The winds of change?

I've always wondered what the 9th amendment to the U.S. Constitution was really about?

The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people

I took it to mean if enough people firmly believed they had a right (whatever that is or means) the government couldn't step in and take that right away from those people. Of course, that's is not at all what the amendment means but my romanticized vision seems the perfect recipe for chaos and/or a framework for localized control of government, ya chaos! Don't ever speak about the 9th amendment btw....no one wants to talk about it.

In Malawi the 'Local Court Bill of 2010' is under debate in parliament.

The proposed bill seeks to introduce a new genre of courts, the Local Courts, primarily to dispense familiar and affordable justice for the ordinary Malawian in line with the spirit of the Constitution.

again, I have no idea what this even means...I think I'm beginning to understand nothing which makes me think I'm becoming old and irrelevant. I think what this means is that Malawi is trying to create a system of local courts that will expedite justice as it pertains to the country's constitution. I imagine before the colonialists arrived, the locals had their 'systems of justice' firmly established. Fast forward to 2010 though and it seems Malawi needs a new way to punish the lawbreakers.

This sweeping legislation will enforce a myriad of new laws (I'm having trouble collecting)...and will criminalize:
- fortune telling
- insulting the modesty of women
- writing or uttering words with intent to wound religious feelings
- setting fire to crops
- challenging to fight a duel
- disturbing religious assemblies
- publication of false news likely to cause fear
- fouling up water
- destroying evidence
- escape and removal of property under lawful seizure
- common assault
- possession of stolen property
- trespassing on burial places
- fouling the air

The last offense listed includes burning trash, tires and also farting in public. Farting will soon be against the law in Malawi.

In the wake of growing pro-democracy movements in North Africa you can certainly project where this is all heading. I've already read about the call for a, "Fart In" if this draconian legislation is enacted and enforced. In a time when dictatorial governments are being challenged and dismantled by fed up citizens, it seems the parliament of Malawi didn't get the memo.

Hey, if the majority of citizens of a region want to hold it in, outlaw the reading of the stars and put padlocks on the cemeteries I have no problem with that. But we, the citizens of earth, might just be entering an age where governments that craft law which infringes upon certain rights retained by the people, get shut down by those people.

Better read that memo senator!