Just as these brave souls did.
That time World War II vets violently overthrew corrupt politicians in Tennessee
When veterans of World War II returned home to McMinn County, Tennessee, they probably weren't surprised to find that many of the same politicians from before the war were still running the place. A local political machine run by Paul Cantrell had been suspected of running the county and committing election fraud since 1936.

However, when the sheriff's deputies began targeting the veterans with fines for minor arrests, the vets suspected they were being taken advantage of. One veteran, Bill White, later told American Heritage magazine:

"There were several beer joints and *****-tonks around Athens; we were pretty wild; we started having trouble with the law enforcement at that time because they started making a habit of picking up GIs and fining them heavily for most anything—they were kind of making a racket out of it.
"After long hard years of service—most of us were hard-core veterans of World War II—we were used to drinking our liquor and our beer without being molested. When these things happened, the GIs got madder—the more GIs they arrested, the more they beat up, the madder we got …"

By early 1946, the vets and the townspeople were tired of what they saw as corrupt practices by Paul Cantrell and his lackeys. The vets started their own political party with candidates for five offices. The focus of the contest was the race for sheriff between Paul Cantrell and Henry Knox, a veteran of North Africa.

Everyone knew that the election could turn violent. Veterans in nearby Blount County promised 450 men who could assist in any need that McMinn County had on election day. In response, Cantrell hired two hundred "deputies" from outside the county to guard polling places.

What happened next would go down as the "Battle of Athens," or the "McMinn County War."
Tensions built on election day as the veterans faced off with the special deputies. By 3 p.m., an hour before the polls closed, violence broke out. Deputies beat and shot a black farmer who tried to vote and arrested two veterans who were then held hostage in the Athens Water Works. Other veterans responded by taking hostage deputies who were sent to arrest them. Still, Cantrell was able to fill most of the ballot boxes with purchased votes and get them to the jail, ensuring he would win the election.

While the sheriff and his lackeys counted the votes in the jail, White and the other veterans were getting angry. Finally, sometime after 6 p.m., White led a raid on the National Guard armory to get guns.

White said in a 1969 interview that they "broke down the armory doors and took all the rifles, two Thompson sub-machine guns, and all the ammunition we could carry, loaded it up in the two-ton truck and went back to GI headquarters and passed out seventy high-powered rifles and two bandoleers of ammunition with each one."

The veterans set siege to the jail, firing on deputies that were outside the jail when they arrived. One deputy fell wounded into the building while another crawled under a car after he was hit in his leg. But, Cantrell and others were safely locked behind the brick walls of the jail. The veterans needed to get through before other police or the National Guard arrived.
Molotov cocktails proved ineffective but at 2:30 in the morning, someone arrived with dynamite. At about the same time, an ambulance arrived and the veterans let it through, assuming it was there for the wounded. Instead, Paul Cantrell and one of his men escaped in it.

A few minutes later, the vets started throwing dynamite. The first bundle was used to blow up a deputy's cruiser, flipping it over. Then, three more bundles were thrown. One landed on the porch roof, one under another car, and one against the jail wall. The nearly simultaneous explosions destroyed the wall and car and threw the jail porch off of its foundation.

The deputies in the jail, as well as some hiding out in the courthouse, surrendered immediately. The veterans were then forced to protect the deputies as local townspeople attempted to kill them. At least one deputy had his throat slit and another of Cantrell's men was shot in the jaw.

The veterans established a patrol to keep the peace. To prevent a counterattack by Cantrell, the vets placed machine guns at all the approaches to Athens, where the jail and courthouse were located.

The rest of the incident played out without violence. Henry Knox took over as sheriff Aug. 4, 1946 and future elections dismantled what was left of Cantrell's machine.

I do not feel as if my rights have gone anywhere that they can be taken 'back' from.

Our rights are always being eroded by the politicians who respond to small majorities of the electorate. If it were not for the judicial system, those of us who are in the minority would have few rights left. Today one way to protect our rights is to be willing to challenge the laws that politicians pass. Another is to elect new lawmakers willing to make changes to the existing laws. What this does is really upset those who originally placed the laws or regulations in force. I believe this is part of the cause of the political polarization we see.

