This is the Freedom Tower, soon to be (at least for it's first four years) the tallest building in the world. What could be more appropriate to replace the World Trade Center than the Freedom Tower, the Statue of Liberty in its shadow? Briefly I mentioned that our next essay will cover Freedom of Speech, the 1st Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, the key symbol of our democracy, our liberty and our freedom. And here it is, in its entirety:

Amendment I

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 peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Not much to it is there? It expressly forbids Congress to make certain laws. That's all. The Founding Fathers were brilliant in their simplicity and ability to create a document that could transcend time and reach us in the 21st Century.

Nonetheless, the broad shoulders of the Constitution do not allow us the privilege to yell fire in a crowded theatre, should there be no fire. It does not state that states cannot create laws to abridge what we say or print, and it does not mean that we are subject to lewd, vulgar and lascivious language at someone else's whim. Although the other "rights" granted (religion, assembly and petition) have often become the topic of controversy, it is Freedom of Speech and the Press that dominates our beliefs and frequently places us in heated debates.

Over the next few weeks we'll discuss our "rights" and the responsibilities that go along with this powerful tool. Along the way, I'll add to my collection of bios by covering three historically controversial figures in the fight for the right to speak untethered. Among them, this guy:

Lenny Bruce