Public demonstrators lock arms, hold up signs, and chant. They are protesting any number of issues that seem to plague our nation. They cry out that our government is corrupt, that we should do away with it. In many other countries, government officials would have arrested and thrown these mere protesters in jail. Yet, it the land of the free, and home of the brave, they are allowed to continue so long as they are peaceful and cause no harm to any other persons. .
When writing our constitution, the anti-federalists were worried that the constitution gave to much power to the leaders, and not enough to the people. The federalist and the anti-federalists agreed on a compromise. They would amend the constitution. This would limit the government's power, while reassuring the people in their power. The first ten are known as the bill of rights. Each gives a certain right to the people that the government cannot take away. Some are like: freedom of to form a militia, freedom from soldiers commandeering your home during times of peace, freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, and freedom from excessive bail. Others are rights like: the right to a fair trail, the right to a speedy trail, the right to have a jury of his or her peers, and the right the state has over any issue that the constitution does not cover. Yet, the one receiving the most attention is the first one. Most commonly referred to as, the freedom of expression.
In the bill of rights, the amendment goes something like: 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. Which breaks down to mean: Congress cannot make a law to establish a national religion or restrict someone else's religion. A person has the freedom to say or write what they choose.