Blog Post #6

- From the beginnings of the United States, freedom of religion has been a protected right of every citizen of the nation
- So important that it was included in the first amendment of the Bill of Rights
- With its place in the first amendment of the Constitution, it is a duty of the government to ensure this right for every American
- There have been various pieces of legislation passed to ensure the integrity of this right
- Even on college campuses like our own, national legislation has been passed to ensure different religious organizations have the same eligibility for funding as other organizations
- This legislation was proposed earlier this year on Religious Freedom Day by the US Department of Education and backed by the President
- However, it is often called into question what this right really means: Does it mean you can practice and say whatever you want no matter how it affects other religious people or does it mean you must be respectful of other's beliefs?
- This is the root of the issue we seek to examine as religious freedom is certainly a right of all Americans, but how is it defined and how can it be enforced?

Blog Post #5

For our rhetorical analysis research and our upcoming proposal, my group has gathered information on the issue of religious freedom on campus. In our efforts, we have analyzed various stakeholders including the Kentucky Kernel, YAF, President Capilouto, national government, and AUSCS. We have found that religious freedom, which is an issue that is one of the foundations of our country, is not often thought of in recent years and specifically on college campuses. The majority of students have likely seen preachers on campus holding giant signs and yelling which attracts large crowds. It is called into question whether this is an exercise of freedom of religion or a nuisance for students of other religions. The university and organizations seek to bring people together and create an environment that is accepting to all people. Additionally, legislation plays a role in this issue as government seeks to accomplish these tasks and ensure that our constitution is upheld. For our documentary, we hope to analyze this issue and essentially get a feel for students and how they feel they are able to exercise freedom of religion on their campus. We may also ask their opinion on the preachers that are common on campus. Another option that we have discussed to add the effect of credibility to our documentary is to secure an interview with a member of the administration or someone whose job is specialized in diversity. We believe that we can create an effective documentary that gathers opinions of students and sheds light on an issue that is not discussed all that often.