Finding Our First Amendment Rights

It remains interesting to see what the courts view as protected and not protected political speech under the First Amendment. Over the last three decades, under the guise of campaign finance reform, courts have held that restrictions can be placed on the rights of individuals and groups to fund political speech.

While that kind of freedom is suppressed, a judge in Portland, Oregon has ruled that a person has the right to ride a bicycle naked through the city as a form of political protest. Judge Jerome Labarre claimed that naked bicycle riding is a "well-established tradition" in Portland. He dismissed charges against Michael Hammond, who said that he will engage in the activity again.