State of the First Amendment Commentary
State of the First Amendment — as others see it
There’s no doubt that a huge number of Americans are unable to name the five freedoms protected by the First Amendment — national survey results each year since 1997 sadly leave little doubt about that circumstance.
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State of the First Amendment 2015
In a dramatic reversal from last year, less than 20 percent of Americans now think the First Amendment goes too far in the rights it guarantees.
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The First Amendment and the power of ‘fear’
President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said that “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” In a world wracked by terrorism, that carries even more meaning today.
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New Thought on ‘the Flag’ – and a New Lyric Line for ‘Dixie’
A new survey shows that a majority of all Americans agree with banning the Confederate battle flag from license plates, public buildings and store shelves.
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After Gay Marriage, Can We Move from Battleground to Common Ground?
In recent years, religious freedom — or, more precisely, religious freedom claims — have been front and center in the battle over same-sex marriage.
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The new watchdogs: Muckraking in a digital era
The tenets of American journalism can be distilled down to a couple of basics: Reporters should report objectively and serve as a watchdog on people in power. But the public
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Poll Shows Disconnect Between Public Opinion and Supreme Court Over License Plates
Public opinion and the U.S. Supreme Court disagree when it comes to whether a state can deny a specialty license plate to a group that wishes to display the Confederate flag.
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Survey Shows Support for Students’ Off-Campus, Online Speech
The most pressing question in student speech (K-12) law is “When are school officials allowed to exert authority over students for off-campus, online speech?”
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In new poll, marriage equality beats religious objections
State of the First Amendment survey finds majorities support same-sex health benefits and requiring wedding businesses to serve gay couples, religious beliefs notwithstanding.
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Young Americans have free-speech rights, too
Just as government is barred from limiting adults’ free speech, public schools should have very little latitude in limiting the freedom of speech of young people. That’s why the results of the new State of the First Amendment survey conducted by the Newseum Institute’s First Amendment Center is so encouraging.
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