IsleofRhodesEnt

I know plenty about the American Revolution, the Framers, and Colonial America. Your putting powdered sugar all over them for no reason.

and I want to know how anyone can claim that the Framers made the Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights like they knew what was going to happen in 200+ years, which is what has been claimed. I understand that black people were not considered human back then....but Nightgaunt did claim that the Bill of Rights was a list of natural rights, which were ours as sentient beings, did he not? The science at the time DID acknowledge that they were sentient beings, though I honestly think that your blaming early colonial science for the fault of early European-birthed American racism. If thats the case, black people fell into the category of sentient beings, which according to Nightguant are covered by the Bill of Rights, even back then, and yet the Bill of Rights did not extend to them. So pick something: Either it's a list of natural rights to all sentient beings, or it's a list of privileges handed down from the government to it's citizens. Also, those rights didn't extend fully to women either at the time, so were women not considered fully human back then? You seem to want to have your cake and eat it too. I am reading that appearantly the Framers were so foreward thinking that they made documents that they covered all foreseeable problems in the future, but yet science at the time didn't consider many of the worlds races as being human...something even the Framers followed. So how are you going to create a document to cover the asses of all human beings, when your only ideal of something being human is European-stock Caucasian? You want to talk about grasping at straws when all of you are sitting at a Denny's somewhere, sipping on the same juice from the same glass. Glass was empty along time ago, and yet none of you have bothered ordering anything else. Next your gonna try to convince us that Columbus was the first European to discover American soil, because the Vikings landing in Northern Canada pre-date the "age of discovery". Oooo...did Magellan sail all away around the world too?

you mean that they have a LOWER unemployment rate, right? because that can be read as a "higher" rate, which is bad...

so your a racist? You claim that we have Natural rights, but then say that it doesn't matter that slaves weren't considered human. Pick one or the other...and that goes for you and Gaf. Either all men are created equal, and we have natural rights as sentient beings, or the Forefathers didn't really give a rats ass about anyone who wasn't white, and therefore spit a buncha shyt on paper to cover THEIR European descended asses. You don't know JACK SHIT of what I believe. The Bill of Rights is a declaration of what PRIVILAGES we have as American Citizens, and if you don't realize that, then you live in a damn fantasy land. I can have a mindset that I can fly and shit cookies too, but it doesn't make it real. For all your talk of rights, have you ever been pulled out of a line for a "Random Security Check"? I have, and all they had to base the selection on was my last name, which is Hungarian. I know this because a man from Eastern Europe, A family of Mennonites whose last name was Polish in nature, and myself were the only ones removed from the line. All of us are American Citizens, and yet our belongings were searched without provocation or warrant. Liberty can live in the mind, but it won't save a slave from getting the flesh flayed from his skin with a whip, traded like cattle to someone else, or tracked down with force should he choose to "pursue his happiness". At the Timeframe, and for a long time afterwords, that the Framers wrote those documents, the only men that were created equal or had rights were of European descent. There was no thought of any other skin color in the words "All men are created equal" or when the Bill of Rights were created. If it WAS about natural rights, then why were slaves allowed at all, or some of the founding fathers even say anything like they did on the subject? It's almost cute how you still hold onto the idea that the Forefathers had some kind of grand divination when they wrote those documents, but since I've already clued you into the fact that they did NOT, and only looked after themselves in that respect, I unfortunately have to break some more things to you Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny are fake. The majority of the Framers were Hypocrites. Tupac and Elvis are dead. Not everyone that works at Dell are Indian. I'm sorry I had to break that too you...I know it's going to take alot to come to terms with reality. I am sure you can find some kind of counseling.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness are unalienable....and yet were still denied to a large group of people by our Forefathers. lets take a look at how "equal" everyone is according to our Forefathers George Washington "In 1796 Oney (or Ona) Judge ran away to New Hampshire.She was one of GW’s slaves - Martha’s personal servant. President GW asked the Treasury Secretary and a customs agent for help in getting her back, by force, if necessary" George Washington used the Treasury Secretary to retrieve one of his slaves....by force if necessary. Thomas Jefferson "TJ inherited many slaves. His wife brought a dowry of more than 100 slaves, and he purchased many more throughout his life. At some points he was one of the largest slaveowners in Virginia. " Not only are they used as OBJECTS in a dowry, Jefferson is known to be one of the largest slave owners in Virginia, if not all of Colonial American History. "In 1790 TJ gave his newly married daughter and her husband 1000 acres of land and 25 slaves." And here he is, giving 25 people away like they were cattle. James Madison "A general emancipation of slaves ought to be 1. gradual. 2. equitable & satisfactory to the individuals immediately concerned. 3. consistent with the existing & durable prejudices of the nation... To be consistent with existing and probably unalterable prejudices in the U.S. freed blacks ought to be permanently removed beyond the region occupied by or alloted to a White population." OMFG....not only was he a slave owner, but he declared that the release of slaves should be a slow process...and then also declared that they should be in an area far away from the White Population. John Taylor "(God) works most inscrutably to the understandings of men; - the negro is torn from Africa, a barbarian, ignorant and idolatrous; he is restored civilized, enlightened, and a Christian." Wow...if I have to point out what is wrong here, we are all blind James Polk "A slave dreads the punishment of stripes (i.e. whipping) more than he does imprisonment, and that description of punishment has, besides, a beneficial effect upon his fellow-slaves." The beating of a slave is BENEFICIAL to his fellow slaves. Millard Fillmore "God knows that I detest slavery, but it is an existing evil, for which we are not responsible, and we must endure it, and give it such protection as is guaranteed by the constitution." Hates slavery....but then turns around and says that slavery is a RIGHT protected by the Constitution...but we are not responsible for it..... Looks like "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" and "That all men are created equal" doesn't include African Americans....or as our Forefathers put it, the negro. So..at the time they WROTE the damn thing...they were hypocritical in their writings, as they not only defended slavery, but many encouraged it by buying more slaves. "Slavery is a form of forced labour in which people are considered to be the property of others. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand wages." You let me know where Slavery = Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness; All men are created equal. I won't hold my breath.

