Within the first amendment are five freedoms considered the very basis for running a democratic government: Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly and Petition.

While Americans are guaranteed the freedom to follow the tenants of any religion the government is also restrained from forming or imposing any religion upon the people.

Freedom of speech is more than just opening your mouth and stating your beliefs. It has evolved to mean freedom to give money to a political cause or to do virtually any action to advertise your opinions, like wearing a political hat. All that’s fine as long as you are not promoting violence, obscenity or defamation. It is the court’s duty to define those categories.

The freedom of the press has to do with being able to write about your beliefs without government interference. But you may be restricted if the court decides that your writing involves, “obscenity, child pornography, defamatory words, false advertising, true threats and fighting words”. Stay away from those and your news story or political pamphlet are good to go.

The peoples’ right to peacefully protest or gather in groups to discuss just about anything are guaranteed by the freedom of assembly. In a way it is the extension of the freedom of speech to more than one person at a time while on public property.

The freedom of petition means that any American can complain to the government about a perceived error in the law being applied to them and ask for a review. The catch, or fine print, is that the government does not have to respond to your grievance.

The big caveat to understanding the power of the First Amendment is that it applies to the citizen’s right in respect to dealing with the government only. Dealing with your employer may have a very different outcome.

Sources:
Cornell.edu
Amercanacorner.com
The Bill of Rights Primer by Les Adams and Akhil Reed Amar 

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