1. Chapter 5: CIVIL LIBERTIES RELIGION
Thomas Road Baptist Church practices its right
to be free from government intervention.

2. Several things to remember
Civil Liberties: Protections against government taking freedoms. 1st amendment rights.
Civil rights: Positive acts of government protecting groups of people from losing rights. (handicapped)

3. 3. Rights are relative, not absolute: You can not infringe on rights of others. First amendment rights are limited.
a. no obscene words
b. can’t lie about something

4. The 14th Amendment
Equal Protection Clause: No state shall pass any law that deprives any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law.
Incorporation Clause: State must include most of the Bill of Rights because of the above equal protection clause. The 2nd amendment can be limited by state laws.

5. 9th Amendment
Read it on page 550 (536). Is there a complete catalog anywhere of all the rights we may have?

6. FREEDOM OF RELIGION Ist Amendment covers two areas
1. Expression: (speech, press, assembly
petition
2. Religion: establishment,
free practice of
religion

7. B. Establishment clause
T. Jefferson used “wall of separation” in a letter. He said the wall is not infinitely high nor is it impenetrable.
Examples:
a. Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 1925: a
compulsory school attendance law
unconstitutional. (interfered with
parents upbringing)

8. b. Everson v. Board of Education, 1947
1. School Bus case: state law constitutional that provided for tax-supported busing of all students to any school including parochial schools.
2. It treats all children the same.

9. c. Engle v. Vitale, 1962: The following was read in New York schools daily – “Almighty God. We acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers, and our country”. This favored one religion over others so unconstitutional.

10. d. Epperson v. Arkansas, 1968: Supreme Court struck down state law that forbade the teaching of evolution.
The Constitution “forbids alike the preference of a religious doctrine or the prohibition of theory which is deemed antagonistic to a particular dogma. .The state has no legitimate interest in protecting any or all religions from views distasteful to them.

11. e. Lemon v. Kurtzman: Gave us a three-pronged standard to keep gov’t our of religion
1)Aid must be secular, not religious.
2)Aid must neither advance nor inhibit religion.
3)Aid must void an “excessive entanglement of gov’t with religion.

12. f. County of Allegheny v. ACLU, 1989: A county’s seasonal display that endorces only Christian doctrine violates establishment clause. Is it represents all religions, that is constitutional.

13. C. Free Exercise Clause
1. Guarantees the right to believe whatever one chooses in matters of religion.
2. Examples:
a. Reynolds v. U.S., 1879 – court said polygamy not allowed because of federal law that outlawed it in territories. Supremacy of Const. over religions.

14. b. West Va. Board of Educ.v. Barnette,1943
Cannot have a compulsory flag-salute because what good is forced patriotism?

15. Freedom of Speech and Press
Guarantees of free press and speech serve two purposes
1. a full range discussion of ideas and public affairs.
2. each person has a right to freely express themselves .

16. B. Limits on free expression 1. National Security a
B. Limits on free expression 1. National Security a. “Utterances can be punished after made. It would be censorship if before b. NYT v. U.S. – Pentagon Papers

17. 2. Clear-and-present danger test: If words create an immediate threat then speech can be stopped. ( Yelling fire in a theatre) a. Examples: Schenck vs. U.S. Facts: b. Brandenberg vs. U.S.

18. 3. Obsenity: What is considered obscene?

19. Miller vs. California Does it go against community standards?
b. Does it have any literary, artistic, scientific, educational or political value?
c. Does it appeal to purely prurient interests?

20. 4. No prior restraints a. Definition: stopping the press before a damaging article comes out. b. New York Times vs. U.S. (1971) Nixon tried to stop saying it would hurt national security.

21. 4. Some symbolic speech a. Definition: Making a political statement through signs or symbols. b. Examples: burning a flag. You cannot do something that is illegal

22. Freedom of Assembly and Petition
A. Right to PEACEABLY assemble –
You cannot incite, block public streets, close a school, endanger life, property, or public order. Gov’t cannot regulate content but can regulate:
1. Time: example
2. Place: example
3. Manner: example

23. B. Right to assemble also means right to associate with whom you wish
B. Right to assemble also means right to associate with whom you wish. P. 572 (558)
ex: Boy Scouts of America vs. Dale, 2000
1. Facts:
2. Court’s Decision:

24. C. Right to petition 1. Definition: freedom to stand up and complain about government injustices. 2. Examples: Slavery petition, message on Starbucks coffee: “Race together”, and mandatory vaccinations.