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We know no document is perfect, but when we amend the Constitution, it would be to expand rights, not to take away rights from decent, loyal Americans. This great Constitution of ours should never be used to make a group of Americans permanent second-class citizens.
Barbara Boxer
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote emphasizes the importance of constitutional amendments in expanding rights rather than restricting them, promoting equality among citizens.

Barbara Boxer asserts that while the Constitution is not flawless, any amendments made should enhance the rights of all citizens rather than diminish them. She underscores the principle that the Constitution should protect all Americans from being treated as second-class citizens, advocating for the expansion of rights to ensure equality and justice.

Themes

ConstitutionRightsEqualityJusticeAmendment

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used during a debate on civil rights legislation to emphasize the need for progressive amendments to the Constitution.

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I know from my constituency what is going on. Doctors that are told, begged, by mothers, 'Please don't write down that my child as asthma. Please lie and say it's bronchitis, because if you write down asthma, when my child turns 18 or 20 and has to get his or her own insurance, it will be a pre-existing condition.'
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The Violence Against Women Act protects the lives of tens of thousands of domestic violence victims. But the U.S. must also support gender equality around the world, and that means acknowledging that some nations we consider to be our friends are no friends to women.
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