Freedom of Speech: The First Amendment

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When the Constitution of the United States was ratified it mainly addressed the structure of the government with very few liberties for the individual. However, the states demanded a bill of rights that addressed the rights of the individuals as well. As a result, the Constitution began to adapt and change by adding amendments. Today the Bill of Rights still continues to change based on the will of the people and the judgment of the U.S. Supreme Court however, the core principles that our country was founded on has remained the same. There are currently 27 amendments to the Constitution of the United States all of which address the structure of the federal government, its functions, the powers of the states, and the liberty of all citizens. Among those amendments are: the freedom to petition and assemble, freedom of religion, the right to bear arms, the right of freedom of speech, and many more. The first amendment to the Bill of Rights is the right to freedom of speech and press which “protects individual expression by guaranteeing the freedom of speech. The Supreme Court has broadly interpreted “speech” to include Internet communication, art, music, clothing, and even “symbolic speech,” such as flag burning. Freedom of the press generally allows for newspapers, radio, television, and now many online sources to publish articles and express opinions representing the public dialogue without interference or constraint by the government” (Know Your Rights, 2). Today, we are in danger of losing some of our constitutional rights due to government censorship. There are special interest groups that are fighting to change our right to freely represent ourselves and our right to freedom of speech. We must protect our constitutional rights ...

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