It’s a common enough phrase. You hear it all the time. Know what I mean? We say that when what we want is the person to agree with whatever statement we just made. We are looking for affirmation that the person understood exactly the idea you are trying to convey. We may also say, don’t take this wrong. That’s when we mean one thing but it sounds like something else. Conveying our thoughts and feelings can be a challenge. It all depends upon the listener.

For over 250 years we have pondered over, talked about, agreed and disagreed upon exactly what the constitution says. Just what did they mean? It was two and half years between the ratification of the constitution and the bill of rights. It took all that time for us to decide that ten amendments needed to be added to clarify the original document. The reasoning, well the original document didn’t spell out a number of rights many of the delegates wanted included in that original document. A compromise had to be reached to get it ratified. A promise was made, amendments for protecting of individual rights would be included at a later time.

Then in 1795 amendment number eleven was added. That amendment came in response to a supreme court decision that the states were not immune from being sued by individuals. In legal terms, not immune by reason of sovereignty. We the people can sue the government! It was a case of, I should be able to sue the state (government) because the constitution says so, know what I mean? And the supreme court did know what that individual meant, agreed and an amendment was written. The case was about the state owing money. The state (Georgia) refused to pay up for merchandise. Some things never change do they?

Today we are still debating, arguing and seeking opinions on everything and anything written in that document and its’ amendments. We are still saying, know what I mean? Just saying, all men are created equal isn’t enough to explain anything. Just saying, shall not be infringed isn’t clear enough. Those guys writing that almost 250 years ago didn’t know anything about what it was going to be like today, know what I mean? Technology has changed, progressed and needs to be closely monitored and controlled. Know what I mean?

The question hear is and always has been the nature of mankind. It is the moral and ethical codes we live by that form our government and our compliance with that government control and intervention. Has man changed? I don’t think so. Human nature has remained unchanged throughout millennia. The only thing that has changed is our ability to act upon that nature. Improved weapons has been the driving force behind it all. the ability to enforce. Know what I mean?

And that brings us to politics. The root of politics is control of the people. Man has tried every method conceivable to accomplish that. All religious beliefs and practices have that same goal, control of the people. In the end however, the final analysis it still comes down to individuals. Do you know what I mean?  “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another”

Do you know what that means? The political bands? It meant we didn’t agree with government. We stated our intentions plainly enough, then we wrote our own “rule book” and begin rewriting the rules almost immediately afterward. We couldn’t all agree on those rules. Yeah, that’s the rule, but that isn’t what it means, know what I mean?


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It’s a common enough phrase. You hear it all the time. Know what I mean? We say that when what we want is the person to agree with whatever statement we just made. We are looking for affirmation that the person understood exactly the idea you are trying to convey. We may also say, don’t take this wrong. That’s when we mean one thing but it sounds like something else. Conveying our thoughts and feelings can be a challenge. It all depends upon the listener.

For over 250 years we have pondered over, talked about, agreed and disagreed upon exactly what the constitution says. Just what did they mean? It was two and half years between the ratification of the constitution and the bill of rights. It took all that time for us to decide that ten amendments needed to be added to clarify the original document. The reasoning, well the original document didn’t spell out a number of rights many of the delegates wanted included in that original document. A compromise had to be reached to get it ratified. A promise was made, amendments for protecting of individual rights would be included at a later time.

Then in 1795 amendment number eleven was added. That amendment came in response to a supreme court decision that the states were not immune from being sued by individuals. In legal terms, not immune by reason of sovereignty. We the people can sue the government! It was a case of, I should be able to sue the state (government) because the constitution says so, know what I mean? And the supreme court did know what that individual meant, agreed and an amendment was written. The case was about the state owing money. The state (Georgia) refused to pay up for merchandise. Some things never change do they?

Today we are still debating, arguing and seeking opinions on everything and anything written in that document and its’ amendments. We are still saying, know what I mean? Just saying, all men are created equal isn’t enough to explain anything. Just saying, shall not be infringed isn’t clear enough. Those guys writing that almost 250 years ago didn’t know anything about what it was going to be like today, know what I mean? Technology has changed, progressed and needs to be closely monitored and controlled. Know what I mean?

The question hear is and always has been the nature of mankind. It is the moral and ethical codes we live by that form our government and our compliance with that government control and intervention. Has man changed? I don’t think so. Human nature has remained unchanged throughout millennia. The only thing that has changed is our ability to act upon that nature. Improved weapons has been the driving force behind it all. the ability to enforce. Know what I mean?

And that brings us to politics. The root of politics is control of the people. Man has tried every method conceivable to accomplish that. All religious beliefs and practices have that same goal, control of the people. In the end however, the final analysis it still comes down to individuals. Do you know what I mean?  “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another”

Do you know what that means? The political bands? It meant we didn’t agree with government. We stated our intentions plainly enough, then we wrote our own “rule book” and begin rewriting the rules almost immediately afterward. We couldn’t all agree on those rules. Yeah, that’s the rule, but that isn’t what it means, know what I mean?


Discover more from Random Thoughts

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

It’s a common enough phrase. You hear it all the time. Know what I mean? We say that when what we want is the person to agree with whatever statement we just made. We are looking for affirmation that the person understood exactly the idea you are trying to convey. We may also say, don’t take this wrong. That’s when we mean one thing but it sounds like something else. Conveying our thoughts and feelings can be a challenge. It all depends upon the listener.

For over 250 years we have pondered over, talked about, agreed and disagreed upon exactly what the constitution says. Just what did they mean? It was two and half years between the ratification of the constitution and the bill of rights. It took all that time for us to decide that ten amendments needed to be added to clarify the original document. The reasoning, well the original document didn’t spell out a number of rights many of the delegates wanted included in that original document. A compromise had to be reached to get it ratified. A promise was made, amendments for protecting of individual rights would be included at a later time.

Then in 1795 amendment number eleven was added. That amendment came in response to a supreme court decision that the states were not immune from being sued by individuals. In legal terms, not immune by reason of sovereignty. We the people can sue the government! It was a case of, I should be able to sue the state (government) because the constitution says so, know what I mean? And the supreme court did know what that individual meant, agreed and an amendment was written. The case was about the state owing money. The state (Georgia) refused to pay up for merchandise. Some things never change do they?

Today we are still debating, arguing and seeking opinions on everything and anything written in that document and its’ amendments. We are still saying, know what I mean? Just saying, all men are created equal isn’t enough to explain anything. Just saying, shall not be infringed isn’t clear enough. Those guys writing that almost 250 years ago didn’t know anything about what it was going to be like today, know what I mean? Technology has changed, progressed and needs to be closely monitored and controlled. Know what I mean?

The question hear is and always has been the nature of mankind. It is the moral and ethical codes we live by that form our government and our compliance with that government control and intervention. Has man changed? I don’t think so. Human nature has remained unchanged throughout millennia. The only thing that has changed is our ability to act upon that nature. Improved weapons has been the driving force behind it all. the ability to enforce. Know what I mean?

And that brings us to politics. The root of politics is control of the people. Man has tried every method conceivable to accomplish that. All religious beliefs and practices have that same goal, control of the people. In the end however, the final analysis it still comes down to individuals. Do you know what I mean?  “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another”

Do you know what that means? The political bands? It meant we didn’t agree with government. We stated our intentions plainly enough, then we wrote our own “rule book” and begin rewriting the rules almost immediately afterward. We couldn’t all agree on those rules. Yeah, that’s the rule, but that isn’t what it means, know what I mean?


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