Posted by
grassroots_conservative on Wednesday, February 06, 2008 8:24:23 PM
"Congress
shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . ."
It
says nothing about schools, municipalities, workplaces, hospitals,
states, etc. This is quite definitely a restriction on Congress and
none else.
"Congress
shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the
press . . ."
It
makes me shake my head in amazement at the ignorance of political
pundits that scream, "You don't believe in free speech—you're
trying to silence me." It is each private citizen's right to
thwart the message of another so long as it does not violate local
and state laws. Again this is a restriction of Congress and not of
private citizens. Having the right to voice an opinion does not
obligate anyone else to hear it.
Note
that this prohibits abridging
freedom of the press and says nothing of enforcing or guaranteeing
it, that is to say its impartiality.
"Congress
shall make no law . . . abridging the right of the people peaceably
to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of
grievances."
This
is a restriction of Congress—state an local governments should have
their own laws on the books governing common standards of decency and
order. The bounds set upon Congress do not necessarily or
automatically extend to every last governing body, or else the
Constitution would say so; nor was it the intent. Otherwise we would
have adopted the title "The Federated Provinces of America."