Don’t Know Much About Liberty
American Are Clueless When It Comes to the First Amendment
When it comes to the First Amendment, most Americans don’t know their rights from their wrongs!
Only one in 1,000 Americans can list all five freedoms protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, according to a recent survey. (Just in case you’re one of those 999 people who can’t, the rights are freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom to petition.)
One in seven people could name one of the five First Amendment freedoms, and one in five people could name two, according to the McCormickTribuneFreedomMuseum in Chicago, which sponsored the survey.
Although Americans failed the First Amendment pop quiz, they passed the Bart Simpson section of the survey with flying colors. More than half of the respondents could name at least two of the main characters of the Simpsons. Twenty-two percent could name all five.
Those findings made Gene Policinski, executive director of the FirstAmendmentCenter, want to eat his shorts (as Bart Simpson would say). “These are such basic freedoms, and they’re in our lives every day,” he told Senior Edition. “All we have to do is look around.”
No matter how old you are or what state you live in, you exercise First Amendment freedoms every day, Polcinski says. When you turn on the television, you can choose the show you want to watch. If you disagree with a law, you can write a letter to your state representative. If you don’t like something the government is doing, you can say so without getting in trouble,
That’s exactly what the nation’s founders hoped to achieve when they ratified, or approved, the Bill of Rights in 1791. The Bill of Rights is the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. The founders wanted Americans to have control over their daily lives and a say in how the government is run.
Here’s why the founders included each freedom:
- Freedom of religion
The Colonists came to America in search of religious freedom. They wanted to worship without fear of punishment. The nation’s founders included this clause to make sure Congress could neither establish a national religion nor stop people from practicing their chosen religion.
- Freedom of speech
The Colonists’ rocky relationship with Great Britain made them determined to prevent their new government from abusing its power. This clause ensures that the government can’t stop people from saying almost anything they want to say – even if it’s unpopular or critical of the president.
- Freedom of the press
The nation’s founders feared that if the government controlled the nation’s newspapers, it could violate the Constitution without anyone finding out. This clause allows U.S. newspapers, magazines, and other media to report on whatever they want, as long as they don’t print false information or invade people’s privacy.
- Freedom of assembly
Majority may rule in the United States, but the nation’s founders wanted to make sure minority voices were still heard. This clause gives Americans the right to protest or parade publicly in support of any cause – no matter how controversial – as long as they do it peacefully.
- Freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances
The Colonists started the American Revolution (1775-1783) because they had little voice in Great Britain’s government. This clause requires that the government listen to what citizens have to say, whether it be through letter writing or lawsuits.