What Does the First Amendment Mean to You?
Keagan Felker
If you don’t mind me asking, what does the First Amendment mean to you?
The First Amendment is a strong and expressive right that every American citizen is entitled to. Anybody from 9 to 90, and everywhere in-between has the right to freely express themselves through speech, religion, petitioning, etc. Even though this is a very applicable right, there is always a possibility that it may be infringed upon in the next hundred years. There are already instances where it seems that a person’s first amendment rights are already violated. At this point, the individual or group may petition what they’re speaking for, as well as assemble (whether it be peaceably, or violently). This is all within their rights as an American. Under other circumstances, the issue may be taken to court. In some cases, the issue can make it all the way to the Supreme Court (e.g. Tinker v. Des Moines, Schenck v. United States, etc.). “Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us." - William O. Douglas. I strongly agree with Mr. Douglas on this quote. William O. Douglas worked on the U.S. Supreme Court, so if anybody knew the first amendment, it would be this gentleman. When he says that restricting free thought and speech are un-American, I agree. I agree because the freedoms of the first amendment are rights-not privileges. Everybody is entitled to them.
The first amendment can always have a lot of cause and effect action. For example, if an individual gets enough support for an argument they’re making, they can rally a group, create a petition, and express their views by assembling to protest or even riot against the government or whoever they’re petitioning. There is kind of a snowball effect. People will use their freedom of speech against anything from drafts for the military and fighting wars, to government spending and political decisions. If somebody disagrees with anything, they will find others with the same views to back them up in a petition against the government or whatever it is that they want to fight for. They are also well within their rights to do so. Sometimes their rights aren’t enough. The authority at hand will find a way to get the protest off the street. This, in some cases, is when a peaceful protest turns to an all-out riot - once somebody gets between a group and their cause. Another time when people really take the first amendment to heart is during times of war. Whether a group is opposing or in support of a war, they are bound to speak their opinions. If they feel strongly enough, they won’t let anybody or anything get them to stop.
I believe everybody should have the same rights to free speech, religion, and expression. It should not matter whether that individual is in a school, on the sidewalk, or inside the government. The fact that they are an American citizen should be reason enough to have this freedom. Age, race, education, social stature, etc. should not have any influence on their right to the first amendment. There are cases where school authorities seem to restrict the rights of their students, since they are in an institution where the authority’s rule goes and that’s that. I thought we were getting through the age of oppression, discrimination and racism. Apparently not as much as we think we are.
There are still uprisings in all kinds of places, from lower class neighborhoods, to schools, and city streets. Nothing will stop a true American from speaking and fighting for something they feel passionate about. It’s in our blood to do what’s right if we see something wrong-to fight for what we believe in, no matter our race, social status or age. So will it take a hundred years for the first amendment to be strongly infringed upon? Why not fifty? Ten? The next six months? It only takes one incident. Until then, we’ll just keep speaking up for our rights and standing up for what we believe in.
Keagan Felker
If you don’t mind me asking, what does the First Amendment mean to you?
The First Amendment is a strong and expressive right that every American citizen is entitled to. Anybody from 9 to 90, and everywhere in-between has the right to freely express themselves through speech, religion, petitioning, etc. Even though this is a very applicable right, there is always a possibility that it may be infringed upon in the next hundred years. There are already instances where it seems that a person’s first amendment rights are already violated. At this point, the individual or group may petition what they’re speaking for, as well as assemble (whether it be peaceably, or violently). This is all within their rights as an American. Under other circumstances, the issue may be taken to court. In some cases, the issue can make it all the way to the Supreme Court (e.g. Tinker v. Des Moines, Schenck v. United States, etc.). “Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us." - William O. Douglas. I strongly agree with Mr. Douglas on this quote. William O. Douglas worked on the U.S. Supreme Court, so if anybody knew the first amendment, it would be this gentleman. When he says that restricting free thought and speech are un-American, I agree. I agree because the freedoms of the first amendment are rights-not privileges. Everybody is entitled to them.
The first amendment can always have a lot of cause and effect action. For example, if an individual gets enough support for an argument they’re making, they can rally a group, create a petition, and express their views by assembling to protest or even riot against the government or whoever they’re petitioning. There is kind of a snowball effect. People will use their freedom of speech against anything from drafts for the military and fighting wars, to government spending and political decisions. If somebody disagrees with anything, they will find others with the same views to back them up in a petition against the government or whatever it is that they want to fight for. They are also well within their rights to do so. Sometimes their rights aren’t enough. The authority at hand will find a way to get the protest off the street. This, in some cases, is when a peaceful protest turns to an all-out riot - once somebody gets between a group and their cause. Another time when people really take the first amendment to heart is during times of war. Whether a group is opposing or in support of a war, they are bound to speak their opinions. If they feel strongly enough, they won’t let anybody or anything get them to stop.
I believe everybody should have the same rights to free speech, religion, and expression. It should not matter whether that individual is in a school, on the sidewalk, or inside the government. The fact that they are an American citizen should be reason enough to have this freedom. Age, race, education, social stature, etc. should not have any influence on their right to the first amendment. There are cases where school authorities seem to restrict the rights of their students, since they are in an institution where the authority’s rule goes and that’s that. I thought we were getting through the age of oppression, discrimination and racism. Apparently not as much as we think we are.
There are still uprisings in all kinds of places, from lower class neighborhoods, to schools, and city streets. Nothing will stop a true American from speaking and fighting for something they feel passionate about. It’s in our blood to do what’s right if we see something wrong-to fight for what we believe in, no matter our race, social status or age. So will it take a hundred years for the first amendment to be strongly infringed upon? Why not fifty? Ten? The next six months? It only takes one incident. Until then, we’ll just keep speaking up for our rights and standing up for what we believe in.