First Amendment Right to Assemble and Petition

The First Amendment guarantees the right of people to peacefully assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. “Redress” means to “set right,” “remedy” or “balance.”

The Right to Petition  You think life isn’t fair sometimes?

Once upon a time if you didn’t like the king or queen’s decisions you couldn’t say a word... and if you did... you would land yourself in some hot water...

NO REALLY, THEY COULD BOIL YOU.

Back in 1215 people wanted to be able to petition their government on righting wrongs... addressing the issues brought forth by the people... without being beaten or thrown in jail.

The right to petition was enumerated in the Declaration of Independence — which was a statement telling the world just why the United States was rebelling against King George III.

The First Amendment right to assembly and petition is at the very core of political liberty. These rights cover a large spectrum of common political practices such as: ____protesting, parades, picketing, marching, demonstrating, petitions, letters and lobbying ______

But only protected when it is for a __LAWFUL PURPOSE ____ (to publicize a grievance) *If there is (or even a threat) of major disorder or violence, it does NOT have to be tolerated

*BUT YOU CANNOT SIMPLY BE ARRESTED BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENTAL OFFICIAL DISAGREES WITH YOU AND YOUR GROUP. Does freedom of assembly mean that you can demonstrate at any time and place you want? _NO_ The government may limit the __time, place, and manner__ of assemblies. But these limits must be reasonable. Ex: no disruptive activities near to a school; cannot disrupt public order, traffic flow, or peace and quiet. NO ENDANGERING LIFE, PROPERTY, or PUBLIC ORDER

The right to assembly and petition also covers freedom of association and the freedom of information. Freedom of association means that you have the right to join __groups or organization__(Scouts, Sports Groups, Interest Groups, etc…).

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does freedom of petition mean you can write a letter to Congress and the President? ____YES__Telling Congress or the President about your concerns is the most traditional form of petition. 2. Does freedom of assembly mean that you can have police protect you from hostile crowds while marching? _____YES___The police cannot use violent onlookers as an excuse to shut down a demonstration. New petition requests lights on East Campus streets

By SOFIE RASMUSSEN • DEC 4, 2014 SHARETwitter Facebook Google+ Email

 The Columbia City Council voted to keep taxi stands on local streets. KBIA

It is too dark in the East Campus Neighborhoods in Columbia according to MU student Sarah Sprick who has started a petition to get more street lights in the area because of increasing rates of attacks, rapes and sexual assaults.

Columbia Water and Light Department Spokeswoman Connie Kacprowicz, says street lightning can be a controversial subject.

”Columbia Water and Light will install streetlights if there is a neighborhod consensus, so we try to avoid situations where we install a street light in one are and the a neighbor doesn’t wan’t it. So once there is concensus they can go to the city council and the city council can aprove us to add more street light.”

Sarah Sprick started the petition because she thinks lights would help residents feeling safer in the area.

“I don’t think lights will complete eliminate the problem, but I think it definitely will help prevent future attacks. At least, I know myself I would feel a lot safer in able to go to the library at night than if I knew I was walking in the dark.”

The next step for Sarah Sprick is to go to the City of Columbia and propose them to install more light in the area. "Sea of People": D.C. Rally Protests Police Killings Today's national call for action lasted into the evening in the District. Protesters spread out across the city, blocking streets in Northwest and then shutting down an entire stretch of I-395. As Derrick Ward reports, they made their voices heard. (Published Saturday, Dec 13, 2014) Sunday, Dec 14, 2014

Thousands of protesters marched down iconic Pennsylvania Avenue on Saturday, arriving at the Capitol to call attention to the deaths of unarmed black men at the hands of police and call for legislative action.

