In light of Sunshine Week, Technician would like to emphasize not only freedom of information, but the five freedoms outlined in the Constitution: freedom of press, speech, religion, assembly and to petition.

Here’s a closer look at those rights, and how you can exercise them to your advantage, on campus.

Freedom of religion

Coexist.

The bumper stickers seem to be everywhere, the religious symbols that make up the letters encouraging people of all religious affiliations to exist in harmony.

But it is because of the First Amendment, ratified in 1791, that all of these religions may be openly practiced.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise there of…” the amendment reads.

Without it, there is a good chance organizations such as the Muslim Student Association, Campus Crusade for Christ or Hillel would not be allowed at N.C. State.

And, it is possible that religious services would not be allowed on campus as they are now.

Freedom of speech

Their messages are loud, clear and often condemning. On any given day, large groups of angry students can be found arguing with “Brickyard preachers,” refuting moral claims and personal attacks. Each year people ask, “Can they really say those things? Where is the separation of church and state?”

But these preachers are protected under the freedom of speech — as long as they have permits from the University.

Academic Freedom is also an aspect of free speech that affects college campuses nationwide. According to the First Amendment Center, the 1957 Supreme Court Case Sweezy v. New Hampshire, the court ruled in favor of Paul Sweezy, a visiting professor at the University of New Hampshire. Sweezy refused to answer questions about whether or not he had given a lecture about his knowledge of the Progressive Party in the state, claiming it was his right under the First Amendment.

Freedom of the press

Citizens are not to be deprived or abridged of their right to speak, write or publish their thoughts. Freedom of the press is inviolable.

Although freedom of press and speech coincide within freedom of expression, the two do vary from each other.

The Court has upheld that the press shall not receive access to information that the general public does not have, nor should it be treated any differently than the public.

And here at N.C. State, in 1992, a group of students exercised a variation of the freedom: the right to begin their own publication, the Nubian Message, when the Technician printed a column criticizing black students’ demands for a black cultural center at UNC-Chapel Hill.

The Technician exercises its freedom each week day through uncensored, student-run and -chosen coverage. However, the paper isn’t given full reign; it strives to uphold ethical standards by, among other aspects, refraining from libel and biased articles.

State and federal courts have upheld, more than 60 times during the past three decades, that freedom of the press forbids school administrators from censoring student-edited publications.

Freedom to petition the government

The right to petition the government allows the public to actively check the government’s actions by allowing the public to create alliances to advocate for their interests. It also harnesses voting power to elicit change within the government.

Citizens, using this right, can focus government attention on unresolved issues, inform elected leaders about unpopular policies and expose governmental misconduct and corruption.

Students can voice their opinions to Student Government in three ways, Student Senate President Greg Doucette said.

An e-mail addressed to [email protected] will reach four people, he said: Student Body President Bobby Mills, Treasurer Jason Smith, Chief Justice Lock Whiteside and Doucette.

Personal e-mail addresses for each student government officer can be found on student government’s Web site, students.ncsu.edu. Many have also posted their phone numbers.

Another option students have is to address student government face-to-face. At the beginning of each open meeting, students who are not actively or were not currently Student Government officials may take up to three minutes “talking about anything they want,” Doucette said.

Freedom to assemble

When Campout participants worried only 1,500 of the 3,200 would receive tickets to the basketball game against UNC-Chapel Hill in February, some prepared to rally outside Holladay Hall.

The situation was resolved and the rally didn’t happen, but it could have — thanks to the right of the people to peaceably assemble, one of the basic freedoms of the First Amendment.

While by law, police officers may disperse crowds that are deemed dangerous, citizens may assemble. They may need permits, which the government must provide in the case of public property.

Sources: firstamendmentcenter.org, findlaw.com,