The First Amendment Project: Volunteers Needed

Revelations that America’s young people could name five characters from The Simpsons television show, yet could not state the five freedoms of the First Amendment, should concern all of us. A recent article by Nat Hentoff alarmingly reports, “…in a national study last year, more than 100,000 high school students were interviewed on what they know of the first amendment. Seventy-three percent either had no opinion or took the First Amendment for granted, whatever that may mean. More than a third believed that the First Amendment goes too far in its guarantees. And, thirty-six percent of these high school students say that newspapers must obtain government approval before publishing! In addition, this year, a poll of 1,000 adults revealed that only one of them could name the five freedoms in the First Amendment.”

Hentoff notes about that poll, “…by contrast with its First Amendment tally, forty percent of adults could name two of the three judges on American Idol and twenty five percent could name all three!”

Accordingly, the ACLU-NCA has undertaken to take a small step along this path of one thousand miles. That’s how any long journey begins. We are seeking audiences in the schools and before community groups for short instructional sessions on the First Amendment. We need volunteers for this effort. You will be trained.

Why is this project so important and so urgent? As Hentoff notes, “Harvard Law Professor Laurence Tribe charts the grim future: ‘The more people grow accustomed to a listening environment in which the ear of Big Brother is assumed to be behind every wall, behind every e-mail, and invisibly present in every electronic communication, telephonic or otherwise, the Constitution will be mummified.’”

The future need not be grim. So—sign up, volunteer. Call, e-mail, or write us. Each instructional session should take no more than an hour of your time. We will train you in advance. Also, if you know of a group that could benefit from this project, let us know.

To Apply

Please complete and submit this Speaker's Bureau form (PDF). Contact us with questions or for more information.