First Amendment protects rights of all Americans

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.

-First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

In the past, I have talked about the Second and Fourth Amendments, had deputies read them and had training on why it is so important those amendments to the Constitution are upheld. The next constitutional amendment deputies will receive training on is the First Amendment. The First Amendment is what gives us the right to speak our mind, to say what we want to say without fear of retaliation and to practice our religion without fear from the government. It is also what gives us freedom of the press, and you the freedom to be reading this.

When the Founding Fathers of our nation put their signatures on a declaration to send back to a king that was not giving them the freedoms we enjoy today, they were putting their lives on the line because they knew that such freedoms were worth dying for. Many times, people use the very freedoms the Constitution provides for them to speak out against the Constitution and what it stands for, what it means and what it protects.

James Madison, who served as America's fourth president, and is known as the "Father of the Bill of Rights" said, "Every man who loves peace, every man who loves his country, every man who loves liberty ought to have it ever before his eyes that he may cherish in his heart a due attachment to the Union of America and be able to set a due value on the means of preserving it."

It was not long after taking office that I received a phone call from someone who did not like what some protesters on the side of the street were saying. They wanted them arrested or forced to move on. I tried to explain to the person that I was not going to make them do anything because they were not breaking any laws and were protesting in a "peaceable" way.

He said he understood that I was trying to be fair, but wanted to tell me what they were saying in the hopes to change my mind. If I had completely disagreed with what the protesters were saying, would I have been right to interfere?

The Constitution does not say it only applies to certain religious organizations or political parties. Rather, upholding it for all, equally, is what makes the Constitution strong, even if we do not agree with what someone is saying.

The freedom of speech, the freedom to peaceably assemble, and yes, even the freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances, is protected by our constitution and must be upheld.