Missing the Whole Point  The Bill of Rights were originally
restrictions on government power.  Period.  Many people do not
want to read them this way today, because they have a strong
interest one way or another in the increase in government power.
Take the First Amendment.  "Congress shall make no law..."  In
other words, there can be no justification of any kind for the
government taking away free speech, press, association,
religion, etc.  Unfortunately, forces have been at work for
decades from both political parties to undermine this hard and
fast protection.  Our most recent assault comes from the
Democrats in the guise of the hate crimes bill:  Republican Sam
Brownback offered an amendment to the Senate version which said
the bill could not "construed or applied in a manner that
infringes on any rights under the First Amendment" and could
not place any burden on the exercise of First Amendment rights
"if such exercise of religion, speech, expression, or
association was not intended to plan or prepare