The Layman's First Amendment

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.

Many see the 1st Amendment only as allowing free speech much when one reads it, there is much more here. The very first part appears to have been interpreted as not allowing religion, in any form, to appear in Government. Of course, that is nonsense but Congress has allowed the prohibition of the 'free exercise thereof' by enabling the Courts to prohibit prayers and religious displays. Rules that prevent prayers in school, for example, are clear violations of the Constitution and are an example of the minority forcing their views on the majority.

The right of the people to peaceably assemble has also become a joke. In most places, you must obtain a permit first ( a TAX ) and should you fail to get one, you then can be arrested and/or jailed. Where in the Constitution does it read that a Right can be taxed?

And the Right to petition the government for a redress of grievances? Funny. Should you attempt this, you should expect to spend months and years waiting for the bureaucratic response - if you ever get one. And it will probably be some canned response that has nothing to do with your grievance in the first place.

BTW, have you ever contacted your Washington elected officials? They don't even read your correspondence but just send you a say-nothing letter. The reply is usually, "Your comments are sincerely welcomed about this subject. Be sure that we are working hard for your interests. Please consider sending a donation in the amount of $25, $50, or $100 so that we are able to continue working for you. //signed// Your Representative or Senator"

What does the 1st Amendment mean to the Layman? Well,

• you can say what you want to unless it offends minorities, gays, Liberals, Conservatives, the French, women, Irish, Communists, or radical Islamists.
• you can exercise your religious beliefs anywhere you want as long as it's in the privacy of your own home. That is, unless you are non-Christian, then you can push your belief system onto others using persuasion and even violence. In that case, your non-Christian beliefs will be forced upon the others.
• if you are a reporter, you can say anything about anyone without really needing facts to back you up. Unless, of course, you are talking about our current President. In which case, you are only allowed to babble platitudes about his greatness.
• you can assemble to protest the government - as long as you have the correct permits or support Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, the American Nazi Party, Hezbollah, Al-Quada, the Democrat party, La Raza, PETA, Greenpeace, or ACORN. If not a member of those groups, you must also provide funding for the police necessary to protect your assembly from violence.
• you can write the government when they screw you over. But you do not have the Right for the government to do anything about it.

Gee, maybe our other Amendments mean more than this one does.