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The First Amendment

Decent Essays

The First Amendment of the United States Constitution states, "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." (Amendment I, U.S. Constitution). It is likely the most notorious Amendment out of the entire Constitution; however is it still relevant in today's world? The simple answer is yes-- it is just as applicable and needed as any other Amendment within the Constitution. Without it, religious minorities could be persecuted, protesters could be silenced, the press could not criticize government, and citizens could not …show more content…

Freedom of religion supports the right of a person or group to practice their religion in public or private. This is important because nobody should be told how to practice his/her religion or what religion to follow. We are all different, and we all see religion differently and are entitled to make our own choices pertaining to it. Freedom of speech is the right to communicate one's ideas. There are some limits to this, though, which are acceptable and just (i.e. obscenity and incitement to commit a crime). Freedom of speech is the right I value the most. It lets me state my professional and opinion without having to face consequences based on it. I am as entitled to my opinion as anyone else is and that is acceptable within society. In addition, so many different circulating opinions exist in the U.S., which makes for a diverse and strong-minded country. Freedom of the press is the right to convey ideas through writing and other forms of expression. We can get our point across through many different ways and the truth is readily available. We are able to form our own opinions and have choices as compared to a centralized source that just lets us hear what they want us too (i.e. a totalitarian form of government). Not only does the First Amendment of the Constitution represent the values the Founders hoped America to achieve, but it also allows us to be ourselves and form a strong, informed public and

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