I saw an interesting factoid on the graphic you’ll see later in this article. It was a survey of 1,007 adults to see how many of them could the five freedoms enumerated in the First Amendment.
No more than 4 percent of them could name them all..
That’s right, 40 person out of 1,009 knew that the First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech, religion, the press, the right to peaceably assemble and the right to petition the government for grievances.
It’s funny. I always knew my knowledge of American history was pretty good, and I knew the answers, so I guess that makes me one in 25.
A friend and former colleague from California, Bill Norris, wrote something on Facebook 12 years ago that fascinated me. He asked which of the First Amendment freedoms was most important — freedom of speech or freedom of religion.
It might surprise you to know that the one essential right of the five is freedom of speech.
What about religion?
If that right was taken away, the only thing it would affect is organized religion. With true freedom of speech, no one could interfere with you talking to someone about your faith. And of course, no one ever needs to know if you’re praying silently.
Of course, a lot of people fail to realize that freedom of speech is only about the government. It’s hardly an absolute right. If you call your boss a wanker or tell people not to buy your company’s products, you might get fired.. If make suggestive remarks to a woman, you might get slapped.
But if you insult someone in politics you don’t like, you cannot be arrested for it.
I wouldn’t want to lose any of the five freedoms in the First Amendment. All of them are an important part of being an American.
But don’t forget the one from which all the others flow.
Freedom of Speech.