First Amendment Rights
Freedom of Speech and the Exercise of Religion
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that "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 to peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." This restraint on government's right to interfere with our basic freedoms was enshrined in our nation's Constitution when the Bill of Rights was adopted in 1791 and extended to the states and local governments through the 14th Amendment.
Where these rights are violated, citizens may seek justice through the legal system. The Becker Law Firm actively seeks cases for litigation where individuals have been subjected to discrimination based on their Christian or conservative views. These types of discrimination cases may occur in the workplace, in public schools or higher educational institutions, or in other types of social situations.
To learn more about the types of cases which the firm handles, please review the following information. Click on the highlighted areas to be directed to further pages concerning the topic.
Christian and Conservative Advocacy Information Center
Intellectual Freedom
Intellectual freedom is the right to express one's views and ideas without government showing favoritism or giving preference to one view over another. Under Article 19 of the United Nation's Declaration of Human Rights, intellectual freedom is defined as the right to freedom of opinion and expression. Intellectual ideas, theories, assumptions, and conclusions put forth by individuals, whether in the workplace, in educational environments, or elsewhere may not form the basis of discrimination, defamation, or other negative treatment.
Too often, Christians and conservatives are denied the right to express their viewpoints - such as their views on global warming, climate change, Creationism, intelligent design, abortion, gay marriage, illegal immigration and terrorism. Indeed, even the American Library Association, which has developed a manual on intellectual freedom, has been guilty of suppressing the very intellectual rights they purport to champion, as The Becker Law Firm discovered. (See Mr. Becker's article, "The American Library Association's Stealth Jihad Against Free Speech."
Intellectual Freedom Matters In The News:
Academic Freedom
Citizens are guaranteed the free exchange of ideas in academic settings, such as public schools, colleges, and universities. Whether it is a college professor who is denied tenure due to his religious views, or a political speaker who is denied the right to speak on a college campus, those in academic environments should not face discriminatory action due to the expression of their religious or conservative perspectives. The Becker Law Firm will aggressively pursue the vindication of rights denied within the hallowed halls of academia. (See, for example, Mr. Becker's letter on behalf of the David Horowitz Freedom Center)..
Academic Freedom Cases In The News:
Defamation
Defamation involves making intentionally false statements about an individual, whether spoken or written, which causes harm to his or her reputation or social standing. Libel and slander are acts of defamation against which an individual may seek legal recourse through the courts. Mr. Becker represents bloggers, journalists and others who publish their opinions to protect them against false claims of defamation. (See, for example, his efforts assisting the ChrsitianFightPilot.com web site here in the article "Weinstein Fails to Intimidate with Lawsuit, Military Complaint."
Defamation Case:
Political Speech
Under the speech rights guaranteed by the Constitution, citizens may express their political viewpoints via political speech. The right to voice one's political ideas is not limited, except where it violates libel, slander, obscenity, or copyright laws, or is used to incite the commission of a crime.
Political Speech Cases:
Religious Freedom
The freedom to worship in a given way or to observe, practice, or teach the tenets of one's religion is a fundamental human right granted under the U.S. Constitution which applies to individuals and communities. Those who practice Christianity are protected under law and may seek legal redress where they are subject to discrimination or the prevention of exercising their religious beliefs.
Religious Freedom Cases:
Viewpoint Discrimination
Viewpoint discrimination refers to discriminatory actions or treatment against individuals based on their personal views, such as religious or political views. This type of discrimination is prohibited where freedom of speech is allowed. Those individuals expressing Christian or conservative views may not have their freedom of expression violated or be subject to unfair treatment at work, at school, or in social disputes.
Viewpoint Discrimination Cases:
Employment Discrimination
The law prohibits employment discrimination based on one's religion, creed, political affiliation, race, national origin, age, or gender. This prohibition in the area of employment extends to hiring, firing, promotion, demotion, training, job assignment, and pay.
Employment Discrimination Cases:
Discuss Your Case with a California Constitutional Law Attorney
If you believe that you have been subjected to discrimination based on your Christian or conservative views, you may have a valid case of viewpoint discrimination which can be remedied through the courts. Contact the firm to get the experienced and dedicated legal counsel needed to ensure that your constitutional rights are protected and asserted today.