The Bill of Rights. Why is the First Amendment Important Essay Example

Do you know what the Bill of Rights is? Do you know how the Bill of Rights protects us? The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments of the United States Constitution . It protects are rights like, freedom of speech, assembly, and worship. The first amendment protects our right to freedom of speech and religion. But the sixth amendment says we have to right to a speedy trial. 

The first amendment says that we as American Citizens have the right to freedom of speech. This means we can express any opinion we have without censorship or restraint. In 1969 a Supreme Court case occurred that fell under the first amendment. Mary Beth Tinker was 13 years old. She went to and a bunch of other students were wearing black armbands to protest the war that was happening at the time in Vietnam. The school district said that they can not where the armbands. Tinker said that was against her first amendment right. Tinker won the case because the district said it was her choice to wear the wristband because it is a peaceful protest and falls under the category of speech and Tinker as a American citizen has the freedom of speech.

Another example of the first amendment is the Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School District vs. Pico by Pico. This case was the same test as the Tinker vs. Des Moines case. The board had a a group of of parents that had to come up with a list of books or genres that they wanted removed from there middle and high schools. Among these were anti- American, anti- Christian, and anti- Semitic. In support of its actions, the Board said such books were: "anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-Semitic, and just plain filthy." Acting through his friend Francis Pico, and for several other students, Steven Pico brought suit in federal district court challenging the Board's decision to remove the books. The board ended up winning in the end. The board made made their decision to protect the first amendment rights for the students that read the books. No matter their circumstance or interests.