Political Science Forum Discussion (Essay Sample)

Student University Subject Tutor Date Liberty, Constitution and Bill of Rights A civil liberty is a defense against government’s measures and actions. For instance, the 1st Amendment to the U.S. constitution drafted by our founding fathers vows to each and every citizen the freedom to express whatever issue openly. The United States government, in that case, can’t obstruct or get in the way of a person’s freedom of speech. The 1st Amendment grants the citizens "liberty" as of the government’s actions. The 1st Amendment to the U.S. constitution states that; "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" (National Constitution Center 1). A cautious reading of this 1st Amendment exposes that it defends sorts of fundamental liberties including; freedom of speech; freedom of the press; freedom of religion; right to assembly; and freedom of petition. The freedom of religion is certain in the 1st Amendment to the United States constitution in two separate clauses; the "free exercise;" and "establishment" clauses. The "free exercise" clause grants citizens to follow any kind of religion they are pleased and satisfied with, and the "establishment" clause on the other hand, rules out any federal government’s action of creating a formal house of worship. The right to free speech just like freedom of religion is another most respected liberty, but it is frequently at variance with the other liberties. The panel of judges, chief justice, attorneys, and the various States legal representatives has had to think about the query, "What’re the boundaries of the right to free speech?" This question got a concrete response in 1919 when C. Schenck was detained for dealing out a booklet which censured the United States armed forces draft and gave a recommendation regarding how it should be evaded. Schenck was detained and convicted with infringing the Espionage Act of 1917, which condemned whichever effort to create defiance in United States armed forces. His justification was that the Espionage Act dishonored freedom to free speech and debased the 1st Amendment at large. The Justices of the federal Supreme Court differed with his defense; their verdict facilitated the refinement of the real meaning of free speech with well defined limits. The freedom of press also does go hand in hand with freedom of speech though concerned with the press issues. The judges have decreed that the United States government have no right to edit any data prior to its publicat...