The development of a specific political phenomenon

Explain the development of a specific political phenomenon of your own choosing Americans today consider a civil liberty. Using specific case law as evidence, explain how this liberty was first recognized, how it became salient, and how it either expanded or contracted over the course of its expression.

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One specific political phenomenon that Americans today consider a civil liberty is the right to privacy. This right is not explicitly mentioned in the United States Constitution, but it has been developed by the Supreme Court over the course of many years.

The first case in which the Supreme Court recognized a right to privacy was Griswold v. Connecticut (1965). In this case, the Court struck down a Connecticut law that prohibited married couples from using contraception. The Court held that the law violated the right to privacy, which it described as a “right to be let alone” and a “zone of privacy” within which married couples could make their own decisions about their reproductive lives.

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The right to privacy was further expanded in the case of Roe v. Wade (1973). In this case, the Court struck down a Texas law that prohibited abortion except to save the life of the mother. The Court held that the right to privacy includes a woman’s right to choose whether or not to have an abortion.

The right to privacy has also been applied to other areas of life, such as the right to same-sex marriage and the right to refuse medical treatment. In the case of Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), the Court held that the right to privacy includes a fundamental right to same-sex marriage. In the case of Cruzan v. Missouri Director of Health (1990), the Court held that the right to privacy includes a right to refuse medical treatment, even if that refusal leads to death.

The right to privacy is a fundamental civil liberty that is essential to individual autonomy and freedom. It has been recognized and expanded by the Supreme Court over the course of many years, and it is now protected by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

It is important to note that the right to privacy is not absolute. The government can infringe on the right to privacy if it has a compelling interest in doing so. For example, the government can require people to get a driver’s license or to pay taxes. However, the government cannot infringe on the right to privacy without a compelling interest.

The right to privacy is a complex and evolving area of law. However, it is clear that the right to privacy is a fundamental civil liberty that is essential to individual autonomy and freedom.

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