When I began we did not really have a lot of First Amendment law. It is really surprising to think of it this way, but a lot of the law - most of the law that relates to the First Amendment freedom of the press in America - is really within living memory.
quote by Floyd Abrams
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Related quotes
Privileges
Guaranteed Rights
Section Five
Affirmative Action Amendment
Specific Provision
Enforcement
Privileges to recognize
First Amendment rights
Freedom of Association
Freedom of Movement
Freedom of the Right to Privacy
Economic Rights
Judicial Enforcement
Eighth Amendment
Protection and Dignity
Of Human Person Outlaw Torture
Inherent Respect for Humanity
Fifth Amendment Provision
Goodwill!
Liberty, Justice and for All!
poem by Daphne Mia Bell
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When they took the 4th Amendment, I was quiet because I didn't deal drugs. When they took the 6th Amendment, I was quiet because I am innocent. When they took the 2nd Amendment, I was quiet because I don't own a gun. Now they have taken the 1st Amendment, and I can only be quiet.
I liked the name of the amendment. I couldn't help feeling uneasy that the church was opposing something with a name as beautiful as the Equal Rights Amendment.
quote by Sonia Johnson
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The First Amendment is not an altar on which we must sacrifice our children, families, and community standards. Obscene material that is not protected by the First Amendment can and must be prohibited.
quote by Orrin Hatch
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Criticism of government finds sanctuary in several portions of the 1st Amendment. It is part of the right of free speech. It embraces freedom of the press.
quote by Hugo Black
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The First Amendment does not guarantee the press a constitutional right of special access to information not available to the general public, nor does it cloak the inmate with special rights of freedom of speech.
quote by Pete Wilson
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It just seems to be a human trait to want to protect the speech of people with whom we agree. For the First Amendment, that is not good enough. So it is really important that we protect First Amendment rights of people no matter what side of the line they are on.
quote by Floyd Abrams
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No Congress ever has seen fit to amend the Constitution to address any issue related to marriage. No Constitutional Amendment was needed to ban polygamy or bigamy, nor was a Constitutional Amendment needed to set a uniform age of majority to ban child marriages.
quote by Judy Biggert
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I don't think there is another person in America that wants to tell this story as much as I do. (Invoking Fifth Amendment)
quote by Oliver L. North
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We seek a constitutional amendment to permit voluntary school prayer. God should never have been expelled from America's classrooms in the first place.
quote by Ronald Reagan
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The right really dominates radio, and it's amazing how much energy the right spends telling us that the press is slanted to the left when it really isn't. They want to shut other people up. They really don't understand the First Amendment.
quote by Roger Ebert
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On Playing With Sand
Yesterday,
An amendment was made,
Men and women danced,
Goblets stroke in the hall,
To celebrate
An occasion of success.
Today,
The same amendment
Has been undone,
Men and women have danced,
Goblets have stroke in the hall,
To celebrate
An occasion of success.
Tomorrow,
Again the amendment will be made,
Men and women will dance,
Goblets will strike in the hall,
To celebrate
An occasion of success.
This is how our government goes on,
By doing and undoing amendments,
Like children who play on sand,
Make houses, stupas, towers and tombs,
And smash them with kicks,
To make them afresh,
But the difference is they do not celebrate,
An occasion of success.
poem by Muhammad Shanazar
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Neither the wording of the amendment itself nor common practice challenged the widely held belief that government guaranteed freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.
quote by Linda Chavez
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We all have the right of freedom of speech under the First Amendment. We all don't have to agree with one another on our opinions. Everyone in my circle, that I run around with, we all feel the same about God, country, integrity and character.
quote by Luke Scott
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Amending the U.S. Constitution, the document most sacred to those who love freedom and liberty, is a delicate endeavor and should be done only on the basis of the most clear and convincing evidence that a proposed amendment is necessary.
quote by Ben Nelson
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The We In I, The I In We!
thermal meltdown, final countdown,
democracy defines itself!
our own soldiers, we grow bolder,
chased by the ghosts of hell!
