| The Guarantee of the Right to Bear Arms Is a Source of Discussion |
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| The meaning of the Second Amendment right to bear arms is a source of discussion. One view is that the Second Amendment protects "the people" as a collective body, rather than as individuals. According to this "collective view," the federal government cannot take away arms from state militias. Proponents of this theory say that there is no right to possession of firearms other than by those who belong to a "well-regulated Militia." The contrasting theory is that "the people" are individuals, who each have a right to possess firearms.
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| Marriage Protection Act Proposed |
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| As civil rights advocates voiced their disapproval of the federal Defense of Marriage Act and similar state measures, supporters of such laws realized that challenges to the constitutionality of the laws were inevitable. Hoping to avoid these challenges, some federal legislators wrote a bill called the Marriage Protection Act of 2004. In July 2004, the United States House of Representative passed the Marriage Protection Act. As of November 2004, the bill had not yet been passed in the Senate. It is anticipated that proponents of the bill will likely face an uphill battle in the Senate. Civil rights advocates say that if the Marriage Protection Act does become law, it would be the first time that Congress has completely "stripped" all federal courts from considering a federal law.More... |
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| The Right to Vote |
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| The right to vote is a "civil right" that is protected by the United States Constitution. In addition, the Voting Rights Act prohibits voting discrimination against all people, including minorities and people with limited English speaking skills.
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| Military Dress and the First Amendment |
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| The application of the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the armed services is not nearly as broad as it is in the civilian context. The United States Supreme Court has ruled that the military can prohibit the wearing of yarmulkes by Jewish soldiers when in uniform. The armed forces no longer give religious waivers for uniform and grooming rules.
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| School Dress Codes and the Free Exercise of Religion |
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| Because public school districts and public boards of education must comply with the provisions of the United States Constitution, they generally cannot infringe upon the free exercise of religion. Although the Court has ruled that public schools must offer equal opportunity and protection to both religious expression and non-religious expression, courts tend not to hold that school dress codes are unconstitutional. Generally, students cannot claim they are exempt from school dress codes or rules that are religiously neutral and generally applicable to all students. Public schools cannot, however, single out religious attire or religious garb.
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