A Discussion on The First Amendment

Amendment One to the Constitution of The United States says: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.



Sounds simple doesn't it? Freedom of religion, speech, press, to assemble and to petition the government.  Too bad that it isn't quite that simple. Especially in today's world where one political party wants it to say something else.



When the Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution, it wasn't done over-night. It took months and a lot of debate. There were arguments and discussions. What those patriotic men wanted was a document that would limit how much power the government had over the people. After all, they had just fought a long war to gain freedom from a tyrannical, corrupt empire. It was their firm belief that the people could govern themselves better than any group of people in a central location could. The fact that the enumerated items in the First Amendment were put in there first – they felt that these were the most important.



Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.  What, exactly did they mean by this? People will say that this means there is a separation of Church and State; that the government should not be involved in or use any religion in its' business. The founders did not use the name of God in any official document for a reason. The English King had demanded that all people worship in accordance with the Church of England. Our founders did not want anyone to be forced into one way of worshiping. That is all. Our Constitution and all our laws at the time were based on Christian principle. Why? Our country was, and still is, a Christian based country. Yes, we have a myriad of religious beliefs within our borders, but Christianity is the most prevalent.



What the Founders meant was that our government would never tell anyone that they had to worship a certain way and that any other way was wrong. The only religion that has ever been banned within our borders is Islam. Is that going against the First Amendment? In a way, yes; but for a very good reason. Islam directly contradicts everything about our government, our Constitution and our way of life. It is against the law to come into our country and be against, and try to subvert, our Constitution. Islam does just that in every way and if you don't believe that just read the Koran.



We, as Americans, have the freedom to praise God in any way we see fit no matter what anyone thinks. We can worship Odin, Set, Zeus, the Annunaki, Han Solo, or Elvis. We even have the freedom to not worship any god if we so choose. That is a right given to us by the words: Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.



How about ...or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press? We have the right, the freedom, to speak our mind. Without the freedom to speak differing opinions, and debating those opinions, then there is no growth and we stagnate. Without this freedom we would be like China where a person can be thrown in jail for speaking against the government. The same goes for freedom of the press. The press has the ability to put out to the masses what it may whether the government likes it or not.



There are restrictions on freedom of speech to be sure. A person cannot go into a crowded movie theater and yell, “Fire!” There is such a thing as common sense. Your speech cannot cause harm to anyone. You cannot libel or slander a person without repercussion. This goes with the press. I would say that the press has more responsibility than the individual when it comes to their freedom. People take what is written as news as truth and gospel. The press should keep their reporting to truth and not opinion unless stated that it is opinion.



Today, however, people and the press take this right to the extreme. Freedom of speech now includes actions. The Supreme Court has ruled that it is freedom of expression to burn the American Flag for an example. The new Democrat Party believes that getting into a person's face and screaming at them is freedom of speech. I don't think that is what Hancock, Adams, or Franklin had in mind.



The freedom to peaceably assemble. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr protested for civil liberties for blacks in the 50's and 60's. Did he destroy neighborhoods, loot stores, beat people into oblivion? No. He assembled his protests in a peaceful manner without rioting. Today, it is common for protesters to burn buildings and vehicles, loot stores and even kill those that don't agree with them. Few are brought to justice over these atrocities. This is not assembling peaceably. This is rioting. But the far left uses the First Amendment as their justification for their riots. Antifa routinely uses violence as protest. The far left has used 'in-your-face' physical and verbal abuse as protest. Blacks have burnt buildings and vehicles, looted stores and destroyed neighborhoods as protest.



Finally, the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances. When the government was first established it was small and easily approached. Today, the government is so huge with so many different departments with millions of employees it is almost impossible to know where to go with a complaint. Not that it would do any good because there isn't a government employee that will actually try to help you with a problem. Try going to the IRS with a complaint about how they do their business.



Today's government is not what the Founders had in mind. The wanted a small government that took care of national business such as keeping a military and keeping our national borders secure. They were in Washington to protect us as a nation. The Founders did not want a monstrous entity that controlled the people but a small government that the people controlled. In other words, we were a country that had a government and now it's a government that has a country.





The First Amendment is so important to our nation; to our freedom. Interpreted as written, it keeps our country from becoming a socialist/communist state where the government controls everything we do, say, or think. With the new Democrat Party doing its best to control us, the members of that party have done their very best to do away with our freedom of speech with political correctness and silencing conservative speech with violence or threats. They have perverted that freedom to include actions that border on treason, such as stomping on or burning the Standard of our country, getting in the face of any conservative anywhere, and rioting over perceived injustice.



The Democrats have banned any Christian symbol on all government property and all but outlawed any Christian teachings. Some of our elected officials have gone so far as to ridicule others for their faith in God and the Bible. Yet, Islam is to be protected and taught as a way to preserve diversity.



The press has become the mouthpiece of the far-left political party. No longer do they report news, instead they report rumors and opinion as truth. Journalism is a dead industry. All you need do is turn on CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, or read the New York Times or Washington Post. There is little news there but a lot of liberal bias. Yes, that is freedom of the press to write what they want regardless of what government would like, but I believe wholeheartedly that the press has a responsibility to report truth not bias.



The First Amendment, our freedoms start with it and will end if it is ever taken away. With the rights and freedoms guaranteed by this most important addition to the Constitution comes great responsibility. Not just with the press but with every citizen. Voice your opinion, protest what you think is wrong, petition the government if you have a grievance but do it peaceably. If you disagree with someone have a discussion not an argument. Above all, have an open mind to what others believe.



There will always be things in government that could be made better. There will always be those that have differing opinions and beliefs. That is the main reason for the First Amendment – we have the right to voice our opinions and beliefs and to complain about what the government does. That is what makes America great.