United States Page 51

Atkins v Virginia             On June 20, 2002 the US Supreme Court made a landmark decision, reversing a former statutes founded in the case of Penry v. Lynaugh in 1989. In Atkins v Virginia, based on the articulation of the Eighth Amendment, the decision of the Court was to prohibit the execution of the mentally…

Arguably, one of the most talked about amendments and overall policy legislation pieces of modern-day politics. Now, more than ever, the testing and judgement of the Right to Bear Arms has placed the American people at opposing ends. As the amendment is written, “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State,…

One of the most controversial issues of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries are gun control infringements on the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights. Gun control advocates point to the common good or what weapon and individual needs or does not need as justification for their cause. Gun Control advocates neglect that it is…

Since the ratification of The Second Amendment in 1971, Americans have been proudly housing firearms. It is no question that this a basic constitutional right that grants Americans the means to protect themselves under the law, however, due to recent controversy around violence as a result of the use of firearms, lawmakers have been prompted…

The United States of America’s government system is a truly complex and intricate work. Beginning so long ago, the American government system that is implicated today took years and years to advance and become stronger, becoming one of the powerhouses of the world as we know it today. Then again it wasn’t always like this….

Peoples ideals have a certain innocence about them, just as people themselves do. The ideals held by the respective characters in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Passing, all vary in degrees of innocence. The ideals of most men are innocent at the core, but have become jaded and hidden behind the cynicism and realization…

In this activity, we were walked through the many developments congress typically would experience while deciding how to pass or “kill” different legislative amendments. More specifically, we were asked to personally travel through stages of consideration for a previous legislative issue from 1999; which proposed amending the bill of rights to make flag desecration illegal….

On the Guilt or Innocence of Captain Thomas Preston Concerning the Boston Massacre The Boston Massacre occurred in colonial Boston after years of political tension, resulting from social unrest and boiling tempers. The scene had a riot-like atmosphere, with soldiers surrounded by angry townspeople. The soldiers acted out of panic and stress, similar to how…

On February 27, 1992, an elderly woman named Stella Liebeck ordered a coffee from a McDonald’s drive thru in Albuquerque, New Mexico (Rosenfeld). Liebeck, who was a passenger in her grandson’s car that day, proceeded to prepare her coffee with cream and sugar while holding it between her legs due to a lack of cupholders…

Who is going to make a change? The Congress? The Government? The States? We should have a voice, be heard and not simply told what is expected of us. Government shouldn’t only have the power but the people too. This is clearly stated in the Declaration by Thomas Jefferson, The Bill of rights by James…