Hassan Abdallah
Professor Denis Daniels
Composition 106
11 February 2013
First Amendment Many people reflect their First Amendment rights, being one of the most important amendments. The First Amendment is very broad and confuses many Americans about how it applies and when it doesn’t. Detailed exploration through discussion and reading essays on the First Amendment increases one’s understanding of how the First Amendment works along with real-life experiences. The clause on freedom of religion in the First Amendment is probably the most difficult to try to understand. The U.S, being one of the most diverse countries in the world, has a wide variety of religions among its people. This makes it difficult to deny a person the right to a religious practice. For example, the Wilde essay about the pledge of allegiance made a good connection to the topic about religion. Many people have been outraged since the word “God” was added into it and they did not agree to say the Pledge of Alleginace at any events. It was wrong because not everyone has similar views when it comes to the word “God.” Some people believe in God, some people believe in more than one God and some people just do not even believe in a God. Wilde quotes “the words under God is inappropriate, and they are needlessly divisive—an odd addition indeed to a Nation that is said to be indivisible”(Wilde 51). She completely disagrees with the word being added and many others do as well. Personally, I would have to say the statement “under God” should have never been added in or just early omitted. When I was in elementary school I always felt uncomfortable saying the pledge because my parents were both Muslim, and they both felt the pledge was something said by people who practiced Christianity.
Another situation where religion played a role in a case was when a woman did not want to take a picture to go on her I.D due to religious reasons. As a Muslim, she did not want to show her face in the picture because she had a scarf covering it. In her religion their practice should never be broken and revealing yourself to others is against the religion. She took this case to the Supreme Court hoping to win and see that the U.S would make an exception in her case due to the information she provided the court. Long days of providing intense amounts of information trying to sway the court came to an end, and decision was still no. Truly, it’s sad to see someone work so hard for what they believe in and get shot down at the end of the day. What makes it even worst is the fact that a situation like this happened before, but that person won in court and did not have to take a picture that went on their I.D. So situations like these should be looked at a lot more attentively so that people may be treated equally and not have to worry about others feeling unfairly treated.
The most important freedom of the First Amendment would by far be the freedom of speech. Initially, it would most important due to being brought up the most in a lot of cases. For example, Derek Bok wrote about these two students who put a Confederate Flag in public view on their campus so other students may see. A student who saw this decided to protest the flag by displaying a swastika. Bok quoted “I share this view and regret that the students involved saw fit to behave in this fashion”(Bok 66). Bok really did not agree with these students by any means clearly. “The display of swastikas or Confederate flags clearly falls within the protection of the freedom speech clause of the First Amendment and cannot be forbidden simply because it offends the feelings of many members of the community. These rulings apply to all agencies of government, including public universities,”(Bok 67) said Bok when under the Supreme Court’s rulings. Practically, it was okay for these students to do what they did. The law cannot disclaim against them because they hurt the feelings of others. To me this was completely out of
research under politics was the first amendment. This topic interested me because although the first amendment is essential to our constitution not a lot of us know the first amendment, myself included. There are many reasons why the general public might now really know the first amendment, I for one believe it has to do with the fact that the rights given to us by the first amendment are wildly accepted and understood. We believe the freedoms granted to us by the first amendment are essential and as human…
The First Amendment Freedom is being breached all over the U.S and most of it is being taken away from the press. Sure the Patriot Act is killing everyone's privacy in secrecy all over the US, but journalists and reporters are being put in jail right and left. The government has infringed on their rights in a way that should not be with the first amendment. It seems like the more people let the government do, the more steps the government takes to take first amendment rights from people. For…
The First Amendment’s Right of Religion The First Amendment to the United States Constitution states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” (Janda 458). The Establishment Clause prohibits laws establishing religion and the FreeExercise Clause prevents the government from interfering with the exercise of religion (458). The Supreme Court cases Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971) and Employment Division V. Smith (1989) are two cases that are based on the…
as though they are not being violated when they really are. The First Amendment (I) of the United States of America’s Bill of Rights: “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.” In all this Amendment gives the U.S. people the right to to not have religion forced upon…
The First Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the right of free speech and freedom of the press among other things. In general, this is a relatively simple proposition, but it does become complicated when rights of one person conflict with the rights of another person. It is my position that even if the rights of privacy of some people are hindered, freedom of speech and the press must be maintained. Freedom of the press, and dissemination of information, is not particularly different…
The First Amendment Becker, P. J., Byers, B., & Jipson, A. (2000). The contentious american debate: The first amendment and internet-based hate speech. International Review of Law, Computers & Technology, 14(1), 33-41. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/213408025?accountid=34899 In this essay it discussed the debate over what constituted hate speech and whether or not such speech is protected by the American First Amendment. The article…
The First Ten Amendment The first amendment, which addresses the freedom of speech, press, religion, and petition, is vital for an individual’s development for self-expression. Freedom of speech allows you to say whatever you want, to whomever you want to without getting in trouble. However, there are certain things you are not to say. For example, some things that might hurt someone or things that are suppose to be confidential for example government secrets. Freedom of press allows people to…
Due to years of ambiguity, the First Amendment has become the most scrutinized and analyzed part of the original Bill of Rights. When evaluating the "freedom of speech" clause and the many ways to appraise individual decisions, judgments are often based on previous cases of the same nature, categorically or otherwise. Three distinctly different situations surrounding Jill Smith, all pertain to freedom of speech, each having their own very specific details. These specific details are the reason Judges…
Hate Groups in the United States and First Amendment Rights The First Amendment of the United States Constitution was written to protect the right of freedom of religion and freedom of expression from government interference. Freedom of expression consists of the freedom of speech, press and assembly, the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances, and the implied rights of association and belief ( First Amendment). The First Amendment prevents Congress from making any l…
Espionage Act saying in times of war speech and expression was less protected. The case was appealed to the Supreme Court, with the Socialists asserting that they had been denied their First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and press. Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote courts opinion and rejected the First Amendment argument, creating what is called the clear and present danger test. Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes considered this to be latent with the prospect of immediate danger, threat and harm…