Preview

The Importance Of The First Amendment

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
620 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Importance Of The First Amendment
The First Amendment of the US Constitution allows for a US citizen to have freedom of speech. This is an inalienable right that allows us to express our ideas and opinions and to communicate with each other. Some people use this amendment to justify something wrong that they did. They think that they can do or say anything that they want without being punished because they’re still following the law. If a person says something to harm or insult someone then there should be a limit placed under the freedom of speech and they should not be protected under the US Court. The First Amendment states that “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 petition the government for a redress of grievances.”(Beattie-Moss) Many people use this …show more content…
There are people that degrade others online by cursing or using language that can hurt the person's feelings. Even though what they are saying is not true, the words make the person feel like they don’t belong. Those people should not be protected under the First Amendment because they are intentionally hurting someone else. A person does not have the right to express themselves if what they're saying has a negative impact on others. For example, if you were in the debate and someone started to curse you out making you feel useless this not something that the first amendment should protect. Another example would be when kids in school use foul language towards the teacher. This is disrespectful and impolite to do to a teacher. This is not considered to be freedom of speech because if a student does this they are punished by being expelled or suspended. The interpretation of freedom of speech is different for everyone and that's why limits should be created on the First

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The First Amendment to the constitution guarantees the right of free expression, assembly and freedom of speech. However, the amendment is not absolute. For example, opinions vary for President Obama. We are protected with the freedom of expression to express those feelings whether it is for or against him. Whereas, soliciting a threat because of a person’s dislike for another party violates the rights to freedom of speech.…

    • 706 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The first amendment of the Constitution provides that "Congress shall make no law . . . prohibiting the free exercise [of religion].” Although expressed in absolute terms, this constitutional guarantee has never been interpreted as creating an absolute shield for every religiously motivated act. This does not mean all conduct bases on religious beliefs is free of governmental control; such behavior: “remains subject to regulation for the protection of society.” Prohibition of activities alleged to be based on religious tenets has been long considered constitutional if such conduct jeopardizes the public health, safety, or morals, or presents a danger to third persons.…

    • 269 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The United States prides itself on the freedoms that are afforded to each of its citizens. Among those freedoms is the first amendment freedom of speech. However, that freedom is often called into question. For instance, the Snyder v. Phelps case. In the Snyder v. Phelps case, Albert Snyder who is the father of Matthew A. Snyder, argues how the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) picketed his son’s funeral asserting offensive statements due to his Albert Snyder’s homosexuality. Moreover, Snyder filed a lawsuit against the WBC “for defamation, intrusion, upon seclusion, infliction of emotional distress and civil conspiracy” (“Snyder v. Phelps” Wikipedia). The speech discussed in the Snyder v. Phelps case deserves the protection of the first amendment.…

    • 1262 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    The First Amendment protects individuals “right to freedom of religion and freedom of expression from government interference” (http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/first_amendment).…

    • 1501 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The First Amendment was adopted on December 15, 1791, as one of the ten amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights. A careful reading of the First Amendment reveals that it protects several basic liberties freedom i.e. religion, speech, press, petition, and assembly. Interpretation of the amendment is far from easy, as court case after court case has tried to define the limits of these freedoms. The prohibition on abridgment of the freedom of speech is not absolute. Certain types of speech may be prohibited outright. Some types of speech may be more easily constrained than others. Furthermore, speech may be more easily regulated depending upon the location at which it takes place. All these rights protect the people of the US they have the right to religion and speech, they right to say whatever they want as long as it’s true without being held accountable for it. Even though speech is protected by the First Amendment not every speech is protected for example obscenity, child pornography, and speech that constitutes so-called “fighting words” or “true threats” are not protected by the amendment. There has always been controversy for defending the free speech rights of groups that spew hate, such as the Ku Klux Klan and the Nazis. But if only popular ideas were protected, we wouldn't need a First Amendment. If we do not come to the defense of the free speech rights of the most unpopular among us, even if their views are antithetical to the very freedom the First Amendment stands for, then no one's liberty will be secure. I can’t say I disagree with anything about these facts, I do agree that one should have freedom of speech everyone should feel free to express themselves by speaking but not everything should be said and that is why not every speech is protected by the amendment.…

