"A Bill of Rights is what the people are entitled to against every government, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference."—Thomas Jefferson
The Bill of Rights officially became part of the U.S. Constitution on December 15, 1791. Unfortunately, 220 years later, the freedoms enshrined in those first ten amendments are in dire jeopardy. Those responsible for its demise are none other than the schools, which have failed to educate students about its principles; the courts, which have failed to uphold the rights enshrined within it; the politicians, who long ago sold out to corporations and special interests; and "we the people" who, in our ignorance and greed, have valued materialism over freedom.
