Why We Have a First Amendment

In London, a 15-year-old faces charges for holding up a placard calling Scientology a “cult.”

4 Comments

Filed under Freedom

4 Comments

abunakhli
May 20, 2008 at 11:55 pm

I dont know how much the first amendment is applied these days in the states. I have unpopular political views and because of that America has denied my wife a visa to the states - for ever - claiming that she is a terrorist of all things. Go figure. It seems that you are free to say whatever you want inside the box of social norms or approved statements of opposition but when you step out of that box the first amendment steps out of the constitution.
Bill
May 21, 2008 at 7:53 am

The First Amendment applies to citizens, not to foreigners who want to come in. No one has a right to enter another country–it is a privilege.
abunakhli
May 28, 2008 at 2:28 am

I am a citizen, born and raised in good ol’ America.
Bill
May 28, 2008 at 8:35 am

But if your wife needs a visa to get here, obviously she isn’t. You don’t give us any information about your situation. If your unpopular views amounted to a defense of the British monarchy, and your wife was coming from England, that would be one thing. If your views were a defense of anti-Israeli terrorism, and your wife were coming from Saudi Arabia or Syria, that would be something else, would it not?