No, I have never held an AK47, but I have seen one up close, and while I admit it does not look immensely unwieldly, I will say that it would be hard to stuff in the back of a pants waistline without someone easily noticing, while a pistol is practically designed to be surpremely concealable. And yes, lots of changes have taken place since slavery ended, but look how long it took between the penning of the Declaration and the Bill of Rights and the ending of Slavery, and then the additional length of time for African Americans to get the full "rights" of American Citizens.

Discuss...and when I say that, I mean WHY you believe them to be rights or priviledges. Maybe some personal views/ expieriances will explain view points better.

While I understand your concern about not knowing anyone, when it comes to out of state, I would suggest Knoxville, TN. Not only is it gorgeous, sprawling, cheapish in terms of rent (2-3 years ago, it was $800-$1000 a month for a 4 bedroom apartment in downtown), but it is a College town with alot of rich alumni, so it has a good growth rate in terms of employment. Plus...there is little that compares to an "on the river" tailgate party where Houseboats are packed end to end down a couple miles of shore, and three deep...and some 10,000+ people giving a "rebel yell" together after the Vol's win a game!! It has a good music scene, lots of free events downtown in the summer, great public transportation...ok...i'll stop gushing.

The Constitution is a document that says "Rights", but what it really is happens to be a documentation of our PRIVLEDGES as American Citizens....which is the reason that slaves were not given the same "rights"...because they were not citizens.

out of the 100 legal gun owners I know, every single one of them has a pistol...EVERY SINGLE ONE. Also, how good of a hidding spot are you talking about? I've seen programs where they show how easy it is to crack a home safe, gun cabinet, or that 95% or your "safe hiding spots" are easy for any crook with half a brain to find. I am not making wild claims without proof, nor am I stereo-typing. It's simple fact that these people exist, and the proof is in KNOWING lots of criminals. Ask anyone thats committed a robbery with a gun...did they use a pistol, or an uzi? 9-outta-10 will say pistol, and about the same number will admit it was a stolen pistol. and PLEASE give my name to Homeland Security....it's not BASHING the Constitution, it's called READING ALL OF IT, which the majority of Americans, including the obvious several of you, have not bothered to read the entire thing. It's called UNDERSTANDING that some of it's wording and goals are simply out of date and need to be revised. If we are going to fight over the Admendments, that means that racial slurs and offensive/suggestive language is covered by free speech, which if thats true, then every sexual harassment lawsuit which was verbal only is to be tossed out of court; every hate crime that was verbal only: tossed out of court; and censorship is an illegal action. Without a standing army, which is "Unconstitutional", we could very well all been raised Nazi's, and instead of a President that we can elect, we would have a Furher that would "cleanse our existance of the Jewish plague".(deep, deep sarcasm starts here) Damn you, Unconstitutional standing army that keeps our existance safe and gurantee's the many freedoms and rights we have. Damn the fact that we want freedom and rights without any kind of payment for it. Oh, and damn you, all you service men and women in that Unconstitutional standing army that laid down your life for us to be able to have the right to look for what jobs we want, or pick what food we have, or have all the entertaining (and educational) shows on the TV's that we buy, and be able to express ourselves in dress, speech, etc. (sarcasm ends here) THATS the attitude your arguing for. Your arguement spits and pisses on all those lost lives for the freedoms that you and I enjoy. I will not be that guy. I am HAPPY to be the guy to realize that the generations before me realized that certian parts of the Constitution were not going to work anymore. Next time, THINK before you speak. If changes were never made, consider the world we might be living in right now, had our goverment not bothered to make Adjustments.

