FRANK Talks – Know Your First Amendment: What is freedom of speech, press, religion and assembly?

Gail Rhodes, Arizona State University, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication

The recent uproar over NFL players taking a knee during the national anthem has sparked a nation-wide debate about free speech rights and the First Amendment. Learn how discourse around such hot-button topics can lead to misunderstanding about the First Amendment. What did the founding fathers mean when they wrote the First Amendment? What is the true spirit of the First Amendment? How can Americans allow for differences of opinion while maintaining civility and protection of individual constitutional rights? Join us for a lively FRANK Talk to discuss the First Amendment and the spirit of a healthy democracy.

Gail Rhodes is a PhD student and an adjunct professor at the Cronkite School with more than 16 years of professional experience working as a television reporter. She worked for the Fox Sports Network in Chicago and helped to launch the Comcast Sports Network. Rhodes has been an adjunct professor for Cronkite since 2014, where she teaches advanced television sports reporting, and advanced topics in sports media. Her doctoral studies focus on the intersection of sports culture, media and society.