Know Your Rights or Lose Them
Do you know your five freedoms? The First Amendment Center makes a “State of the First Amendment” survey every year in time for Constitution Day.
Happy Constitution Day!
In 2010, 33% of respondents could not name any of the freedoms in the First Amendment. Here it is:
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.
Thankfully, only 17% believe that the Constitution goes too far in the rights it guarantees. You might be interested that in 2002—a year in which many of our freedoms were limited because of fear—an incredible 49% believed the Constitution goes too far in the rights it guarantees. (It generally hovers between 10% and 19%.)
Freedom of Religion
Every year the First Amendment Center surveys the knowledge of our freedoms, and then explores one freedom in depth. Religion was the hot topic this year, but only 23% of respondents could name this right. 66% of U.S. citizens believe the Constitution clearly separates church and state, but
53% mistakenly believe that the Constitution somehow ‘establishes a Christian nation.’
No. No, no, no. It does not. The establishment of a national and federal religion is specifically prohibited.
28% say that freedom of religion does not apply to extreme or fringe groups. Gene Policinski expressed well-founded concern:
“Americans clearly defend individual expression of religious views, but fewer are willing to extend the First Amendment’s protection to faiths that they see as far removed from their own,” said Gene Policinski, vice president of the First Amendment Center. “I’m troubled that nearly three in 10 people in a nation founded in part by ancestors who fled countries where their faiths at the time were viewed as ‘fringe or extreme’ are not willing to defend religious liberty for other faiths in similar circumstances today.”
Freedom of the Press
18% could name this freedom in 2010, which is more than any year since 2010. The First Amendment Center surveyed this freedom specifically in 2009 in the 2009 State of the First Amendment. (News release here: more easily digested.)
Freedom of Speech
Thankfully, 61% could name this freedom in 2010. It is always the most easily named freedom.
Right to Assembly
Only 14% could name the right to assembly and association. If you remember the Republican National Convention in 2008, you might remember a video of a large group peaceably sitting in a public park all being arrested. Not only did the protestors not know their rights, but it seems the cops didn’t either.
Right to Petition
Every year, the right to petition the government is the least known right granted. This year it was at its highest: 6%. Ironically, it is highly likely that the Revolutionary War would not have happened if this right had been granted to the colonists: they were repeatedly ignored by King George when they petitioned him with their grievances.
So how many could you name without looking? Do you celebrate Constitution Day? Will you take a moment today to be grateful for our First Amendment rights?
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Natasha Fondren is a writer traveling the U.S. in a camper with her four cats. She is currently enjoying the lizards and desert heat in Arizona.
Last Fall semester I did a paper on the First Amendment, so I can honestly say that I knew the five freedoms. But prior to that paper, I’d probably have stalled after naming two.
In any event, the First Amendment is probably the most challenged and the most misunderstood, especially when it comes to separation of church and state. You’re correct that it doesn’t establish a Christian nation. BUT, I think the sticking point in that regard is in the words appearing on the American dollars and cents, as well as the changes made to the Pledge of Allegiance back in the 50′s thanks to Sen. Joe McCarthy. I believe that’s where confusion begins and ends. (I feel “In God We Trust” should be removed from every dollar and cent, but that’s an issue for another paper, lol.)
Bottom line, people need to understand the history behind the Constitution in order to understand each amendment. Unfortunately we’re living in a predominately ignorant society, which certainly isn’t bliss, just a disaster.
Amen, Kath. I’m all for separation of church and state, as well as church and school. I get real annoyed that every time our RV Resort gets together, they say a Christian prayer with no acknowledgment that there are people who are of a different religion. But they’re not public, so they can do that.
I guess.
Prayer in private is acceptable, but if the RV park receives some sort of federal funding, it might be debatable.
The First Amendment Center’s VP wrote a really great article regarding prayer at public schools (that if federally funded prayer is a no-no). I’ll look for the link and send it to you off line (it was part of my research).
I could probably name most all of them if given a bit of time to think about it. If put on the spot I might not be able to.
Charles, I couldn’t, not until I read their report a few years back and was appalled I couldn’t. Since then, I quiz myself regularly, LOL. (Seriously.)
I think what many people don’t grasp is that these rights are protected even against the wishes of the majority, which, of course, is why they are “rights.” But as the teabaggers say (in effect) Rights? We don’t need no steenking rights!
YES. Exactly, Eric!
I named two in my mind as I was reading your blog — religion and speech — then got to the paragraph naming the rights before I got further. Very interesting.
Speech and press are so closely related, that sometimes I put them together in my mind as one. One year I discovered I didn’t know them, and since then it’s been a bit of an obsession or passion of mine.
Right now in NYC there’s that mess about the Mosk (sp?-how do you spell that?) being built two blocks from where the twin towers went down. It’s all about freedom of religion. The oponents say its too close to ground zero. But if we are truly a country with religious freedom….
Great post Spy! And one we need to remember.
It’s “mosque.”
I agree with you, Aimless. Definitely! Besides, did you see the other things in the same radius? A strip club, a gambling joint, a Burger King… it’s not sacred ground. People are just looking for something to be against.
[...] Happy Constitution Day! Of all the days celebrating our nation, Constitution Day has always been my favorite. I always celebrate it by celebrating the First Amendment, and almost every year, I ask, Can You Name Your Five Freedoms?. [...]