Date: Fri, 30 Aug 2002 19:45:53 -0400
From: bobhunt@erols.com
Subject: [lpaz-repost] (fwd) Nearly Half of Americans Think First Amendment Goes Too Far, Survey  Finds
To: Individual-Sovereignty@yahoogroups.com, lpaz-repost@yahoogroups.com, MDLP-NEWS@onelist.com


http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAJ74MBH5D.html

The Tampa Tribune

Aug 29, 2002

Nearly Half of Americans Think First Amendment Goes Too Far, Survey
Finds

By Amber McDowell
Associated Press Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn.  (AP) - Support for the First Amendment has eroded
significantly since Sept.  11 and nearly half of Americans now think the
constitutional amendment on free speech goes too far in the rights it
guarantees, says a poll released Thursday.

The sentiment that the First Amendment goes too far was already on the
rise before the terrorist attacks a year ago, doubling to four in 10
between 2000 and 2001.

The poll found that 49 percent think the First Amendment goes too far, a
total about 10 points higher than in 2001.

"Many Americans view these fundamental freedoms as possible obstacles in
the war on terrorism," said Ken Paulson, executive director of the First
Amendment Center, based in Arlington, Va., which commissioned the
survey.  Almost half also said the media has been too aggressive in
asking the government questions about the war on terrorism.

The center, which also has offices in Nashville, asked the University of
Connecticut's Center for Survey Research and Analysis to measure views
about the First Amendment.

The poll of 1,000 adults was taken between June 12 and July 5, and has
an error margin of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

The researchers said they designed this year's survey, in part, to test
the "public's willingness to tolerate restrictions on the First
Amendment liberties during what they perceive to be wartime."

They found that 48 percent of respondents agreed the government should
have the freedom to monitor religious groups in the interest of national
security - even if that means infringing upon the religious freedom of
the group's members.  Forty-two percent said the government should have
more authority to monitor Muslims.

The survey also found a significant dip in the number of people who
believe newspapers should freely criticize the U.S.  military about its
strategy and performance.  Fifty-seven percent were supportive this
year, compared to 69 percent in 2001.

Seven in 10 respondents agreed newspapers should publish freely, a
slight drop from 2001.  Those less likely to support newspaper rights
included people without a college education, Republicans, and
evangelicals, the survey found.

Republican respondents also were more likely than Democrats or
Independents to see the news media as too aggressive in seeking war
information from government officials.

Among other poll findings:

- About four in 10 favored restrictions on the academic freedom of
professors to criticize government military policy during war.
Twenty-two percent strongly supported such restrictions.

- While 75 percent considered the right to speak freely as "essential,"
almost half, 46 percent, supported amending the Constitution to prohibit
flag burning.

- Sixty-three percent rated the job the American educational system does
in teaching students about First Amendment freedoms as either "fair" or
"poor." Five percent rated the educational system's job in this area as
excellent.

---

On the Net:

Freedom Forum: www.freedomforum.org




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