Government help

[Jigga-Scrooge]

The first amendment to the United States Constitution protects the five freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. The Supreme Court has also ruled that the amendment protects freedom of expression.

-Discuss limits to freedom of speech and the press.
-Discuss how society holds the press accountable.
-Discuss exceptions to expression.
-Define and discuss the two clauses of religious freedom.
-Why has freedom of religion been such a difficult and contraversial policy?

Can someone help me with this?

[Freet]

The first thing that comes to mind when considering limits to speach and press would be best summarized by Clear Channel's controversial firing of Howard Stern on 5 stations.

Should the press be forced to control speach considered by the government to be detrimental to the publics well being?

[chewie837]

Just took the AP test today. Cake.

-Discuss limits to freedom of speech and the press.

Freedom of speech is not absolute. Types of speech that can be restricted are Obscenity, speech that constitutes a "Clear and Present Danger", speech that will cause "Imminent Lawless Action" (such as shouting to a crowd to burn a building when they are holding gasoline and matches), and Fighting Words.

Freedom of the Press is absolute. The only restriction is Libel, when an untrue story causes damage to a person. No prior restarint is aloud.

-Discuss how society holds the press accountable.

I believe society holds the press accountable to printing true stories. Which is why Libel is such a serious tort. Not quite sure what the question is asking.

-Discuss exceptions to expression.

Expression of what? Are we still on speech?

-Define and discuss the two clauses of religious freedom.

The Establishment Clause - The Government shall pass no law or action that favors a religion over any other. This is where the separation of church and state comes from. Also the main arguement for the pledge of allegiance case

The Free Exercise clause - The Government cannot pass any law or action that disfavors any religion over another. Translation: no religious persecution. This is why we have a Church of Satan.

-Why has freedom of religion been such a difficult and contraversial policy?

The above two clauses create a delicate balance that must be maintained by the government. What constitutes favor? Is providing school busing to religeous schools favor? (Yes) Hosting religious classes after school, funded by the school? (Yes) The Pledge of Allegiance? (maybe)

[eddy]

heh should the government be able to determine what is detrimental for the public?

[chewie837]

That decision is actually mostly left to the individual communities to decide. The case of Miller v. California set the precedent that the federal government cannot define obscenity, but communities can. The famous quote about obscenity is something like, ' I can't define it, but I know it when I see it.'