Ministry of Truth has an essay up on First Amendment Rights.
We had rights — at one time.
We still have rights — IF you are granted them.
I have to reference this diary from DK I did two and a half years ago. In it, I detail how protesters are being silenced using existing law. But, that brings us to the point; we had rights. We still do — IF you are allowed to use them.
When our founding fathers wrote the Constitution, they detailed our government and how it would work. When they wrote and ratified the Bill of Rights, they did so outlining the very basic of rights all Americans were guaranteed.
In the First Amendment, American citizens are granted the right to peaceably assemble. No where in the First Amendment does it state that you can only do so if you have a permit.
Restrictions on our rights is wholly due to a government that decided that freedom, any freedom, should be curtailed. It is due to a government that believes that it is too big to fail. It is due to a government that fears the masses, and thus, work to keep the masses in check through force and intimidation.