1st amendment

"A timely, revelatory look at freedom of speech-our most basic right and the one that protects all the others. Free speech is a human right, and the free expression of thought is at the very essence of being human. The United States was founded on this premise, and the First Amendment remains the single greatest constitutional commitment to the right of free expression in history. Yet there is a systemic effort to bar opposing viewpoints on subjects ranging from racial discrimination to police abuse, from climate change to gender equity. These measures are reinforced by the public's anger and rage; flash mobs appear today with the slightest provocation. We all lash out against anyone or anything that stands against our preferred certainty. The Indispensable Right places the current attacks on free speech in their proper historical, legal, and political context. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights were not only written for times like these, but in a time like this. This country was born in an age of rage and for 250 years we have periodically lost sight of the value of free expression. The history of the struggle for free speech is the story of extraordinary people-nonconformists who refuse to yield to abusive authority-and here is a mosaic of vivid characters and controversies. Jonathan Turley takes you through the figures and failures that have shaped us and then shows the unique dangers of our current moment. The alliance of academic, media, and corporate interests with the government's traditional wish to control speech has put us on an almost irresistible path toward censorship. The Indispensable Right reminds us that we remain a nation grappling with the implications of free expression and with the limits of our tolerance for the speech of others. For rather than a political crisis, this is a crisis of faith"--.

"A nonpartisan, unbiased look at the First Amendment and how it informs our daily lives, this book clearly explains the fundamentals of American politics to middle grade readers"--Provided by publisher.

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees that Congress "shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech or of the press." But what does that mean? In this easy-to-understand book, readers will learn more about the background and history of the First Amendment and its promises, including freedom of speech. They'll learn what that means-and doesn't mean-and more about common misconceptions about this important right. Accessible text dealing with real-life situations and graphics further explaining the details will draw in anyone interested in knowing about basic American rights.

". . . [argues] that First Amendment rights have often been curtailed in efforts to block progress, and that current measures to reduce hurtful language and to end hate speech could backfire on those who promote them. To those who see free speech as a threat to democracy, Finan offers . . . evidence from a long and sometimes challenging history of free speech in America to show how free speech has been essential to expanding democracy"--Provided by publisher.

"In this volume of the World Citizen Comics series, Ian Rosenberg and Mike Cavallaro create a practical framework for appreciating where our free speech protections have come from and how they may develop in the future. Freedom of speech is fiercely defended in America and has been since the First Amendment was written. But how does it work, and what laws shape it? Drawing on parallels between ten seminal Supreme Court cases and current events, Free Speech Handbook lays out the fundamentals of First Amendment law in an accessible and engaging way"--Provided by publisher.

Readers deepen their understanding of this important civics and media literacy topic through relevant photographs and graphic organizers that encourage the development of critical thinking skills.

What is Wrong with the First Amendment? argues that the US love affair with the First Amendment has mutated into free speech idolatry. Free speech has been placed on so high a pedestal that it is almost automatically privileged over privacy, fair trials, equality and public health, even protecting depictions of animal cruelty and violent video games sold to children. At the same time, dissent is unduly stifled and religious minorities are burdened. The First Amendment benefits the powerful at the expense of the vulnerable. By contrast, other Western democracies provide more reasonable accommodations between free speech and other values though their protections of dissent, and religious minorities are also inadequate. Professor Steven H. Shiffrin argues that US free speech extremism is not the product of broad cultural factors, but rather political ideologies developed after the 1950s. He shows that conservatives and liberals have arrived at similar conclusions for different political reasons.

"What is free speech and why is it so special? 'Your Voice is Your Superpower' tells you why your voice matters and how you can use it and also why we must protect everyone's right to free speech"--Back cover.

Contains alphabetically arranged entries about various topics related to First Amendment rights, with a chronological history and overview of the amendment that discusses freedom of speech, freedom of the press, assembly, association, and petition, and other issues.

"It's a free country! But what does that mean? The five liberties protected by the First Amendment are explained here in . . . rhymes [and] . . . examples demonstrate the meaning of freedom of religion, speech, and the press, and the rights to assemble peacefully and to petition the government"--Provided by publisher.