The Constitution and the Bill of Rights were written by folks with proper knowledge of the use of the English language. Today's readers not so much. IMO judges are some of the worst, either not understanding the written word or simply ignoring what We the People say.
First look at the Preamble of the Constitution. The premable does not delegate any power but mererly sets down what the Framers wished to accomplish. One VERY, VERY important word in the premable it "for" at the end of the paragraph. Why? Because pretty much all folks miss read that last line and call the document, the Constitution "OF" the United States, of projecting ownership. THe actual Constitution does not call the document the Constitution "of". The last words of the Constitution are "this Constitution FOR the United States". Why do I bring this up? Because the use of FOR tells the reader/student that We the People OWN the Constitution and that the document is created in order to control or limit the government it creates. A simple "of" versus "for" alters the reason the Constitution exists. If you don't understand, you should go back to school and learn the language properly.
Second look at preamble of the Bill of Rights. This preamble contains the following clause: "...Articles in addition to and Amendments OF..." in proposing and identifying the modifications of the Constitution that were proposed. A standard legal maxim is thaat latter law overrides prior law that is in conflict. The statement "amendments of" comes from that maxim and is included in order to ascertain that those trying to understand the amendments know that all of the original Constitution that conflicts with these amendments is moot, no longer part of the delegated powers to the federal government.
As an aside, Madison wanted to alter the original Constituution and insert changes in various places within the original but he was repudiated and the changes were all placed at the end. Had Madison succeeded the modifications known as the Bill of Rights would have impacted our system very differently. We must be thankful that those others who were involved recognized that altering the original would betray those who ratified the Constitution and placed the approved amendments at the end of the original. What is the importance? By including the clause "...Articles in addition to and Amendments OF..." in the preamble, those amendments altered ALL conflicting parts of the original Constitution and became applicable against ALL levels of government through the supremacy clause of Article VI Pp 2. The courts in 1833 screwed this up in Barron v Baltimore where the court followed Madison's repudiated "intent" and decided that the Bill of Rights did not apply to the States in direct conflict with the supremacy clause.
WHat does this all mean? The 1st amendment (originally the 3rd not 1st) is restricted to Congress regardless of the machinations of the judiciary to claim applicability against the states under sosme ruse. Simple straightforward language is in your face. That language stops the federal government from making ANY laws about religious establishments, establishing a religion or restricting the
free exercise fo religion. NO LAW. NOTHING. Not positive, not negative, not neutral. NOTHING. Why limit the 1st to Congress only? Take the time to look up and study the laws of the first 13 states. You will find they cover religion, speech and the press. Had the 1st extended to all levels, it would never haave passed. The purpose was separation of the federal government FROM religion NOT a separation of church as state as improperly stated by Jefferson in a letter to a pastor.
Back to the Constitution itself. Look at Article V. Folks often are confused about amendments but Article 5 states emphatically that Congress ... SHALL PROPOSE followed by how such proposed are finalized. Congress is to REQUEST PERMISSION from We the People by way of proposed amendments. We the People decide if we want to ALlOW the government to exercise some new requested power. Liars, cheats and evil people have claimed the Constitution is a "living" document in order to bypass the amendment process and all too often the judges have agreed with those lies because supporting those lies has allowed the judiciary to usurp power. A convention of the States can also propose amendments BUT the States cannot simply call a convention, 2/3 of the legislatures of the States may apply to the Congress and the Congress must call a convention. In no case, can any level of government legitimately alter the Constitution without following the process We the People placed in OUR LAW for them, the Constitution.
We can go through the entire Constitution, each clause, each word, and elucidate the proper meanings. I say We because We the People because We the People are the Creator of the Constitution, superior to that document. All parts of government are created by the Constitution and are therefore subordinate, under the Constitution. No part of the government is empowered to interpret OUR LAW FOR THEM, not the legislature, not the executive, not the judiciary.
Copyright, 2026 NBoC.