“The First Amendment and President Trump”

As President Trump moves into the White House, what will become of our First Amendment rights, in particular freedom of press, speech and assembly? During the campaign, Trump demonstrated unprecedented hostility towards the media. This is in the context of market forces, which have already weakened the independent press and slashed budgets for investigative journalism. Trump threatens and intimidates those who publicly criticize him, endangering our freedom of speech. Even the right to assembly is being challenged by the incoming administration. What can we do to maintain a free, open flow of information and a diversity of opinion?

Hugh Taft-Morales joined the Baltimore Ethical Society as its professional leader in 2010, the same year he was certified by the American Ethical Union as an Ethical Culture Leader. He also serves as Leader of the Ethical Humanist Society of Philadelphia. His presence in Ethical Culture has been termed “invigorating.” Taft-Morales lives in Takoma Park, Maryland, with his wife Maureen, a Latin American Analyst with the Congressional Research Service, with whom he has three beloved children, Sean, Maya, and Justin.