Reflections on the First Amendment

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Reflections on the First Amendment Darlene Taylor HIS/301 August 22, 2012 Dr. Richard Ansson Reflections on the First Amendment The First Amendment of the United States Constitution contains a number of rights and provisions for American citizens. These rights are: “Freedom of religion; freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and the right to petition the government” (The First Amendment, n.d., para. 1). This paper will discuss two significant cases related to three of the provisions of the First Amendment. Information will also be given on the extent of protection the Constitution provides for the right of privacy. Finally, an explanation of why each case had to be heard and interpreted by the Supreme Court will be provided, as well as how the Court’s decision on each case affected the rights of American citizens today. Several provisions are in place which affects our civil rights. The primary responsibility of justice system is to ensure that those in authority maintain the people’s rights. “No right is absolute” (Patterson, 2009, p. 86). Two rights included in the First Amendment that are heard in courts most often are freedom of expression and freedom of religion. Freedom of expression in the First Amendment pertains to the freedom of conscience, speech, press, assembly, and petition. Freedom of religion is defined by Your Dictionary as “The right, guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, to choose religious practices or to abstain from any without government intervention.” (Freedom of Religion, 2010, para. 1). Freedom of expression is a key element of democratic rights and freedoms. It gives American citizens the right to communicate their views. According to the Supreme Court, the freedom of expression is “the matrix, the indispensable condition of nearly every other
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