ipl-logo

The Benefits Of The First Amendment

482 Words2 Pages

Based on the first amendment which 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 to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”. We the citizens of the United States have the freedom to choose and practice our religion, freedom of speech, freedom of press and freedom of petition. Although this amendment seems to be beneficial for the general public it actually does more harm than good. I do not believe that there is in fact a such thing as freedom. Freedom means the power to act, speak or think as one warns without hindrance or restraint. In today’s society we don’t not have freedom because of laws. …show more content…

If one breaks the laws, there are consequences that they face. If there were no laws, then freedom would exist. The general public does not have the right to define freedom because the ruling class owns and defines what freedom is. Freedom is neither tangible nor obtainable because according to B. F. Skinner he stated that “People identify the state of absolute freedom as one in which aversive control is absent: that is, if there is no apparent oppression, then people imagine themselves free”. I agree with Skinner because the general public is nothing more than “Happy Slaves”, we are molded by hidden controls (laws) and don’t even realize it. Therefore, freedom is an illusion. For example, if we wanted to use our freedom of speech toward law enforcement we would face consequences for disrespecting an authority. Although, the first amendment is supposed to protect us, it does not excuse us from hindrance or consequences. The illusion that we have freedom is merely something created by the ruling power because they create and determine what actions the general public are able to do according to the

Show More
Related

  • Early American's Choices Essay

    547 Words  | 3 Pages

    Today’s laws help to protect citizens equally against abuse of power and unjust treatment by the government. Some believe that people in power will always take advantage of others. This is why laws are put in place to protect us. The 13th and 14th Amendments which abolished slavery and gave equal protection of the laws to citizens are prime examples of these laws.

    Read More

  • Explain Why The Government Must Be Protected By The Bill Of Rights Essay

    614 Words  | 3 Pages

    Perhaps the most obvious rights Americans enjoy are acquired from the freedoms of speech, religion, assembly, and press guaranteed in the First Amendment. It is this amendment that gives America its environment of freedom, because if expression were restrained, oppression of the people would soon imitate. As George Washington said, "If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter. " When the people can 't voice their perspectives, tyranny begins. The government cannot take control over my opinions and thoughts.

    Read More

  • 1st Amendment Advantages

    405 Words  | 2 Pages

    The 1st Amendment shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech. The framers believed that it was necessary to have the ability to share ideas to have the government to be able to be a democracy. The amendment was then brought to the Supreme Court. Hugo Black gave his input by saying, “The Framers knew that free speech is the friend of change and revolution. But they also knew that it is always the deadliest enemy of tyranny.”

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of The First Amendment

    1203 Words  | 5 Pages

    The first amendment guarantees five basic freedoms to the American citizens. These freedoms are of speech, press, petition, assembly and religion. As all the amendments, the first amendment is intended for use in situations with the government. The first amendment was written by James Madison and was sent to the states to be ratified on September 25, 1789 along with the twelve proposals for the bill of rights.. Then it was officially adopted on December 15, 1791.

    Read More

  • 1st Amendment Importance

    530 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Importance of the 1st Amendment In 1787 our founding fathers assembled the constitution of the United States of America. Of this which contains the most important document to the American citizen, the Bill of rights. The first Amendment 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” These freedoms granted by the Bill of Rights are often known as freedom of expression. These rights are most important to a truly free society. The first amendment provides us with new ideas and dismisses the fear of punishment

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay: The First Amendments

    985 Words  | 4 Pages

    The first amendment may seem like something that is generally understood among all of those who use it, but this may not be the case. While most citizens of the United States of America would certainly say that they understand and can comprehend what the first amendment means, an underlying lack of knowledge, upon what is presumed to be the most important of all the amendments, can still be discovered. “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 to peaceably assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” The specific piece of the first amendment that is particularly important

    Read More

  • The Importance Of The First Amendment

    1504 Words  | 7 Pages

    The first amendment is very important for United State citizens. Freedom of speech is one of the most important rights. Freedom of speech grants us rights to say what we want without getting in trouble with the law. This law is important because it allows us to express our opinions. Freedom of religion is another right that is very important.

    Read More

  • Advantages And Disadvantages Of Confucianism

    738 Words  | 3 Pages

    The law may sometimes be “inconsiderate” but it keeps us in order. We may sometimes say it is harsh but it is because we are used to be “free” in a way that we do not follow rules and order. These things happen to us because we are not led by a good public official. Even the officials do not follow the law because they think they are an exemption which is not. We cannot remove the law.

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of The 1st Amendment

    337 Words  | 2 Pages

    The 1st amendment is fundamental in a democracy, it gives each individual their opinion about a certain subject and gives the people the "power" to speak out when they find something wrong. For example, they can speak what they find wrong with our Representatives, without the retaliation or censorship of the government.  You might think that you can go down the street and say whatever you like without anybody telling you can't. Hold your horse right there be aware that you can say what you want but there is certain things that the 1st amendment doesn't cover. The Supreme Court has some cases where it decided where the 1st amendment was appropriate and where it wasn't.

    Read More

  • Mccreary Vs Kentucky Case Summary

    471 Words  | 2 Pages

    As religion plays a big part of a politics, not just in the United States, but also in other countries. A chosen religion can severely impact citizens in negative ways. For that, some countries grow and some countries can go into destruction. Having this in mind religious freedom is one of the main reasons people come to America. People move here to be free from the strict domain rule of government and to be able to have the ability to practice any religion they desire and to voice their opinions without persecution.

    Read More

  • Essay On Religious Freedom In America

    1407 Words  | 6 Pages

    There are many views and opinions of the state of the United States on this subject. It has long been a puzzling issue that never seems to seize. America should have religious freedom, because it is a constitutional right to Americans. Prayer in school, gay marriage, and governmental control, are among some of the main issues in this topic.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Justice In The Scarlet Letter

    1646 Words  | 7 Pages

    According to Gloria Steinem, “Law and justice are not always the same”. This quote means that following the law may not always mean justice is being served. Laws are rules and guidelines that are set up to govern behavior. Laws set out standards, procedures

    Read More

  • Machiavelli And Nietzsche's The Qualities Of The Prince

    690 Words  | 3 Pages

    We think that we are free but are we really free? No! We all are ruled by one thing or other either its religion or politicians or Prince. Different Philosophers on their different writings explains their different thoughts and different points. One of the philosophers explains how people’s passions and freedom are ruled by so called practices and is against the morals created by religion and political powers which limits and manipulates human to do what they want to do.

    Read More

  • Definition Essay: What Does Freedom Mean To Me?

    333 Words  | 2 Pages

    In 1787, our founding father’s agreed to write a list of principals for keeping people free. Freedom must be limited. People can not just say they are free. You can not just kill or violate just for freedom. There should be respect for people’s wants and needs.

    Read More

  • Importance Of Law In Our Daily Life

    709 Words  | 3 Pages

    What I will explain to you in this article will, how we are connected with the law and I hope, make you see sense in the importance of our laws in the society we live in. To be against the importance of laws in our society would show one to be ignorant and naïve. I encounter the law on a daily basis when I am driving. I have to follow the speed limit of each road, I have to signal before changing lanes, my vehicle must be in good condition in order to safely drive and I must obey all road signs as they are set in place to ensure the safety of everybody.

    Read More

More about The Benefits Of The First Amendment

Open Document