Roseville is probally your best all around bet. Eastpointe shares a little more crime then Roseville, and while i got friends in Hazel Park, even I have to admit it's shadey, though cheap. only problem with Roseville is that most businesses here are starting to close shop. I mean hell, they took the Little Caesers out of the damn mall....IT'S $5 PIZZA!!! ALL THE FINACIALLY BROKE KIDS WENT THERE!!! on the other hand, I am picking up a two bedroom apartment for like $700 a month, and some 3 bedroom houses have been seen on Criagslist for as low as 900 a month. You best bet is to just drive around some of the suburbs of Roseville for a bit and look at houses on the market.

bumpity*

it actually WILL cut down access to the guns, because their easy accessablity will be removed. and we're not talking about Central and South America...though I feel for them....thats a separate issue.

Whens the last time you seen a car-jacking with an AK-47 or an Uzi? Now, how about a stick-up with a normal, everyday pistol like over half of America keeps in their houses? I rest my case.

Wow...way to go on the EXTREME there and take what I said WAY OUT of context...looks like you fit right in with the rest of the Tea Party nutcases, Spin Doctor Gaf. First off, just because it was put in the Constitution 200+ years ago does not mean that it should BE part of our "rights" anymore, especially when it's a right that causes more harm then good. Should we tally up the amount of adolescent accidental deaths and child-vs-child murders that involved them having access to guns? How about the number of young adults that wanted to know what shooting someone felt like in the past, say...15 years? How about we bring up Columbine, the Branch Davidians, or any other number of incidences that the "right to bear arms" helped with? Oh...and before you decide to tell me that they played no part in those occurances, had those people not had such easy access to guns, because of the right to bear arms, it's more then highly probably that they never would have happened. Secondly, they NEVER said that we had the right to bear arms against the goverment. Where your getting that from, one can only wonder, but I can gurantee that it's not from the Constitution. Lets take a look at the line in the Constitution. "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." Here is the exact line. It is plain to anyone that they are talking about the right to keep and bear arms, in the form of a MILITIA, shall not be infringed. It does not say "the right of every swinging dick to carry a .22 shotgun and a Berreta because he feels like it." Now, lets look up Militia, in terms of what our forefathers for the past 100+ years seen it as. "An official reserve army, composed of citizen soldiers. Called by various names in different countries such as; the Army Reserve, National Guard, or State Defense Forces." OMG...a RESERVE ARMY??? You mean to say that we already HAVE these in place (Army Reserve & National Guard) and therefore don't need that group of 100+ redneck hunters as a wanna-be Militia in the backwoods, drinking moonshine and eating squirrel, to protect us? Holy Shit on a Stick, Batman. If your going to say your defending the Constitution, at least KNOW wtf it says, because if you don't, you'll end up looking less like Gaf The Horse with Tears and more like Gaf The Ass who cried Wolf.

nope..didn't miss it...I just don't think the numbers are right, thats all. While not an "offical" report, I did watch "It Takes a Thief" almost religiously, and the amount of guns that were "stolen" in that show, per season, is mind-boggling. Also, the black market and what the common criminal gets are two different things. Most often, the common criminal's weapon comes from a household that just didn't have enough security. We also have to remember that sometimes, all the precautions won't make a differance, as almost anything can be broken into with the right knowledge. If you really want the best way to keep your guns safe: go buy one of those large safes with the security glass panel on the inside. Sure...lots of guns are lost to the Black Market, but that means that maybe we should focus on better military security when it comes to shipments and storage, at least if thats going to be your focus.

