That last string makes me want to start up a whole new topic.
On that string, it was alleged that it might be possible for the government to restrict the enforcement of certain Constitutional rights, such as the right to bear arms, to people only of a certain age or above. As the argument goes, the Constitution says that even a native born US citizen doesn’t have the right to run for President until age 35 (not quite, a 34 year old could run, provided they are age 35 at the time of their inauguration), so based on that, why not allow a restriction to the age at which certain other Constitutional rights accrue (such as the right to bear arms) until some age arbitrarily decided upon by the Congress or some state or local legislative body?
Why not restrict the right to bear arms until some arbitrary age? 21? 26??? 35???
Of course, the Constitution also puts minimum ages for Congresspeople and Senators.
Voting age has been set at 18.
NO ages are set for the rights to a speedy trial, the right to a trial by jury, the right against self-incrimination, the right to bear arms, the right to free exercise of religion, the right to peacefully assemble, the right to a free press, the right to free speech, the right to not have Soldiers quartered in your home without your consent, etc, etc., etc.
Suppose a legislative body were to determine that only persons over, let’s say, the age of 30 have the right to peacefully assemble.
Would that not have prevented a lot of the recent “protests” by anti-Semitic students on all these college campuses?
Just sayin’
What if a legislative body decided that only people above the age of 35 have the right to a jury trial, and a right against self-incrimination?
Gosh. My job sure would be A LOT easier!!! I’d feel sorry for a lot of young Defendants though!
Anyway, I’m being a little facetious, but the way I see it is this:
If the Constitution doesn’t put a specific age on a Constitutional right (35 to be President, 18 to vote, etc), then your Constitutional rights are PRESUMED to accrue the minute you become a legal adult or purposes of criminal prosecution.
If you can be legally tried as an adult, then of course all criminally related Constitutional rights should kick in. In most states, that’s 18. In TX, it’s 17, but you get the idea.
But I’d expand that to all Constitutional rights without an age limit.
At 18, you can legally bear arms, or purchase them.
Free speech and religion? Perhaps parents can have some say over that until the age at which a person may be emancipated, but after that, its the INDIVIDUAL’S CHOICE, and the INDIVIDUAL’S RIGHT. That would also be age 18 in most states.
Anyway, what do YOU folks think?
Please be candid in your responses!