The First Amendment in 2017

I found myself cleaning out my friends list and un-following some people on Facebook this week after the inauguration and subsequent protests.  This is a selfish act I know but it will prevent me from engaging in fruitless arguments and I prefer to keep myself happy as opposed to frustrated with people I actually like but differ on the issues with.

Let me give you an example:  I was reading some comments when I stumbled upon a single man with no children calling out women that supported the women's march.  This is frustrating and I will only speak for myself.  I am aware of women's issues in the country but I am not woman.  I don't feel that I get to speak for them and neither should he.  I will someday have to explain to my daughter that this country elected a misogynistic president and the result was a large, peaceful protest that shows what this country is really about.  You have the right to gather and protest to be heard, even if it makes someone else crazy.  Just like my Facebook cleansing, people that do not agree do not have to listen.

Have you ever looked at the First Amendment and paid attention to how we treat it today?  We are a far cry from what the founders intended and we really should be ashamed of ourselves.  Here is my take on our current treatment of each of the elements of the First Amendment:

Freedom of Religion	You have freedom of religion only if you are a Christian.  All other religious followers are suspicious or a punchline.
Freedom of Speech	If your position is on the winning side, you can speak all you want regardless of how correct the information is.  If you are on the losing side of the issue, you are automatically wrong.
Freedom of Press	You are so free in your publishing that you can create entire websites of fake news that influence opinions and behavior.
Freedom of Assembly	If you assemble, you are up to no good.  Marches and protests belong in the 60’s.
Freedom of Petition	No one petitions the government anymore.  Thanks to Citizens United, you can simply use corporate fat cat money as your free speech.  Buy a couple of legislators and you will not need to have your grievances heard.

I realize that these are completely unscientific findings but hey, if you follow social media this is completely accurate.  Most people that interact with social media as the foundation for their beliefs in current events.  Now I will be the first to tell you that I am a fan of social media, but just like everything else it only takes a few to mess it up for everyone.  I think people fail to realize that being an American citizen is hard work that requires tolerance of others and if you can't be tolerant just un-follow them.  Thomas Jefferson once said, "I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend."  He didn't have to live in a world of social media but we don't live in a  world where we are building a nation and the values that come with it.  We forget what the Bill of Rights actually means for the sake of being right.  As we move into this new presidency, lets at minimum listen and disagree as informed, responsible citizens.