What if the first amendment explicitly mentioned freedom of association? How different would the country be today? What laws would be overturned on these grounds?
What definition do you mean by "Association"
Politicians would've weaseled their way around it, probably using war as an excuse, just like they have for the rest of the first amendment, as well as the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth amendments (and that's just for the war on terror!).
Verily, Congress's recent paffage of the Alien and Fedition Acts fhows how far we've fallen.