[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by greymule

I wasn't referring to the 14th Amendment. Obviously the Constitution can be changed by amendment.

If the intent of the framers is irrelevant, or if we can decide to ignore the intent of the framers because we can point to imperfections that existed in the past, why have any constitution at all? If we don't respect original intent, we have nothing. We simply let whatever 9 supreme justices are on the bench at the moment decide what they think is right.

Yes, standards can change. Cruel and unusual punishment in 2006 has nothing to do with the standards of 1806. But the intent of the framers shouldn't be turned on its head, as it is routinely today.

Im just not sure the argument you are trying to make, because its so out of the scope of the discussion. The founding fathers intent was so far removed from whether or not an official in a game got beat up by a coach as to be alien to their thought process. They were trying to form a country.. In fact, most of the founding fathers would probably concur that the possible method to deal with an umpire is a challenge to a duel to the death.

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I do agree as a general principle on many issues with what you are say though.. in a rhetorical type "honorable mention" way.