Charlie Lockett: Protests protected, even if president doesn’t like it
The First Amendment to the Constitution: “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.”
There is nothing ambiguous about this amendment. It says the government cannot establish a religion as an official state religion.
It also says every American has the right to freedom of speech, which is also pretty simple: the Government cannot stop you from speaking your mind.
The press also has the right to print the news, even if the government doesn’t like what is being printed.
The last part says the People have to right to peaceably assemble and protest.
Right now we see and hear President Trump calling football players who demonstrate “sons of bitches,” and saying they should be fired for protesting. Didn’t we just read in the First Amendment that people have that right?
We also see he has spent more time condemning a reporter for calling him a racist than he has spent condemning the Nazi/fascists and KKK. Something’s really wrong with this.
Charlie Lockett, Modesto
This story was originally published September 25, 2017 at 1:36 PM with the headline "Charlie Lockett: Protests protected, even if president doesn’t like it."