Entry 1: Amendment 1

Free Speech Defended In U.S. v. Stevens, Publishers Applaud Supreme Court April 21, 2010

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/21/free-speech-defended-in-u_n_546271.html

Constitution Connection:

Bill of Rights, Amendment 1, US 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."

Publishing and selling videos of dog fights and other forms of animal cruelty is considered wicked and prohibited. Although some Americans part take in this type of action, many Americans find this degrading. The case of U.S. v. Stevens brought back to the supreme court a prosecution involving the 1st Amendment. The freedom of speech and some what the freedom of press was plead during the rulings of this case, which came into place because of the distribution of illegal dog fighting tapes for profit.

The first amendment gives Americans the right to freedom of speech which in this case is defined as the ability to express ones self to an extent. This article clearly demonstrates the first amendment in the Bill of Rights. Citizens of American do have the right to express their selves, and although this form of expression is corrupt Stevens has the right to publish these videos.

Its hard to think of American life without the 1st amendment. Not being able to have your voice heard and not be apart of anything that the government and country is apart of. There have been many cases were people plead the 1st Amendment and in most cases the government or supreme court can not really do anything about it since people do have the right to freedom of speech. I think some people take advantage of their right to speak freely against national things, and feel that there should be some specifics put into that right and maybe say Americans have the right to speak freely to a certain degree, then list boundaries. I think that would make inccidents like this a little more simpler to deal with.