actually....Gun CONTROL does start with gun REMOVAL, but everyone is too far up the Constitution's ass to realize it. Time to take it outside the box Lets pretend that the Constitution is a document that was written some 200+ years ago, by men in sharply cut frocks, powdered wigs, and still hand loaded powder into their guns. Lets pretend that this document was written after a war where the majority of the male population of our country HAD to protect themselves (key word is "protect" btw). Lets pretend that times have changed and somewhere down good ole Time Blvd. people OTHER then those sharply dressed gentlemen of the 1700's decided to far outstretch the meaning and terms in which our forefathers wrote down. Good...and now that your wonderfully in this mindset, realize that the forefathers wrote that to mean that you had a right to PROTECT yourself, not that every Tom, Dick, Harry, Sally, & Billy Ray could have a gun because they wanted one. Now, lets snap out of that mindset and make some realizations. Most guns used in crimes are illegally obtained, without use of the gun purchase restriction laws that our goverment laid down a while ago. The said Illegally obtained guns are much more then not stolen, often from homes where the gun was not put away safely, or in plain sight (a gun cabinet with glass doors is NOT a safe place for guns of any kind). Said guns used in crimes are traced back to purchasers, not the criminal. Now...follow with me...if you REMOVE the guns from people, then they can't be stolen, because there is not a gun to steal...lack of gun theft, lack of crime involving guns. Sure..we could try to up the "gun safety awareness", but most people don't give a damn about that enough to do something about it, and when some do buy the products for gun safety, they either get cheap products or don't use them. You can lead a duck to water, but you can't make it swim....so to keep the fucker from drowning himself, remove the water.

but you HATE it and cry outrage when someone does that to you.....Are you the Pot or the Kettle on this one? Honestly, NONE of us, unless we are reading the bill itself, can judge from an outside source on what the future of Healthcare will be, and thats a fact. I just picked up insurance under a new job (WOOT), and the company isn't sure how they will change the policy to incorperate the new Health care bill. There are LOTS of companies like that...their going to weight options and see what works best. Whats great about the plan is that you will be covered, regardless of employment or existing problems. If you choose to NOT enroll in an employers health care, you still ahve some kind of viable coverage. I don't trust news sources on this bill, because both sides have something at stake, and it's more of a mud-flinging contest then trying to get something done. yeah...it's "forced" on you....because lets be honest...people are stupid. If you didn't teach a dog to not shit in the house, you would be stepping in dogshit all the time. It's "forced" so we don't shit in the house, like taxes. If we don't pay taxes on a widescale basis, the calamity would be resounding, and the people that try to push this "reform" are worse then the terrorists that are trying to destroy us from the outside, because they are ignorant of what the actual result will be, but have this ideal that their actions will "teach the goverment". No, what it WILL do is turn us into a third world country, where we won't even have the ability to help ourselves, or even the ability to plan to help ourselves. You think you want reform, but what your working for is the CRIPPLING of our society far beyond what you THINK it is now. A person is smart, but people are like lemmings. People will cry out if they are offended by one thing, without looking at the whole picture (Tea Party supporters fall in this category, like it or not).

*dance* DOWN WITH THE DISNEY MUSIC EMPIRE!!!

wtf is "pease porridge" anyway, and who in hell is eating it cold, or nine days old??

If you want to hear some CRAZY fast rapping, or some really intellectual shyt, you need to listen to Dramadeus. Man's a damn legend.

Glenn Beck is a nut job. I can't believe anyone let him have a TV show, much less any type of forum to speak on. Beck makes O'reilly look sane.

Welcome to a night all about the music: April 10th at the Ritz. Joan Red, Echovalve, Bat on Fire, & more. Tickets at $10. However, for all you EASTSIDE cats, there is a SPECIAL, courtesy of Bat on Fire and Isle of Rhodes Entertainment. We have 20 tickets, especially for Eastsiders, that we are GIVING away...thats right...FREE. Reason why it's an Eastside special? Because as a westside band (pontiac, westland, down river), we don't get to play the Eastside (macomb, oakland, etc) very much. We know we have fans on the Eastside, and we know that you don't get many oppertunities to see BoF play live without driving out to see us. This time, we are driving to see YOU. Bat on Fire and Isle of Rhodes Entertainment want you to come out and enjoy yourselves with some amazing music. We want you to rock out with your cock/clam out!! Contact Isle of Rhodes Entertainment to reserve your "Eastsider special" tickets today. *two ticket limit per request. one request per fan please...we do have a limited supply*

It's National Geographic....I think their ABOVE using such drastic image editing for headlines. It's possible, if there is a genetic flaw in his pigmentation. Plus if it does come up photoshopped, does anyone realize what that does for NG's reputation? funny how no-one commenting considered that.