Petition to the U.S. House of Representatives
Committee on the Judiciary, Congressman Conyers, ChairmanWhereas, the basis for the laws of this great Republic is the Constitution, adopted September 17th, 1789; and,
Whereas, that Constitution provided for a clear but difficult procedure for amending it; and,
Whereas, the founding fathers saw a need for Amendments to guarantee certain civil rights to citizens including the right to a free press, free religious expression, the right to keep and bear arms, freedom from government seizure of their property, freedom from unlawful detention, the right to a prompt and fair trial by a jury, and protection from unreasonable bail requirements; and,
Whereas, these and other rights were considered important enough to be added as the first 10 Amendments and these have become known as The Bill of Rights; and,
Whereas, The Bill of Rights, ratified in 1791 remain untouched by Amendment for more than two centuries; and,
Whereas, the Executive branch of the Federal Government, through executive orders and other schemes has eroded many of these rights and still greater threats loom; Now therefore the undersigned citizens of the United States petition Congress to rise to its responsibilities and enforce and protect the Bill of Rights through any and all means at its disposal including but not limited to Committee Hearings and legal action through the courts.
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