Just to prove that our economy is not the only aspect of American life in recession, we are also declining in our fundamental belief in basic freedoms. A recent poll discovered that 49 percent of Americans believe that the First Amendment goes too far. For those far removed from what the First Amendment actually says, here you go:

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.

In other words, Congress cannot pass any law making any religion the religion of the United States, or take away the freedom to worship as one pleases. Congress cannot take away or restrict freedom of speech or freedom of the press. Citizens may protect themselves against damaging insults spoken or written about them by civil lawsuits, and no one may advocate (call for) the overthrow of the government by war. Congress may not take away the right of peaceful assembly (gathering of people). Riots or mobs may be broken up, since they are not peaceful. The right of petitioning the government for any redress (correction) wanted made by it, or any grievance (complaint) made against it, may not be suspended.

That was the first amendment our forefathers ever made to the Constitution in the Bill of Rights, and 226 years later, half the country believes that it goes too far. There are many of the amendments that I have little opinion about or downright dislike. The second amendment has been interpreted to allow any citizen over 18 the right to a gun without training or explanation of purchase. I grumble but allow this freedom. The fifth amendment allows obvious criminals (white and blue collar alike) the opportunity to never confess the horrific transgressions they inflict on the American people. Again, I shake my head and allow the freedom. The 16th Amendment allows Congress to tax us whatever it wants. The 18th Amendment forbade the sale of liquor, and it was met with such uproar that it was eventually repealed with the 21st Amendment. Amendment 26 allows eighteen-year-olds to vote, but most of them don't really care. To sum up, there are many amendments that have questionable value, but the First Amendment is one of the main reasons that I continue to be proud of living in America.

Being a writer, this shouldn't come as a surprise, but I do want to point something out. Without First Amendment protection, several columns written by the Shut Up, I'm Talking crew might be considered grounds for arrest. We regularly criticize administrations, groups of people, individual decisions and critique the entire span of American society. While it's safe to say we never threatened to overthrow the government by means of war, there are dozens of ways that we would like to overthrow certain aspects of American life. The way we do this is through writing whatever we want on the Internet, hoping to arouse a bit of discussion or personal contemplation by the reader.

Since the one and only foreign terrorist attack on American soil last year, many Americans are willing to give up basic freedoms in the name of Homeland Security. They think there is nothing wrong with the government infiltrating religious groups and breaking up meetings by anything considered a counter-culture group. I cannot stress how wrong this type of thinking is.

Once a freedom is taken away, it is very difficult to ever get it back. It took ten years to repeal prohibition, and that was a clear-cut issue. To drink or not to drink. The First Amendment is broad and nuanced, but that's the best thing about it. I would rather have too much freedom with the First Amendment than not enough. When the President talks about protecting our freedoms, I'd like to think that the First Amendment is at the top of the list. It was at the top of the list for our forefathers.

The problems of our country do not stem from having too much freedom, but the abuses of our freedom. We should never be frightened by anything, be it terrorists, hostile regimes or blue-haired baddies, enough to take away our own rights.

On this Labor Day Weekend, I can think of many freedoms that I enjoy: write a column in lieu of going to church on Sunday, purchase alcohol at 11:45 at night, drive from coast to coast without explanation, read the works of Edward Abbey, Kurt Vonnegut & Malcolm X, watch baseball, football, basketball & soccer on television, rent movies of every genre and rating, climb to the top of the Sandia Mountains, believe whatever I want about the creation of the world, listen to NOFX, Miles Davis & Bob Dylan, praise or disagree with any foreign or domestic policy, and sit in my living room watching my plants slowly grow.

Most of these freedoms have something to do with the First (and my favorite) Amendment. So to the 49 percent who think this freedom goes to far, I'd like to suggest that maybe you don't take your freedom far enough.

Chris Jungle is an assembly of one.