How proficient are Americans in understanding their fundamental rights? Findings from a recent survey suggest that the grasp over the basics leaves much to be desired.
Insights from the
2023 Annenberg Constitution Day Civics Survey uncovered significant deficits in the common understanding of constitutional rights. Respondents were asked to enumerate the rights ensured by the First Amendment.
The results pointed to a disturbing landscape:
- 77% could identify freedom of speech;
- Freedom of religion was known to 40%;
- 33% could recall the right to assembly;
- The freedom of the press was listed by 28%;
- Only 9% could list the right to petition government.
A mere 5 percent of respondents could correctly identify all the freedoms, while 20 percent knew none of the rights portected by the First Amendment. Strikingly, a 22 percent believed that the First Amendment covered the right to bear arms, a right that actually finds its place in the Second Amendment.
However, lack of full comprehension of the First Amendment isn’t restricted to the average citizen. Prominent legal professionals have also stumbled in this area. Then-nominee Amy Coney Barrett found herself struggling to list the First Amendment freedoms during her
confirmation hearing. This shortcoming, however, did not become a hurdle in her ascension to the High Court.
The prevailing knowledge deficits about the Constitution amongst those tasked with its interpretation and application, let alone ordinary citizens, is a concern that warrants addressal.