The First and Second Amendments

Paper Summary:

This paper analyzes how, in the U.S.A. today, both of these amendments have come under attack and it describes the numerous social and political controversies surrounding them. The First Amendment declares that the government cannot encourage the belief or practice of any religion, while the Second Amendment says that the American public cannot be restrained from owning firearms. The writer continues by addressing the problems many have with this constitution. The writer concludes that these amendments will remain but will continue to engender controversy.

From the Paper:

"The freedom of speech and of the press have also come under attack. The amendment mentions "free exercise" of the right to say what one wishes or print what one wishes; however, if a person was to publicly endorse the assassination of the President, that person would be quickly arrested and most likely thrown in jail, an act that stands in deep conflict with the idea of "free exercise."
Regarding the freedom of the press, the best example occurred in June of 1971 when the Supreme Court had to decide the landmark case in which President Nixon and the Justice Department tried to prevent the publication of the Pentagon Papers. The newspapers involved in the case then took their concerns to the Supreme Court and on June 30, 1971, voted in favor of the newspaper's rights to publish the Pentagon Papers. Of course, certain individuals, especially those in the Justice Department, thought that the publishing of these papers would affect national security. Either way, the 1st Amendment makes it crystal clear that the press has the right to publish anything it desires."

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