The First Amendment: How Far Does it Go? | Teen Ink

The First Amendment: How Far Does it Go?

November 19, 2015
By Gohawgs BRONZE, Paragould, Arkansas
Gohawgs BRONZE, Paragould, Arkansas
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

The first amendment gives Americans the three most important rights: The freedoms of speech, religion, and of the press. This amendment is currently up for debate.

In Washington, high school football coach Joe Kennedy was placed on paid leave for praying at the 50 yard line after football games. On September 17,2015, Kennedy was ordered to cease and desist the prayers. Superintendent Aaron Leavell placed Kennedy on paid leave after Kennedy refused to stop the prayers.

Kennedy was offered private prayer after the games providing no student saw him praying. Attorney Hiram Sassar said the school is being hostile toward Christianity.

A Muslim flight attendant was fired from Express Jet airlines for refusing to serve alcohol due to her Islamic religion. This flight attendant is 40 years of age and started working for Express Jet airlines nearly 3 years ago. An arrangement was made by the attendant and the airlines that when a customer asked for alcohol she would ask the other flight attendant on duty to fulfill the customer's order. The Muslim was praised for standing up for her religious rights.

This isn't a difference of situations at all. This is people going against one religion. Christianity always has to stand alone in a law case. The first amendment to the United States constitution says, "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." How far does this go? Does it truly protect all Americans?

Let's look at it from a different angle. When and if you get a job, you will have a boss. You are to do what that boss says as long as it isn't illegal. Coach Kennedy was told by his boss, Superintendent Leavell, to stop praying. Kennedy continued with the prayers. For not listening to his boss he was placed on paid leave.

The rules placed on Kennedy were absolutely ridiculous. You can't pray after football games becuase you are a representative of this school is what the school is telling Kennedy. He did what any American would do. He stood up for his constitutional rights. Superintendant Leavell di what any business owner would do. His employee was not listening to him, so he placed him on paid leave. You have two sides here. You have the American who only wants to use his Constitution protected rights to his advantage, and you have the business owner who wants his employees to listen to him and his rules.

Kennedy was in the right. Leavell was in the wrong. If you are an American you have Constitution protected rights. Don't let the authorities take them away.



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