The Choice: The Five Fundamental Freedoms of the First Amendment MUST be protected!
The Trump administration is trying to deny us these freedoms. We will NOT allow that!
Issue #875 The Choice, Friday, June 20, 2025
Introduction
The United States Constitution is the law of this land, not the Bible or any other religious book. This has been true since 1787.
We have seen that Trump has no idea what the 1776 Declaration of Independence was all about, which is declaring independence from a king. Here, Terry Moran, before he was unceremoniously fired from ABC, shows the shock on his face as he listens to the #ConvictedFelon explain what he thinks the Declaration of Independence is about. Terry Moran is now on Substack.
Trump also does not know that “Les Misérables,” one of the most popular Broadway musicals in history, which he recently attended at the Kennedy Center, has an anti-monarchy theme as one of its central themes. It is telling that the recent “No Kings” protests, involving approximately 13 million people worldwide marching against Trump and his policies, ironically relate to one of the songs in Les Misérables, "Do You Hear the People Sing?"
We all know that Trump and his administration openly ignore the Constitution and its amendments, an impeachable offense for all involved, who swore to uphold the Constitution when they came into office.
Among other things, the main parts of the Constitution outline and define the three co-equal branches of our government, the legislative, the executive, and the judicial, which are designed to act as checks and balances for each other. The executive branch is not supposed to have or implement all of the power of the government.
Also, as those of us who actually paid attention in Civics class know, almost as soon as the Constitution was ratified, the Founders realized that they left a lot of things out, so they almost immediately started adding more rights through amendments. Currently, there are twenty-seven amendments to the Constitution.
As a refresher for some and a learning experience for others, I will discuss each of the amendments in order over the next twenty-seven weeks, for the remainder of 2025. This will include our choices for ensuring that the MAGA and Trump administrations uphold these amendments.
The First Amendment
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is a cornerstone of American democracy, enshrining key freedoms that are fundamental to the functioning of a free society.
All authoritarians and wanna-be dictators like Trump, first and foremost, attempt to rob the people of these key freedoms. We the People must demand that each of the three co-equal branches of government uphold these fundamental rights.
Ratified on December 15, 1791, as part of 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."
The First Amendment encompasses five core freedoms: religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. Each of these plays a critical role in ensuring the liberty and rights of individuals in the United States (emphasis is mine):
Freedom of Religion: This includes two distinct clauses—the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause. The Establishment Clause prevents the government from establishing an official religion or unduly favoring one religion over another, while the Free Exercise Clause ensures that individuals can practice their religion freely, without government interference.
Freedom of Speech: This allows individuals to express themselves without government restraint. It covers not just spoken words but also written communication, symbolic speech (like protests and demonstrations), and other forms of expression. However, this freedom is not absolute and does not protect speech that incites violence, constitutes hate speech, or includes obscenity, among other limitations.
Freedom of the Press: This ensures that the press can operate independently and disseminate information and opinions without government censorship or punishment. A free press is vital for transparency and accountability, allowing the public to be informed about governmental actions and other critical issues.
Freedom of Assembly: This right allows individuals to gather publicly or privately, for peaceful purposes. It is often exercised in the form of protests, marches, and public meetings, playing a crucial role in advocating for social and political change.
Right to Petition: This grants people the ability to make their grievances or requests known to the government, whether through lobbying, letter-writing, or other forms of communication. It is a way for citizens to express their concerns and seek remedies from the government.
Recent political contexts, such as protests, debates over media bias, and discussions about the role of social media in public discourse, frequently invoke the First Amendment.
As we are observing in real time, Trump and his administration are repeatedly defying the freedoms enshrined in the First Amendment.
It is our Choice to remind them of OUR FREEDOMS and demand that they and the Congress and the Courts ensure that the administration cannot and will not keep us from benefiting from the Five Fundamental Freedoms guaranteed to us by the Constitution they swore to uphold.
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