would you not? The Constitution doesn't distinguish
between citizens and non-citizens. Nor does the Bill of Rights grant us
civil liberties. It specifically limits the government from infringing on
our rights. Or did you forget this line from the Declaration of
Independence: " We hold these truths to be self-evident, that *all* men
are created equal..."

Thunder, could you imagine us going into France and telling them they must live
under the provisions of *our* constitution? If you read the constitution, you
will find the Preamble to read: "We the people of the United States, in order to
form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility,
provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the
blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish
this Constitution for the United States of America."

You'll have noted that the Constitution was ordained and established for the
United States of America. We can't just arbitrarily put the name of any country
at the end of the Preamble.

Look also at:

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, *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*[emphasis added]; nor shall any person be subject for
the same offense 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.

It's not that the "righties" are making up all this stuff to enable the
trouncing on the rights of bad guys.



John
On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD