The First Amendment
“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.”
The First Amendment to the Constitution provides American citizens with five freedoms that are the hallmark of American liberty. It simply and unequivocally protects religious liberty for people of all faiths, freedom of speech by individuals and the press, freedom to meet and assemble, and the right of the people to petition their government.
Protecting all aspect of these liberties, and the Constitutional itself, is the primary mission of American Constitutional Rights Union.
Each Constitutional freedom is under attack by the American left’s activist class and their partners in media, “Big Tech,” and government. It is incumbent on every liberty-loving patriot to first understand the fundamentals of these rights and how they are being perverted and ignored in light of the latest wave of unconstitutional laws and actions by oppressive liberals seeking to create for themselves a permanent progressive power base.
The United States Constitution is the mechanism whereby “We the People” hold government accountable and prevent it from limiting our individual and economic liberty. The Founding Fathers created a system of law for the American people and their government to follow regardless of changes in societal structure, culture and the economy.
The Founders drew from many influences, including the works of English jurist William Blackstone and his presentation of the moral law and religious values and their importance to governance and legal systems. Not only is the Constitution anchored in the rule of law, but moral order also lives boldly within its wording.
The Constitution stands firm in its protections, and must never be abrogated and used as the handmaiden of any political agenda. Today, the Constitution faces new 21st century threats — unconstitutional laws are written to diminish the integrity of citizen votes and the role of states to set voting procedures, and social media’s Big Tech giants are colluding with some officials to censor anyone who does not agree with their leftist agenda.
Through educational projects and quantifiable advocacy plans, ACRU will always stand firm to ensure Constitutional liberty is preserved for generations to come.
Support the ACRU’s work on the First Amendment by donating today.
ACRU Action
Ken Klukowski: Controlling Children's Minds
Most people have now heard that President Obama is going to address America's school children on September 8. He'll be speaking to them directly, without their parents there to serve as a filter.
Ken Klukowski: Never Make a Deal With the Devil About Prayer
Three Florida school employees will go to federal court on September 17 to see if they'll be thrown behind bars. The reason? Prayer. Their school made a deal with the ACLU to stop praying and this ridiculous situation proves that you can't make a deal with the devil.
Ken Blackwell and Ken Klukowski: Sotomayor, Civil Rights, and Guns
Over the next two weeks, one of the critical issues will be your civil rights on guns. Senators could benefit from context to understand the importance of this civil right to protect families, especially racial minorities. Given Judge Sotomayor's long record, her confirmation must be more than "transparent," it must be penetrating and the Senators must dig deep.
Ken Klukowski: Praying for Change
People are praying in a city hall in Michigan, and atheists are up in arms. People of faith should hope the secularists push this into court, because this time the believers should win. There's something happening in Warren, Michigan. This town has been hit hard by layoffs, like the rest of the state. (Michigan's unemployment rate is over 14%--the worst in the nation, thanks in no small part to Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm imposing big-government taxes, entitlements and union labor policies on the people there.)
Ken Klowkowski: Justices Move Political Censorship Case
Next year, the Supreme Court can throw open the doors for voters to learn the truth about those seeking power in America. Or not. In an unusual move, the Court declined to decide a case on Americans' right to speak out on candidates during presidential elections that was argued this year. Instead, they will rehear it this fall, focusing on a new legal issue in a case that will pit two legal heavyweights against each other.
Hans Zeiger: The Death of Dialogue?
Cultural relativists like to talk about dialogue. They tell us that we need to engage in dialogue with people who are different from ourselves so that we can understand their perspective and become more tolerant. They tell us that we must listen to the voices of the marginalized and the excluded so that we can rethink our assumptions about the world.