User blog comment:Rocket Engineer/On the U.S. Constitution/@comment-25330335-20170613012134/@comment-26119768-20170613040909

I do agree that the Constitution has its flaws, but so far it has worked out. As for being a product of its times, yes, that could certainly be said. But the Constitution attempted to restrain and limit human nature, and unless human nature has changed in the past 240 years, it is still relevant. I have to disagree with you on the second amendment. Several of the founding fathers made statements which indicate the second amendment was to make the people the 'first, last, and only defense against tyranny'. And while they certainly did have duels, I doubt that they were important enough to be the reason for a constitutional amendment.

I assume you're talking about the 13th Amendment, which says "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."

Looking at the text, I would say that it is allowing forced labor as a punishment. Whether or not you agree with that is a personal opinion. It does not however say that prisoners have no rights. Some of their constitutional rights are suspended, but they do have enumerated rights, such as the right to be free of cruel and unusual punishment.