1st amendment,6th commandment,
freedom exacts a price.
national boundaries, personal boundaries,
mice become men, men become mice! .....
all men equal, all men free..
all men want their dignity.
freedom of choice, freedom to be....
the we in i, the i in we!
faceless jobless, hopeless homeless,
living hard on the streets.
selling pills, shotgun thrills,
gotta be quick on your feet.
hospitals turn away, old men dont pray,
got nothing left to lose.
gunshots, speed off, tag number, all's lost,
somebody pays the dues....
all men equal, all men free....
all men want their dignity.
freedom of choice, freedom to be...
the we in i, the i in we!
poem by Eric Cockrell
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So the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is out there preserving and fighting for, and sometimes winning and sometimes losing, the fight for First Amendment rights in comics and, more generally, for freedom of speech.
quote by Neil Gaiman
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Banned In The U. S. A.
Government of the people
For the people
By the people
[news reporter]:
Earlier today in broward county,
Appalling courtjudges upheld the previousruling
To ban the sale of miami rap group the 2 live crews double-platinum album,
Nasty as they wanna be, in broward county.
[someone else commenting]
We think its the banning of free speech.
First amendment protects material, resultably.
Luke (being interviewed):
We dont talk about, uh, harrassing and sexually brutalizing women in my music, man!
We dont do that in my music, man! Im tired of you saying that!
Verse 1: [fresh kid ice]
Weve got white-collar people trying to grab our style
Saying were too nasty and were 2 live
Corrupted politicians playing games
Bringing us down to boost their fame
They must be joking thinking we will fall
But theyre like flies movin the wall
We stand tall from beginning to end
With the help from fans and all our friends
Freedom of speech will never die
For us to help, our ancestors died
Dont keep thinking that we will quit
Well always stand and never sit
Were 2 live, 2 black, 2 strong
Doing the right thing, and not the wrong
So listen up, yall, to what we say
We wont be banned in the u.s.a.!
Chorus: (3x)
Banned in the usa, I was
[reporter]:
Lukes concerts are for adults
[luke] (being interviewed):
If its an adult show you have to be 18
Our record is a year old, but with all the publicity,
Theres a lot of people ... curiosity is around!
Were selling records to a totally different audience.
I take a precaution that nobody else has not stickered my album, I made
Two versions, two versions two versions..
Verse 2: [brother marquis]
The first amendment gave us freedom of speech
So what you sayin? it didnt include me?
I like to party and have a good time
Theres nothin but pleasure written in our rhyme
I know you dont think well ever quit
Weve got some people on our side who wont take your lip
Were gonna do all the things we wanna do
You cant stand to see a brother get as rich as you
This is the 90s and were conin on strong
Sayin things and doin things that youre sayins wrong
Wisen up, cause on election day,
Well see whos banned in the u.s.a.!
Chorus: (4x)
The united states of america
Government of the people
The united states of america
For the people
The united states of america
By the people
By the people
[luke] (being interviewed):
The show in hollywood, that was for 21-and-over people,
They had police out there, cars of the people coming in the club,
And they still arrested us for performing in front of adults!
[luke] speech:
What is this? ?
Is this not america?
This is not china!
This is not russia!
This is not the place where they brought down the wall, this is america!
We have the right to say what we want to say,
We have the right to do what we want to do,
And what I do in my house, you might not do in your house!
So what I do in my house is my business!
And the simple fact of it all is that we are bonded by the first amendment!
We have the freedom of expression!
We have the freedom of choice!
And you, chinese, black, green, purple, jew,
You have the right to listen to whoever you want to, and even the 2 live crew!
So all you right-wingers, left-wingers, bigots, communists,
There is a place for you in this world!
Because this is the land of the free, the home of the brave!
And 2 live is what we are!
song performed by by 2 Live Crew
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I begin to feel like most Americans don't understand the First Amendment, don't understand the idea of freedom of speech, and don't understand that it's the responsibility of the citizen to speak out.
quote by Roger Ebert
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Laws protecting the United States flag do not cut away at the freedom of speech guaranteed in the First Amendment... Congress made this position clear upon passage of the Flag Protection Act of 1989, which prohibited desecration of the flag.
quote by Larry Craig
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