The First Ten Amendments: The Bill Of Rights

The Bill of Rights are the first ten amendments in our Constitution which protect our fundamental rights and ensure a limited government. In 1868 the 14th Amendment was added, which guarantees citizens equal protection under the law and due process. For the Bill of Rights to be effective it would have to protect everyone rights equally, but there are too many cases when minorities or anyone else’s rights are infringed. Therefore the Bill of Rights and 14th Amendment is ineffective and does not protect the rights of all citizens. Someone’s race, gender, and religion could all affect how they are treated. Police brutality is a growing occurrence directed towards African Americans. When Freddie Grey was arrested he, “sustained injuries to his neck and spine while in transport in a police vehicle”(Time 2015). This was a violation of the 5th amendment of due process clause, and the 14th amendment that everyone is equal under the law. Another example of the Bill

Citizens are ensured freedom of speech, press, assembly, religion, and petition. In one case Gregory Johnson burned an American flag, and while many people found it offensive he was protected under the Constitution and was not convicted (oyez.org). The Judicial branch also checks laws to make sure they are constitutional. However there are still a significant amount of cases where citizens are denied one of their rights or one of their rights are infringed. There have been times in the past that rights have been denied and there continues to be instances when rights are denied or violated. Police brutality is a repeated occurrence that infringes on the 5th Amendment which is the right to due process of law. The Patriot Act denies citizens the right to privacy, and the death penalty infringes on the 8th Amendment. Therefore the Bill of Rights and 14th Amendment does not protect everyone's rights equally and is