Amendment I
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.
Analysis
Congress shall make no law . . .
...respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; . . .
respecting an establishment of religion, : Quite simply stated, respecting means to officialize or enact as the official National Religion whereas prohibiting the free exercise thereof means that Congress can not stop, end, or ban any religious activity from occuring at anytime, anyplace, or by anyone. The current ban on Prayer in Schools is in direct violation of the First Amendment!
This phrase is often refered to as The Seperation of Church and State and it simply means that no Church can control the Government nor can the Government control any Church.
...or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; . . .
This section of the First Amendment simply says No Federal Censorship PERIOD! If you find something offensive (like Pornography Magazines or Gentleman's Clubs) than take Community Action to remove it. By asking the Federal Government to take care of it for you, you are opening the door for them to take care of any other thing that they may feel is offensive to you with-out asking you first.
And the Federal Government cannot ban any periodical (Magazine, Newspaper, Local flyer, etc.) or censure them as IT sees fit irregardless of content. If you find something offensive, degrading or in just poor taste, then don't buy it. It IS that simple.
...or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Your right to stand on across the street from the White House with a group of like minded individuals to unobtrusively demonstrate against any policy that you see unfit is protected. As well as your right to sue the Federal Government for any infringement on your rights that they have caused.
The Supreme Court has decided that Burning of the American Flag as form of protest is Constitutional as protected under the Freedom of Speech. Okay. I can understand that. It is definately their right to say that they hate our country and everything that it stands for. But, I must ask these individuals, name one other country that you can do that in.
My personal feelings are, if America is so bad, then either learn how to vote or leave. And I also view that Burning the Symbol of this Great Republic as an act of treason and at the very least you should be expelled and exiled. You can burn the National Flag of any other country that you wish, but just don't ever go visit that country after doing so, that is if you want to live to see another tomorrow.
PS - If you ever get the hankering to burn the United Nations (UN) Flag, give me a call first, I'll bring the marshmallows and we'll have us a wiener-roast.
Oh the famous outrageous picture of a crucifix in the urine of the photographer, whose name I purposely forgot. Yes, even this anti-religious statement is protected under the First Amendment. Even though I find this work objectionable, as many Americans do, I find it even more objectionable that my wallet was robbed by the Federal Government to finance it.
The proponents of this Pissy form of art say that thier new found contemporary would not be able to break-out with-out NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) funding. To which, I must impose that; if this sorry excuse for a photographer is such a surrealistic breakthrough by his contemporaries, then these same said Contemporary Proponents of his would have absolutely no problem in forming thier own consortium to underwrite his work.
But, alas they won't. because they KNOW that they would never ever realize any profit or recoup any of thier investment from crap like that and they don't want to pay out of thier own pocket to Piss off the rest of the country!! Especially when they can milk our pockets for thier own passing whims!
As previously stated: The Seperation of Church and State simply means that no Church can control the Government nor can the Government control or establish any Church. And it also means that the Government cannot prohibit any Church Activity, including that which goes on in with-in Government Institutions, as long as the said Church Activity does not directly influence or abate Government Activities. The current Ban on School Prayer is a prohibition on lawful Church/Religious Activity ergo, unConstitutional.
Also, no Principal nor any other School Official can mandate that any or all members of the School Staff or Student Body participate in any prayer or other religious activity. But, as a Community Leader and serving in Community Interest, a Principal, et al, can mandate that time be set aside for prayer or any other religious activity, but by doing so, inherits the responsibility of protecting the right of those who so desire to, to do so with-out infringement or undo harassment.