UNDERSTANDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT (SEEMS LIKE HARDLY ANYONE DOES)

The First Amendment is a shield, not a sword. It protects only against the government suppressing free speech. It does not include the right to commit criminal acts or violate the rights of others.

The U.S. Constitution, a document everyone talks about, but few have actually read and studied. (Image courtesy Getty Images.)

These days, we’re hearing a lot of talk about the First Amendment, particularly where it impacts free speech or the right to protest.

Sadly, hardly anyone these days has any idea what the First Amendment actually says, or what it means. Look at it, section by section, and you’ll learn what it really says and means.

The First Amendment guarantees that all Americans shall have freedom of religion (or non-religion) and the government can neither recognize an official or state religion, nor deny people the freedom to worship as they please. That’s not really the issue on campuses, aside from the protesters preventing Jewish students from meeting or practicing their religion on campus, unmolested.

The First Amendment also prohibits government from passing laws prohibiting free speech or freedom of the press. This this applies only to governments, federal, state, or local. Purely private entities can indeed regulate speech and assembly, so long as it…