Whereas, The First Amendment states; “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”; and,
Whereas, People have the right to speak freely without government interference
or fear of censorship or imprisonment; and,
Whereas, Americans have the right to publish news, information, opinions, create
and print their own newspapers, newsletters and magazines and broadcast programs
to freely express their views without government interference; and,
Whereas, Each person has the right to practice or not practice any faith they
so choose and the government is prohibited from establishing a national religion;
and,
Whereas, People have the right to gather in public to march, protest, demonstrate,
carry signs, join and associate with groups and organizations and otherwise
express their views in a nonviolent way; and,
Whereas, Americans have the right to know and need to know about the working
of their state government and have the right to appeal to the government in
favor of or against policies that affect them, this includes the right to gather
signatures in support of a cause and to lobby legislative bodies for or against
any kind of proposed law; and now therefore be it,
Resolved, That I, Jennifer M. Granholm, Governor of the State of Michigan,
do hereby proclaim January, 2004, as First Amendment Month in Michigan and I
urge all citizens to recognize and exercise the rights and freedoms provided
to you by our government and the First Amendment.