First Amendment Under Attack

"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 to the U.S. Constitution

According to a recent poll by the First Amendment Center, 65% of Americnas believe the founders of our country intended the U.S. to be a Christian Nation, and a majority (55%) believe that the U.S. Constitution established a "Christian Nation". If they read the U.S. Constitution they would know that it is a secular document that does not even mention God or Christianity! If they read the FIRST AMENDMENT they would know that it prohibits "an establishment of religion."

More disturbing than the mistaken assumption of special status for one religion is a broader pattern evident in this poll, taken by the respected First Amendment Center. The poll shows widespread ignorance of basic freedoms and a belief that many of the Constitution's rights apply only to some Americans, not to all:

* 98% said the right to speak freely about whatever you want is essential or important. But 39% would muzzle public statements that might be offensive to religious groups, 42% would bar musicians from singing songs others might find offensive, 56% would outlaw public statements that might be offensive to racial groups, and 74% would prohibit public school students from wearing a T-shirt that others might find offensive.

* 97% said the right to practice the religion of your choice is essential or important, but only 56% said freedom of religion applies to all religious groups.

* 93% said the right to be informed by a free press is essential or important. But 37% would not allow newspapers to freely criticize U.S. military strategy or performance.

After 9/11, the American people seem to have forgotten what, if anything, they learned in high school civics class, if they still teach such a thing in schools. Over the past six years we have seen more and more government and media censorship, especially of anything that is too critical of the government or the military. The Busheviks do not allow anyone critical of Bush to attend a Bush event, the Republican and Democratic Parties restrict protests at their conventions, the media censors anti-war speech... The right to speak or protest has been sharply curtailed, and if you speak too much you might feel the sting of a taser gun!