I do not believe the constitution has been amended in my lifetime. I remember them changing the drinking age, which didn't affect me much as a non drinker. I remember them adding protections for transexuals as well. Other than that, I cannot think of any major changes or any right I was born with and do not still have.

I to think in the WE.
I'm an individual is a society of like minded individuals.
I put our interests ahead of my own.
I admire the men who went to the aid of the black man who was shot by the police when he went to vote. Unlike the armed Panthers who intimidated voters.
Unlike the US hating separatists who are looking for FREE STUFF at the expense of taxpayers.
I've seen, in my lifetime, many restrictive laws.
Seems that's what Rats live for.
AmerICAN
RepublICAN
DemocRATS

Am I allowed to call the Irish prime minister Leo VaRATkar?

... over and out

There are also Rinos who push restrictive laws.
However, the democRATS have been extremely busy adding more. Bent on destroying our liberties.
In San Fran, it's jail time for plastic straws. Perfectly acceptable to defecate in the streets and on sidewalks.

Article II, Section 153 of the city charter:


SEC. 153. URINATION AND DEFECATION.

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to deposit or cause to be deposited any human urine or feces upon any public or private highway or road, including any portion of the right-of-way thereof, or in or upon any private property into or upon which the public is admitted by easement or license, or upon any private property without the consent of the owner, or in or upon any public property other than property designated or set aside for that purpose.

(b) Penalty. Any person who shall violate the provisions of this Section shall be guilty of an infraction, the penalty for which shall be a fine which shall be not less than $50 nor more than $500.

(c) The Department of Public Works shall work with other City Departments to post and update on the City's website a list of the locations and hours of operation of all available City-operated restroom facilities.

(d) Exemption. Persons who violate this ordinance due to verified medical conditions shall be exempt from the enforcement provisions of this ordinance.




Plastic straws illegal unless requested under California bill — with up to a $1,000 fine attached. A bill proposed in California would make it illegal for restaurant servers to give guests plastic straws unless requested — with the threat of a $1,000 fine or jail time attached.Jan 29, 2018

I am not sure, however, that our 'rights' ever said anything regarding straws or poop though.

Probably the largest erosion of rights has been to property rights, freedom of speech, and the right to bear arms. Also any time government gives special status to some group over others, that reduces the other group's rights.

Can you give examples of any of those things changing and who is given special status?

So, there's laws on the books.

Orange County Register.

San Fran Mayor won't crack down on people using city as outdoor toilet.

Property rights are usually eroded through zoning regulations; also some through excessive taxation. Freedom of speech by protesters that have the goal of preventing speech they do not like or agree with. Right to bear arms by laws that limit the ability of law abiding individuals to purchase or possess firearms.

Okay. I guess I just do not see it that way. I see people owning MANY guns, so that right seems safe. I see people speaking out about EVERYTHING, so that right seems safe as well. I see paying for property, even taxes, as still having the right to own it.

Taxation explained.
https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-government-memes/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

I'm sure many of us have been guilty of it.

But, getting drunk, and pissing on a dumpster at 3 a.m.,
isn't mentioned anywhere in the constitution.

They, them, .....those doods.... can take all my rights away!!!! wheeeeee!!!! good riddance! never liked a single one of em anyway.


but,,,, they better not mess with my wrongs....... those are mine! and I work damn hard........makin em wrooooong!


I'm just.... not right....not right.... wellll..... nope still not right....

While you have the right to own property (and pay taxes on it) you do not have the right to use it as you wish! While you may be able to own many guns in some parts of the country, the type of gun and where you can purchase it is regulated; also the ability to transport that gun is limited in some parts of the country. I should be able to stand in the public square and advocate for anything I want to. You should have the choice to listen or walk away. You should never have the right to attempted to silence me by any means!! What you may consider hate speech, I have the right to openly speak of and advocate for that position.

rights and responsibilities go hand in hand, imho. There is no absolute right that applies always and no matter what. Details matter. Where one person's rights end and another begins is not so black and white. Expecting some responsibility within those rights is, imho, what makes us 'civilized'.