The architect of freedom.(A)(Commentary)(Op-Ed)(Sweet Land Of Liberty) From: The Washington Times | Date: July 16, 2001| Author: Hentoff, Nat | COPYRIGHT 2001 News World Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

Byline: Nat Hentoff

On July 4, our national day of remembrance of how we came to be Americans, the Constitution was celebrated as well as the Declaration of Independence. But the Constitution was not ratified by the individual states until the Bill of Rights - the first 10 amendments - were added. Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the Declaration of Independence, was a strong advocate of the Bill of Rights, and it is from the First Amendment that all our other liberties flow. ...