"What a sea of people," said Lesley McSpadden, the mother of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old killed in Ferguson, Missouri, in August. "If they don't see this and make a change, then I don't know what we got to do. Thank you for having my back." Also speaking were civil rights leader The Rev. Al Sharpton and family members of Eric Garner, killed by an officer in New York in July, and Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old killed in Ohio as he played with a pellet gun in a park. "Members of Congress, beware we're serious ...," Sharpton said. "When you get a ring-ding on Christmas, it might not be Santa. It may be Rev. Al coming to your house." THOUSANDS MARCH IN DC AGAINST POLICE VIOLENCE A sea of demonstrators converged today in the District. Many of them traveled all night by bus to come here and demand change in a march from Freedom Plaza all the way down Pennsylvania Avenue to the U.S. Capitol. News4's Derrick Ward was there for the rally on the National Mall. (Published Saturday, Dec 13, 2014)

Garner's mother, Gwen Carr, called it a "history-making moment." "It's just so overwhelming to see all who have come to stand with us today," she said. "I mean, look at the masses. Black, white, all races, all religions. ... We need to stand like this at all times." Several speakers asked the crowd to chant, "I can't breathe." Garner, 43, had gasped those words before his death while being arrested for allegedly selling loose, untaxed cigarettes. Some protesters also wore those words on shirts. Other speakers called for a chant of "Hands up, don't shoot."

Just before the crowd marched to the capitol, the rallying was interrupted briefly by more than a dozen protesters who took the stage with a bullhorn. They announced that they were from the st. Louis area and demanded to speak. "This movement was started by the young people," said johnetta elzie, who ultimately was allowed by rally organizers to speak. Organizers called the interruption unnecessarily divisive. But some in the Missouri group, mostly in their 20s, said they were disappointed and found the rally staid and ineffective. "I thought there was going to be actions, not a show. This is a show," Elzie said. PHOTOS: PROTESTS ACROSS U.S. AGAINST POLICE VIOLENCE

Protests — some violent — have occurred around the nation since grand juries last month declined to indict the officers involved in the deaths of Brown and Garner. Before the crowd started marching, Sharpton directed, "Don't let no provocateurs get you out of line. ... We are not here to play big shot. We are here to win."

Then, blocks of tightly packed people moved through the city. Organizers had predicted 5,000 people, but the crowd appeared to far outnumber that.

Politicians and others have talked about the need for better police training, body cameras and changes in the grand jury process to restore faith in the legal system.

Sheryce Holloway, a recent graduate from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, attended a smaller gathering outside Robert F. Kennedy Stadium in Washington ahead of the main rally. She said she also has been participating in protests at her alma mater. Holloway said the goal of the protests is "ending blue-on-black crime. Black lives do matter."

D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier said the march was peaceful. She mingled with the crowd and said she wanted to show solidarity with the marchers. "This is one of the most well organized events I've seen," Lanier said.

The march was sponsored in part by Sharpton's National Action Network, the Urban League and the NAACP. While protesters rallied in Washington, other groups including Ferguson Action conducted similar "Day of Resistance" movements all around the country. In New York City, thousands of people marched up Fifth Avenue and in Boston hundreds took to the street in protest against the killings. Copyright Associated Press First Amendment K P E A M E R I C A N F T R Y N R C C D S T F H N Y T S A T O Y X Z V I J A W L W D P M S I L D C N N Z I B W R U E E R T H S K S E X M P O M X E N I I K E C L L E S W W V N C D F T R S W H S A G Y M C L H M M E V O S S O N N R G E B D E W P O N A E I O O D B Z U E N E D N W B T R K L I E M B J T E J C Q H M O P L P G R R O Q E O X G B I L L O F R I G H T S G I R E S A R F Y T A L F Y E F Y T I N E C S B O F Y E J S I T A F O X H R R J V R E R F F R E E D O M O B K U P U R E C O N S T I T U T I O N I C S

AMENDMENT FRASER RELIGION AMERICAN FREEDOM SCHOOLPRAYER ASSEMBLY HAZELWOOD SLANDER CONSTITUTION LIBEL SPEECH BILLOFRIGHTS OBSCENITY TINKER FIGHTINGWORDS PETITION FIRST PRESS