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First Amendment

First Amendment

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.
— The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

 

Freedom of speech and press; defamation

That the printing presses shall be free to every person to examine the proceedings of the Legislature; or of any branch or officer of the government, and no law shall ever be made to restrain the right thereof. The free communication of thoughts and opinions, is one of the invaluable rights of man, and every citizen may freely speak, write, and print on any subject, being responsible for the abuse of that liberty. But in prosecutions for the publication of papers investigating the official conduct of officers, or men in public capacity, the truth thereof may be given in evidence; and in all indictments for libel, the jury shall have a right to determine the law and the facts, under the direction of the court, as in other criminal cases.
—Article I, Section 19 of the Tennessee Constitution

 

Resources:

American Society of Newspaper Editors www.asne.org
First Amendment Center www.firstamendmentcenter.org
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press www.rcfp.org
Sunshine Week www.sunshineweek.org
1 for All www.1forall.us