The privilege of freedom is bound in one amendment, an amendment seldom remembered. The first amendment in our incomparable Bill of Rights is what divides the United States from every other existing nation because it allows American citizens five, undeniable freedoms. These freedoms are often taken for granted and sadly, many Americans are not knowledgeable of their five rights. According to WWW.usgovinfo.about.com, only 28 percent of Americans are able to name more than one of their foundational rights.
We should take pride in the divine country we dwell in; it is a tremendous shame to be unaware of rights that a lot of other people don’t have. The reason that most Americans take their rights for granted is because they were born having them.
Many of us in the United States live comfortable lives. We have never been under an autocracy other than our parents’. No high-authority figure dictates our beliefs, actions, or thoughts. We freely continue with our day unaware of the fact that many individuals in other countries have no rights whatsoever. We go about our days unaware that individuals in other countries fight for even an ounce of freedom.
My only desire is that you remember your five freedoms. I want us students to never forget our rights because we are lucky enough to have something most people don’t have.
Here in the United States, we are allowed religious freedom. We have the opportunity to believe in absolutely anything without facing opposition from our government. This is a right that may seem all too obvious to us, but is it a right that is virtually nonexistent in other countries. According to Ecumenical International News, a handful of individuals in North Korea were arrested and some even executed for associating with religious groups across their border. Human beings who live in North Korea are prohibited from taking part in both private and public religious acts. This piece of information completely astounds me. Even here in Turlock we have a magnitude of religions that are all practiced without disturbance from authorities. The spectrum of belief in the United States seems to be almost infinite, while in other countries, practicing one’s own religion is frowned upon. We have the opportunity to publicly declare our beliefs while many other countries are not even granted the right to declare their beliefs in their own homes.
Our freedom of speech is probably the most active freedom in the lives of young adults. We hold the opportunity to speak out against aspects of our government that we do not completely agree with, without facing punishment. If an individual were to disagree with their country’s form of government in a communist country, they would most likely be put under arrest. Even the most benign statements against their countries could be considered insolent statements that are worthy of imprisonment. If you feel that something in our government is twisted, you are able to speak out against it without being censored or punished.
We have freedom of the press which means that our government cannot limit or control what we publish. I am able to write this article without permission from our government because I am allowed freedom of the press. In this article, I am able to voice my opinions on virtually any topic without being censored. Thomas Jefferson once said, “Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.” It is simple; when we lose our ability to write whatever we please, we completely lose liberty.
Freedom of the press stretches beyond writing; it covers media as well. We have the right to paint pictures that depict our personal opinions on any topic. We are able to make music that opposes virtually any idea. Also, we have the opportunity to broadcast our opinions without facing any form of consequence. In the life of young adults, it’s taken for granted that we express ourselves through art, music, and writing.
United States citizens have the right to petition any court, Congress, and state government legislatures. This is exceedingly important in a democracy because it is an open door to shaping our government. If you believe that there is injustice in your government, you have the right address the government to voice your opinion and the government cannot punish you for disagreeing with your ideas. This freedom allows the government to know the opinions of citizens so that they may take steps for improvement. Your opposing ideas might even change the way our government is ran, if your ideas have legitimate support.
The right to peaceful assembly gives U.S. citizens the opportunity to express any idea and also peaceably gather to promote it. The protest must be civil because under heavily opinionated situations, it is very easy to become angry and violent. If we disagree with a law or proposition of any sort, we may gather with others and protest nonviolently. Protests help raise awareness of citizen’s likes and dislikes in the government.
Exercising our rights is what makes us so lucky to live under democracy, but so many people take it for granted. I am incredibly grateful for my five freedoms and grateful that it’s possible for so many people to be able to possess them, too.