First Amendment Right Abuse?

Question

Well, it is time for me to write a debatable college thesis paper. I am searching for articles and opinions that may be useful for my research.
My topic is: "How far can we stretch our first amendment rights?"
I believe most, if not all US citizens, have an opinion on this matter. Remember that this is a debate paper and my personal opinions are not going to be in it at all. If you have an opinion or you have an online newspaper article, please post it here. Thankyou!

Right now I want to focus on the bigger picture, until I can narrow it down to a specific topic. My topic does have to be pretty broad though, it will take me nearly a year to complete. ^_^
By stretch, I mean abuse. How many people use these rights to their advantage, in situations where they probably should not have gotten away with it?

Answer 1

The first point to debate is in the definition of terms. What do you mean by stretch?
There is a long series of cases on free speach indicating that we cannot speak inflamatory words, words that would incite violence or panic. We cannot speak things that would harm the reputation of another. We cannot openly lie when that lie hurts another persons interests.
Religion is a source of big debate. Most people will agree that we can believe whatever we want as long as those beliefs don't infringe upon the rights of others. That has been the subject of judicial activism for many years. Religious persecution has come in the guise of legislative and judicial activism.
Freedom of assembly has been curtailed from time to time when deemed necessary to maintain public order. Thus, we have curfews, and no loitering laws and felons not being allowed to associate with other felons. Foreign individuals have been forced into camps and not allowed to convene when there was fear of internal collusion against the government. Most of that was unfounded and a judicial abuse of rights.
I believe that those rights should be held inviolate unless an actual harm can be shown as a direct result of the activity in question.

Answer 2

That is a whopper.

O.K., let's start from the beginning.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment 1.
"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 ro the right of the people peaceable to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

I am positive that the framers of the Constitution meant that as long and as the religion was Christian in nature. IE: Methodist, Baptist, Pentacostal, 7th, Day Advent, Jehovah Witness, etc.etc., not Budda, Hindu, Islam, Satanist, etc.
I am sure the framers knew what they were doing when one of the Ten Commandments stated, " Thou shalt worship no other god before me." They knew Jesus was the son of the Living God, Jehovah. That is why they wrote when signing the Constitution, "done in Convention by the Unamimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven. They knew the Lord was Jesus who became the Christ. Even Congress pays a church pastor to pray at the commencement of a congressional session. Now they make a mockery of it by taking prayer out of schools. We as children used to cite the Pledge of Allegance using God in the pledge. Now students cannot do so. God is not to be uttered in schools now. The Bill of Rights was retified effective Dec. 15, 1791. Now look at them. Who do we thank for that? Ans. Congress.

Freedom of speech:
You have the freedom of speech as long as what you say is not libileous, or slanderous. You might think that throwing the U.S. flag on the ground and burning and pissing on it is a freedom of speech, but don't blame someone for tearing off your head and shitting down the hole in your neck because he is exercising his freedom of speech too. Desecration of the flag is not a freedom of speech.

Freedom of press:
You can put anything in the papers, on radio, or t.v. It is up to the people if they want to believe it or not. It is a wonderful thing about this country when you can talk about overthrowing the Presidency and get away with it. In what other country can you do that ?

Petition the Government for a redress of grievances:
Anyone can do that. All you need to know is how to do it. You the writer are the sponser. You need at least two witnesses, more is better.

The most important thing is to learn the Constitution. Know your rights then fight for your rights, the right way. Not the left way. In my humble opinion, the first amendment has been stretched way too far now.

Answer 3

You first need to decide which part of the first amendment you want to talk about.

Speech? -Is Hate Speech protected? Should the KKK be allowed to give marches and speeches?

Press? -Should a reporter go to jail if they don't give up their source? What if their source was a criminal? Or the crime was still in progress?

Religion? Should there be, or is there a separation of church and state? Should kids HAVE to pray in schools? Should they be ALLOWED to if they wish? Should the senate pray before each meeting?

Answer 4

forget something as broad as the 1st amendment. Narrow the focus to one area, preferably to one that has limited attention, like assembly or petition.

Should be fun.

As far as stretch them, as far as we can.

Answer 5

as a liberal i believe we havent stretched them enough. i think that we should include giving away secrets to enemy govts, and things once thought to be treason.

that is the only way to bring down this horrible country.

as a liberal democrat, that is what i beleive.