The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution outlines five fundamental rights that individuals have with regard to the government: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom to petition the government, and freedom of religion.
Freedom of religion means the right to practice whatever religion we choose – or no religion at all – without the government getting involved or promoting religion itself. This means the right to freedom of religion is made up of two complementary protections: 1) the right to religious belief and expression and, 2) a guarantee that the government neither prefers religion over non-religion nor favors particular faiths over others.
Freedom of the press means we have a right to publish and distribute information to others.
The right to free speech is the right to speak our mind, share ideas and beliefs, and express ourselves. Protecting free speech means involves protecting a free press, the democratic process, diversity of thought, and so much more.
The right to peacefully assemble means we have the right to gather in groups and to peacefully protest.
The freedom to petition is the right to sue the government for violating our rights, and to lobby for laws and policies that we believe in.
