The Six Freedoms and the Black Lives Matter Movement

  

    Recent changes to the Black Lives Matter Movement in 2020 have drastically conflicted with the six freedoms and first amendment rights. On May 25th, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year old black male was brutally beaten and killed by two white male police officers. It is evident that these actions by federal authorities are proven unlawful given that there was the negligence of peaceable assembly. Ashley M Eick, writing as a J.D. candidate at the William and Mary Law School, has argued that "such a militarized police response poses a chilling effect on the right of peaceable assembly, which American Founders guaranteed in the First Amendment". Recognizing the importance of public safety, Eick argued that the state should have to prove the existence of "clear and present danger" of violence before employing militarized forces. 

    These violent and repetitive actions continue to sadden our communities and challenge equality and the rights of the people. Freedom of Speech has also been challenged during the Black Lives Matter Movement as "a number of judges have barred attorneys and others from wearing Black Lives Matter pins or clothing in courtrooms, bring up first amendment concerns" (The First Amendment Encyclopedia, Deborah Fisher). The First Amendment does not condone restricting this kind of speech, although there are limitations on speech, it is unlawful to take away this right from the people. The First Amendment also doesn't condone violence from federal authority unless there is clear and present danger, in which most of these cases had no evidence of. These actions should no longer continue and it is up to us to change this narrative and fight for justice and equality. 

https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1512/black-lives-matter 

The History and Workings of The Supreme Court

The Workings of SCOTUS

     The United States Supreme Court is one of the most fundamental aspects of law in the United States. The Supreme Court is head of the judicial branch of the government and was established by the U.S. Constitution. Currently, the court is made up of nine justices in which they analyze the constitutionality of laws and have ultimate jurisdiction over all laws in the United States. The Supreme Court also has power over the actions of the executive branch of the government as well as the legislative branch of Congress. 

The History of SCOTUS

    The U.S. Supreme Court was established in 1789 and was apart of Article Three of the Constitution. The legislative branch of the court first exercised its power with the Judiciary Act of 1789. President George Washington signed the act in specifying that there will be six justices that will serve the court. The Court's first-ever meeting was on February 2, 1790, and was primarily concentrated on working out organizational procedures of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court's justices are nominated by the President of the United States and are either confirmed or denied by the U.S. Senate. The chief justice officer is one of the highest judicial officers in the nation. The chief justice is responsible for planning an agenda in accordance with the court's weekly meetings. The chief justice is also responsible for trials of impeachment against the President of the United States in the U.S. Senate. Popular cases in Supreme Court history include Plessy v Furguson, Engel v Vitale, and Gideon v Wainwright.