The First Amendment

I read one of those headlines: "more people can name lame pop culture... than rights granted by the first amendment to the constitution." So, this isn't much but here is hoping I can be part to remind some people in the USA what our government was formed to do for us. The First Amendment to the Constitution, rights:

• Freedom of religion


• Freedom of the press


• Freedom of speech


• Freedom of peaceful assemble


• Right to petition the government for redress

"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 USA has some great things going for it but without vigilance there is always danger to the ideals the country was founded on.

"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Benjamin Franklin

"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it."
Thomas Jefferson

"First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out — because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak out for me."
Martin Niemoeller