Dec 12, 2007 | 11:08 AM
Category:
News
So ... microphone in hand and camera rolling, there I was chatting with Academy Award winning actor Benicio Del Toro, music producer Kevin Liles, actor Rob Reiner, actress Christine Lahti, actor Cuba Gooding Jr. and a few others. Interviewing them because ... I could. You know .. the first amendment. I was talking to them about our rights as Americans because I was at an event celebrating The Bill Of Rights, our rights, honoring those who fight for them and acknowleging the need to preserve and protect them.
This was the annual Bill of Rights dinner sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union giving out awards to special people and speaking out on concerns about the rights we all share. The ACLU doesn't mince words when they talk about what they think of things going on in this country. They also won't mince words when it comes to the Bill of Rights.
Liles, one of the honorees who helped bring us Rock the Vote and has been instrumental in the careers of such superstars as Jay Z, Kanye West, Missy Elliot, LL Cool J and Mariah Carey takes The Bill of Rights pretty seriously. He also takes seriously the idea that its imortant to use one's celebrity power to help encourage people to do things like vote. Everyone at the dinner shared the highest respect for The Bill of Rights. Benecio Del Toro ... "we have to keep the constitution in check." Rob Reiner says its a different world today with terrorism and so forth. Ditto says Cuba Gooding Jr. who talks about the need to protect our rights. Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold tells me there is nothing more important than our founding documents -- The Constitution and The Bill of Rights.
The Bill of Rights was passed by Congress on September 25, 1789. It was ratified by the states on December 15, 1791. It is the ratification of the Bill of Rights that will turn 216 years old on Saturday.
Happy Birthday Bill or Rights! Happy Birthday First Amendment -- "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Happy Birthday to all of the rights in the bill ... the original ten: to keep and bear arms, housing soldiers, unreasonable search and seizure, pleading the 5th, right to a speedy trial, suits of common law, excessive bail, protection from anyone misconstruing the Constitution and states rights.
And Happy Birthday to the other amendments that would come in the years to follow including the abolition of slavery, civil rights, women's suffrage, presidential succession and so forth.
Yep ... Happy 216th Bill of Rights and MANY MORE!