✩The First Amendment✩
✧ 𝕭𝖞 𝕿𝖚𝖆𝖓𝖆 𝖄𝖆𝖟𝖎𝖈𝖎✧
Freedom of Religion, Press, and Expression
Freedom of Speech
Quiet! Dissent and free speech are crimes
Freedom of Speech
Internet Censorship
Freedom of Speech
- Freedom of speech surrounds not only the spoken and written word, but also all kinds of expression (including non-verbal communications, such as sit-ins, art, photographs, films and advertisements). Under its provisions, the media — including television, radio and the Internet — is free to distribute a wide range of news, facts, opinions and pictures. The amendment protects not only the speaker, but also the person who receives the information. The right to read, hear, see and obtain different points of view is a First Amendment right as well.
It was not until 18th century Colonial America that the freedom of speech was recognized as a shield against a despotic government. A colonial newspaper publisher, John Peter Zenger, used his journalistic power in 1734 to oppose the policies of New York Governor William Cosby (CNN Interactive 2001). Until that point in history, such dissent would have normally instigated harsh action toward Zenger. But in 1735, Zenger was acquitted on the grounds that "truth is a defense against libel" (ibid.). This viewpoint seemingly moved to the forefront of many colonial intellectual minds, for the freedom of speech was later included in the American Constitution.
- Endangering the nation by giving away military secrets or calling for the violent overthrow of the government are examples of unprotected speech.
- I believe that freedom of press is a helpful amendment to some extend. It is a helpful amendment, because it allows others to speak up, and share their ideas. However, this amendment could turn out to be a very bad thing, too. Some might take this advantage, and use it in a bad way to hurt others. An example could be slander and libel. So, I believe that this amendment is very helpful to those who use it right.
- I'm an artist and my drawings are an expression of how I feel or think. Without it my life would be dull and boring. It's important for people to expression their opinions/views/experiences/gripes, so we can learn from one another and grow as people.
Freedom of Religion
The Bill of Rights
All Religions are acceptable
Freedom of Religion
Freedom of Religion
- Freedom of Religion is part of the First Amendment of the Constitutional Amendments. The First amendment allows American citizens to practice their religion of choice, or no religion at all These principles are known as freedom of religion and separation of church and state.
- The Pilgrims and the Puritans left England, because they were persecuted by the English Government, and the Church of England, for their religious beliefs. So, they settled into America, so that they could practice any religion they pleased.
- The current controversy over employer's who provide healthcare for their employees being required women's access to contraception even through religious organizations.
- I believe that the Freedom of Religion is a nice opportunity for people to practice the way they believe, or what they religion teaches. In this case, the government should not be allowed to demand that a religious institution compromise their values, because it goes against the right to practice your religion the way you want.
- For now, the Freedom of Religion is practiced as written in the Constitution. My family celebrates all types of religious celebrations or holidays with friends and family. We share in these celebrations with people from different religions. Currently, I believe that the Freedom of Religion is not only important, but necessary to the morals in values of the people in our society.
Freedom of Press
Freedom of Press
- The Freedom of the Press is part of the First Amendment of the Consitutional Amendments. The First Amendment protects the expression of ideas in newspapers, books, radio, television, and, to some extent, movies and the Internet. Unlike in some countries, the American press doesn't have prior restraint. This is also gives the right of the citizens to get an impartial freedom of information.
- The American Revolution produced many historic newspapermen. Their strong feelings in support of independence and revolution were poured into their writings, spurring public interest and education on the issue. In essence, this was the beginning of the press’ role with the government, developing the press freedom that would later be set in the Constitution.
- Zenger was the publisher of the New York Weekly Journal, which had printed harsh criticisms of Governor William Cosby of the Province of New York. Zenger was prosecuted for seditious libel, and consistent with the law at the time the jury was instructed to consider not whether the work was actually seditious (an issue then considered a matter of law for the judge and not one of fact for the jury) but only the questions of whether Zenger had published the work and whether it referred to Cosby. Nevertheless, the jury disregarded these limitations and acquitted Zenger. That acquittal represented the assertion of popular power against the monarchy, in contrast to the modern understanding of freedom of the press as protection against popular control as much as against particular government officials.
- For me, it is a good thing for the press to be free, because having impartial news is the right of the citizens. I also believe that freedom of the press means freedom of thought.
- Even though the US is one of the few countries with Freedom of Press, some journalists still get arrested because of some of the articles they publish. Also, the government tries to change some of the journalists' articles that are against some of their policies, before it gets published. This act is against the First Amendment of the Constitution.
Freedom of Assembly
Freedom of Assembly
- The Freedom to Assemble is part of the First Amendment of the Constitutional Amendments. The Freedom of Assembly is the right of people to gather without fear of government aggravation or interruption is inseparably tied to freedom of speech, of religion, and to petition the government, rights also surround within the First Amendment.
- Throughout American history, individuals and groups have exercised the right to peaceably assemble in order to bring the public’s attention to injustice. Frederick Douglass attended abolitionist meetings, and Martin Luther King, Jr. led civil rights marches and wrote about his experiences in letter from Birmingham Jail. Women’s suffragists Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Alice Paul organized conventions, demonstrations, and parades.
- A representative case involves the freedom marches and picketing demonstrations which were characteristic of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The case, Shuttlesworth v. City of Birmingham, Alabama, involved incidents which occurred on the afternoon of April 12, 1963. Some 52 black people were led out of a Birmingham church by three black ministers, one of whom was Fred Shuttlesworth. The marchers walked in orderly fashion, two abreast, for four blocks to protest the alleged denial of civil rights to blacks in Birmingham. The marchers stayed on the sidewalks, except at street intersections, and did not interfere with other pedestrians or automobile traffic. Despite this, the marchers were arrested at the end of four blocks.
- According to me, people are entitled to assemble and to speak and be heard, as long as they remain nonviolent. The right to peaceful assembly is primarily intended to protect freedom of people to express themselves in public places.
- The First Amendment protects peaceful, not violent, assembly. However, there must be a "clear and present danger" or an "imminent incitement of lawlessness before government officials may restrict free- assembly rights. Otherwise, the First Amendment's high purpose can too easily be sacrificed on the altar of political expediency.
Right to Petition
Right to Petition
- The Right to Petition is part of the First Amendment of the Constitutional Amendments. It protects the right not to associate, which means that the government cannot force people to join a group they do not wish to join. A related right is the right to petition the government, including everything from signing a petition to filing a lawsuit.
- The actual concept of petitioning the government is said to reach at least as far back as the Magna Carta, one of the first documented formal legal systems that was composed by Kingdom of England in 1215. In the Magna Carta it says that although the power was only granted to the 25 nobles elected by the King, these nobles still had the authority to petition the Kingdom if they felt injustices were being imposed. Later, this right to petition was further confirmed in the English Declaration of Rights, written in 1689, which states that subjects of the King are entitled to petition the King without fear of prosecution.
- In Walters v. National Association of Radiation Survivors (1985), the U.S. Supreme Court held that a $10 limit on what a veteran can pay an attorney for representing him in pursuing claims with the Veterans Administration did not abridge the veteran's right to effectively petition the government.
- The right to petition the government for redress of grievances means you can approach the federal government (Congress, mainly) with your problems you think they should address. It's like your right to free speech and free press-you don't just have to sit there and take treatment that is unacceptable.
- Nowadays people might petition to end aid to big banks or end oil company subsidies. Or to end the wars. Or any other issue that occurs to them. As a United States citizen, you have the right to Petition Congress, state government and legislatures, courts at any level. Under the right of petition, individuals and groups of citizens and corporations may lobby for laws and policies that favor them.