    • 940 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    THESIS: The first amendment of the constitution of the United States protects our right to freedom of speech. However, the freedom to speak should not entitle the speaker to purposely hurt another person by revealing private matters or spreading rumors and lies.…

    • 1316 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In today’s society, the first amendment is taken advantage of in many ways. Many people express that they can say whatever they please because they have the Freedom of Speech. They might burn the USA flag, make a racist remark, or some other kind of action, but what they do not realize is that this may hurt people. The First Amendment should be limited so that individuals can speak their mind so long as it does not hurt other people, or violates their rights.…

    • 445 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The First Amendment, Freedom of Speech could probably be considered one of the most powerful amendments of the Constitution. It is very important to distinguish the suitability of Freedom of Speech and its’ position under the First Amendment. The essay “Protecting Freedom of Expression on the Campus” presented by Derek Bok gives an example as to why this should be. In his essay Derek Bok responded to the presentation of the Confederate flag and the swastika by students at Harvard, with the expectation that the readers already have an understanding of what the phrase “freedom of speech” means to them as well as other people universally. “The right to freedom of speech allows individuals to express themselves without interference or constraint by the government. The Supreme Court requires the government to provide substantial justification for the…

    • 1039 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    As American Citizens our freedom of speech is protected by the Constitution’s first Amendment which “guarantees freedoms concerning religion, expression, assembly, and the right to petition…” (Cornell Law 2017), but that doesn’t or shouldn’t give anyone the right to cause harm or violence against another person or group of people if we do not agree or share the same beliefs. The laws were created to protect us, but many people interpret the laws differently and therefore, feel entitled to speak freely even if it causes…

    • 519 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The First Amendment was written into our Constitution because our founding fathers were familiar with government suppression of political speech. Before the American Revolution, England imprisoned, exiled, and killed men and woman who spoke out against the “Crown”. This continued in the very earliest years of colonization of the United States until The Free Speech Clause of the Constitution was drafted to save those who disagreed with these policies, of a similar fate. Our U.S. Constitution gives us more freedom to voice our opinions than most, if not any other country. There are however some areas which is not equal under the amendment, they are as follows: Speech that incites illegal activity, subversive, fighting words, obscenity, pornography, commercial speech and symbolic expression.…

    • 778 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Texas V Johnson

    • 760 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The first amendment grants the citizens of the United States the right to speak freely, without legal persecution. Over the past 200 years since this amendment was enacted there have been hundreds of judicial cases devoted to interpreting and refining this law. One such case, reviewed by the United States ' supreme court in 1988, was Texas v Johnson. The case involved Johnson 's conviction of desecrating a venerated object (a Texas Statute) by burning a U.S. flag (Texas V Johnson(1989)). The importance of this case rests not only in the legality of flag burning, but also in the definition of speech. This was the primary concern of the supreme court when reviewing Texas v Johnson. Does the first amendment only pertain to spoken and written words, or can it be construed to protect other forms of expression?…

    • 760 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    While we fight to maintain our nation’s freedoms, sometimes it seems as though the First Amendment causes great harm within the country itself. Too many people hide behind the veil of claiming “Freedom of Speech”…

    • 1161 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The First Amendment is also the most important to the maintenance of a democratic government. It states that “Guarantees freedom of religion, speech, and press right to assemble peacefully; and the right to petition the government.” We know that America’s society today is maintained by freedom, equality, justice, and the rule of law. Freedom of religion is also an important reason why many immigrants yearn for the United States. Here, no matter what ethnic group you belong to, regardless of your religious beliefs, you can enjoy the protected power.…

    • 1971 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The first and inarguably the most significant of the amendments to our Constitution is the First Amendment. The amendment that established our freedoms as citizens of our new confederation. The 1st Amendment insured, among other things, freedom of speech and of the press. The freedoms here are sometimes overlooked, and disrespected. The freedom of speech is shorted when it takes away from other rights that each citizen is already guaranteed, like for an example the right to privacy.…

    • 556 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    There is a saying out there that goes something along the lines of, “when governments fear the people, there is liberty. And when the people fear the government, there is tyranny”. That is exactly why our Constitution was created back in 1787, and is still enforced to this very day. Inside the texts of the Constitution, lies fundamental principles that govern this nation, and protect the people from an overpowered government, such as the Amendments. There are twenty-one amendments, the first ten being adopted and ratified, into what we know as the Bill of Rights.…

    • 688 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays