Amd 97 benchmark

Wmeltzer

Informations

• Publié par: Phiom
• Nombre de lectures: 14
• Langue: English

Extrait

Survey on the First Amendment FINAL

    Hello. My name is ____________________ and I ’ m calling from the University of Connecticut. We are conducting a survey on important issues facing the nation and would like your opinions.   To determine who in your household I need to speak with, could you please tell me which person in your household age 18 or older has had the most recent birthday? [If not respondent ask to speak with him or her.]     I. KNOWLEDGE AND OPINIONS ABOUT FIRST AMENDMENT AND AMERICAN SOCIETY   1. As you know the U.S. Constitution provides citizens many rights and freedoms. Are there any particular rights or freedoms that you feel are most important to American society? [ Do not read list provided below]  (Circle all responses) PROBE: Are there any others?    1. Freedom of the press  2. Freedom of speech  3. Freedom not to practice religion  4. Freedom to practice religion  5. Right to petition  6. Right of assembly/Right to association  7. Right to bear arms/own guns  8. Right to trial by jury/fair trial  9. Right to privacy  10. Freedom from unreasonable search and seizure  11. Right to protest  12. Other  99. DK/REF   2. As you may know, the First Amendment is part of the U.S. Constitution. Can you name any of the specific rights that are guaranteed by the First Amendment? (Circle all responses)  1. Freedom of the Press  2. Freedom of Speech  3. Freedom of Religion  4. Right to Petition  5. Right of Assembly/Right to Association _________________________________  6. Other:  9. DK/REF   3. The U.S. Constitution protects certain rights, but not everyone considers each right important. I am going to read you some rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Please tell me how important it is that you have that right. First, how important is it that (ROTATE) . . . Is it essential that you have this right, important but not essential, or not that important.     A. You have the right to assemble, march, protest or petition the government about causes and issues    1. Essential  2. Important   

                                                                                                        

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3. Not that important 9. DK/REF You have the right to speak freely about whatever you want 1. Essential 2. Important 3. Not that important 9. DK/REF You have the right to practice the religion of your choice 1. Essential 2. Important 3. Not that important 9. DK/REF You have the right to practice no religion 1. Essential 2. Important 3. Not that important 9. DK/REF You have the right to be informed by a free press 1. Essential 2. Important 3. Not that important 9. DK/REF You have the right to own firearms 1. Essential 2. Important 3. Not that important 9. DK/REF You have the right to privacy 1. Essential 2. Important 3. Not that important 9. DK/REF You have the right to a fair trial 1. Essential 2. Important 3. Not that important 9. DK/REF

     4a. The First Amendment became part of the U.S. Constitution over 200 years ago. This is what it says: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise of religion; or of abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances". Imagine that the country was again voting to ratify the First Amendment. If you were voting on whether or not to approve it, how would you vote?    1. Approve it  2. Not approve it Æ Ask Q4b.  9. DK/REF    4b. Why wouldn't you approve it? PROBE: What would have to be changed for you to approve it?   _______________________________________________________        _______________________________________________________        _______________________________________________________        5. How closely do you pay attention to issues involving the First Amendment's freedoms of speech, press, religion, assembly and petition -- do you pay a lot of attention, some, just a little, or not much at all?    1. A Lot  2. Some  3. Just a little  4. Not much at all  9. DK/REF   6. Please tell me if you agree or disagree with the following statement: Americans don't appreciate First Amendment freedoms the way they ought to PROBE: Do you strongly or mildly (agree/disagree)?    1. Strongly agree  2. Mildly agree  3. Mildly disagree  4. Strongly disagree  9. DK/REF   7. Even though the U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of the press, government has placed some restrictions on it. Overall, do you think the press in America has too much freedom to do what it wants, too little freedom to do what it wants, or is the amount of freedom the press has about right?    1. Too much freedom  2. Too little freedom  3. About right  9. DK/REF  

  

8. Even though the U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, government has placed some restrictions on it. Overall, do you think Americans have too much freedom to speak freely, too little freedom to speak freely, or is the amount of freedom people have to speak freely about right?    1. Too much freedom  2. Too little freedom  3. About right  9. DK/REF   9. Even though the U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, government has placed some restrictions on it. Overall, do you think Americans have too much religious freedom, too little religious freedom, or is the amount of religious freedom people have about right?    1. Too much freedom  2. Too little freedom  3. About right  9. DK/REF   10. Do you think that imposing curfews on young people violates their First Amendment rights or not?    1. Violates rights  2. Not violate rights  9. DK/REF   11. Overall, would you say that the moral values in American society are improving, deteriorating, or aren't they changing all that much?    1. Improving  2. Deteriorating  3. Not changing  9. DK/REF   12. Please tell me whether or not you have done any of the following in the past year. First (ROTATE ITEMS) . . .    A. Displayed an American flag at your home    1. Yes  2. No  9. DK/REF    B. Voted in an election    1. Yes  2. No  9. DK/REF    C. Participated in a political rally    1. Yes  2. No   

 9. DK/REF    D. Attended a public meeting    1. Yes  2. No  9. DK/REF    E. Contacted an elected official    1. Yes  2. No  9. DK/REF    F. Sent a letter to the editor    1. Yes  2. No  9. DK/REF   II. FREEDOM OF SPEECH   1. I ' m going to read you some ways people might exercise their First Amendment right of free speech. For each, tell me if you agree or disagree that someone should be free to do it. First (ROTATE) . . . Do you agree or disagree that people should be free to do this? PROBE: Do you strongly or mildly (agree/disagree)?  Strongly Mildly Mildly Strongly  agree agree disagree disagree    A. People should be allowed to express unpopular  opinions 1 2 3 4    B. Companies should be allowed to advertise tobacco 1 2 3 4    C. Companies should be allowed to advertise liquor  and alcohol products 1 2 3 4    D. The media should be allowed to broadcast  pictures of nude or partially clothed persons 1 2 3 4    E. Musicians should be allowed to sing songs with  words that others might find offensive 1 2 3 4    F. People should be allowed to place sexually  explicit material on the Internet 1 2 3 4    G. People should be allowed to burn or deface the  American flag as a political statement 1 2 3 4    H. School students should be allowed to wear a

  

   

  

   

T-shirt with a message or picture that others may find offensive

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 Strongly Mildly Mildly Strongly  agree agree disagree disagree    I. People should be allowed to use words in public  that might be offensive to racial groups 1 2 3 4    J. People should be allowed to display in a public  place art that has content that might be  offensive to others 1 2 3 4   ________________________________________ 14a1-14a3: FORM A 15b1-14b3: FORM B     FORM A 2. Which comes closest to your own opinion: Novels that describe explicit sex acts (ROTATE)  1. Have no place in a school library and should be banned, OR  2. Should be permitted in the library if they are worth while literature ============   Don = t Read 3. Neither (vol.) Don = t Read 9. DK/REF   FORM B 2. Which comes closest to your own opinion: Novels that describe explicit sex acts (ROTATE)  1. Have no place in a public school library and should be banned, OR  2. Should be permitted in the library if they are worth while literature ============   Don = t Read 3. Neither (vol.) Don = t Read 9. DK/REF   _______________________________________ FORM A 3. Would you say that giving government the power to decide which TV programs can or cannot be shown (ROTATE)  1. Violates the public ’ s right to watch what it pleases, OR  2. Is necessary to protect the public against violent or obscene shows   ============ Don = t Read 3. Neither (vol.) Don = t Read 9. DK/REF   FORM B 3. Would you say that giving government the power to decide which TV programs can or cannot be shown (ROTATE)  1. Violates the public ’ s right to watch what it pleases, OR  2. Is necessary to protect the public against shows with violent or sexual content ============   Don = t Read 3. Neither (vol.) Don = t Read 9. DK/REF   ______________________________________________________  

  

FORM A 4. Do you think that books that could show terrorists how to build bombs should be (ROTATE)  1. Banned from pubic libraries, OR  2. Available in the library like every other book   ============ Don = t Read 3. Neither (vol.) Don = t Read 9. DK/REF   FORM B 4. Do you think that books that could show how to build bombs should be (ROTATE)  1. Banned from pubic libraries, OR  2. Available in the library like every other book ============   Don = t Read 3. Neither (vol.) Don = t Read 9. DK/REF ______________________________________________________       15. Some people feel that the U.S. Constitution should be amended to make it illegal to burn or desecrate the American Flag as a form of political dissent. Others say that the U.S. Constitution should not be amended to specifically prohibit flag burning. Do you think the U.S. Constitution should or should not be amended to prohibit burning or desecrating the flag.     1. Should be amended  2. Should not be amended  9. DK/REF    IF "SHOULD BE AMENDED" IN Q5, ASK:  15a. If an amendment prohibiting flag burning were approved, it would be the first time any of the freedoms in the First Amendment have been amended in over 200 years. Knowing this, would you still support an amendment to prohibit flag burning?    1. Yes  2. No  9. DK/REF     

  

15b. Please Tell me if you agree or disagree with the following statement. It's dangerous to restrict freedom of speech because restricting the freedom of one person could lead to restrictions on everybody.. (PROBE: Do you strongly or mildly agree/disagree) 1. Strongly agree 2. Mildly Agree 3. Mildly Disagree 4. Strongly Disagree 9. DK/REF

  III. FREEDOM OF THE PRESS   16. To the best of your recollection, have you read or heard anything about a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling regarding the internet? IF YES: How much have you read or heard -- a lot, some, or just a little?    1. No-Not read/heard  2. Yes-a lot  3. Yes-some  4. Yes-a little  9. DK/REF   17. As you may know courts have traditionally given broad First Amendment protections to books and newspapers which contain material that may be offensive to some people. Recently the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that material on the internet has the same First Amendment protections as printed material such as books and newspapers. Do you agree or disagree with this ruling? PROBE: Do you strongly or mildly (agree/disagree)?    1. Strongly agree  2. Mildly agree  3. Mildly disagree  4. Strongly disagree  9. DK/REF   18. There has been a lot of talk lately about rating television programs. Do you think that government has a role to play in developing a system to rate television programs or do you think government should not be involved?    1. Government should be involved  2. Government should not be involved  9. DK/REF   19. Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with the following statement: Tabloid newspapers such as The Star and the Inquirer should have the same freedom to publish what they want as other newspapers such as The New York Times and Wall Street Journal. PROBE: Do you strongly or mildly (agree/disagree)?    1. Strongly agree  2. Mildly agree  3. Mildly disagree  4. Strongly disagree  9. DK/REF   20. Overall, how would you rate the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of the press in helping the public become informed about issues in government -- excellent, good, only fair, or poor?    1. Excellent  2. Good  3. Only fair  4. Poor  9. DK/REF   

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I'm going to read you some ways that freedom of the press may be exercised. For each, tell me if you agree or disagree that the press should be free to do it. First (ROTATE) . . . Do you agree or disagree that the press should be free to do this? PROBE: Do you strongly or mildly (agree/disagree)?  Strongly Mildly Mildly Strongly  agree agree disagree disagree A. Newspapers should be allowed to publish  freely without government approval of a story 1 2 3 4   B. Journalists should be allowed to keep a  news source confidential 1 2 3 4   C. Broadcasters should be allowed to televise  courtroom trials 1   D. Newspapers should be allowed to endorse or  criticize political candidates 1 E. The news media should be allowed to report  government secrets that have come  to journalists' attention 1   F. Television networks should be allowed to project  winners of an election while people are still  voting 1 G. High school students should be allowed to report  controversial issues in their student newspaper  without approval of school authorities 1   H. Journalists should be allowed to use hidden  cameras in their reporting 1

  21.                                                                 22. Please tell me which comes closest to your opinion: If a news photographer takes a picture of a famous person with a prostitute, the photos should be (ROTATE)    1. Permitted under the guarantees of a free press, OR  2. Forbidden as an invasion of privacy ============   Don = t Read 3. Neither (vol.) Don = t Read 9. DK/REF  

  

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  23. Do you think that jailing reporters who refuse to reveal their news sources during trial (ROTATE) . . .    1. Is justified when the names are necessary for a fair trial, OR  2. Is wrong because people with important information will be afraid to tell the truth to reporters ============   Don = t Read 3. Neither (vol.) Don = t Read 9. DK/REF   24. Before a criminal case comes to trial, do you think that reporters who have found out certain facts of the case should be:  1. Forbidden to publish the information since it might bias jurors, OR  2. Allowed to publish the information because no one, not even a judge, should be able to censor the press   ============ Don = t Read 3. Neither (vol.) Don = t Read 9. DK/REF     IV. FREEDOM OF RELIGION   25. I'm going to read you some ways people might exercise their First Amendment right of freedom of religion. For each, tell me if you agree or disagree that someone should be free to do it. First (ROTATE) . . . Do you agree or disagree that people should be free to do this? PROBE: Do you strongly or mildly (agree/disagree)?    Strongly Mildly Mildly Strongly  agree  agree disagree disagree    A. People should be allowed to display religious  symbols on government property 1 2 3 4    B. Public school students should be allowed to form a  religious club that meets on school property 1 2 3 4    C. Teachers or other public school officials should  be allowed to lead prayers in school? 1 2 3 4     26. Do you feel that freedom to worship as one pleases (ROTATE):  1. Applies to all religious groups regardless of how extreme their beliefs are, OR  2. Was never meant to apply to religious groups that the majority of people consider  extreme or on the fringe. ============   Don = t Read 3. Neither (vol.) Don = t Read 9. DK/REF