1st amendment

I was asked to respond to some questions about the 1st amendment to the Constitution.

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.

Which freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment is most important to you and why? They're all crucial, but in the present climate in which the President himself is a fount of falsehood and a declared enemy of journalists, a free and unfettered press is especially so.

Are there any particular freedoms that that you feel are most important to American Society? See above

Do you think the First Amendment gives us too much freedom? If yes, how? If no, how? No. It does not "give" us freedom, it acknowledges our freedom and is supposed to insure it.

How many Americans do you think know what the First Amendment says? Sadly, too few.

What percent of Americans do you think can name all five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment? Less than 20%

Why do you think many Americans don’t know all 5 freedoms? American popular culture is a source of constant distraction, and too many Americans would rather be amused and entertained than make the effort to be informed and engaged in public life.

Do you think that students should learn more about the 5 freedoms? Why is it important for them to know their rights? Yes! Their rights, and democracy itself, are under assault and will be continuously eroded if young people are indifferent to the perfidy now infesting our government.

In what ways do you use the First Amendment in your class or everyday life? Philosophy cannot be done in the absence of free expression and reliable sources of credible information. We "use" the 1st amendment by expressing our conflicting points of view and discussing them honestly. That's not yet against the law. 

What are your thoughts on freedom of the press in regards to “fake news?” "Fake news" can only proliferate in the context of a declining commitment to professional, credible journalism. When the POTUS attacks the institution of journalism and declares good and honest journalists "enemies of the people," lies abound.

We are planning a campaign to increase MTSU students’ awareness of the First Amendment and its five freedoms. Do you have any ideas on how we can make the First Amendment more interesting? It is simply ridiculous that students should have to be persuaded that their most basic freedoms are "interesting." Perhaps it would help if students were better informed and educated as to the miserable quality of life in societies where such freedoms are not recognized or valued. Perhaps MTSU shoud sponsor public lectures by people who've suffered at first hand from the denial of their basic rights, and students should be instructed to attend and be prepared to be tested on what was said. And, it would help if teachers talked more, and more explicitly, in their classrooms about the dire consequences of public apathy.