Personally, I really enjoy the right to free speech, free press, free assembly, my choice of religion, and petitioning the government.
What I don't like are those people who interpret the 1st Amendmet as: "I can say whatever I want, whenever I want, without any regard for others; and the government cannot support religion in any way."
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; (The government will never create their own religion, or espouse one religion over another -- the entire reason this was in there was because of the English king who became displeased when he couldn't divorce his wife under the current church system.... He declared that church to be invalid, created his own religion and declared that all people in the country should become members/supporters of it.)
or abridging the freedom of speech, (People are allowed to say what they will about the government -- Again, in England, speaking out against the king could earn you a death sentence. This does not mean that you can say whatever you want to whoever you want; it just means that you can say whatever you want *within reason* to whomever you want.)
or of the press; (The US government cannot control what the press reports, unlike in England at the time.)
or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, (You can gather in any public place for any reason that does not break the law -- if you want to hold demonstrations, that's okay -- prayers are fine, too, as are wiccan services and girl scouts selling cookies)
and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. You can always approach the government and tell them about the problems you have with them, without fear of reprisal, unless you tell them you want them all to die and then pull out a gun. |
