Argumentative Essay: Is America An Anthem Society?

Freedom of speech is one of the many essential core values that The United States of America was founded on. The United States Constitution and Bill of Rights prohibits the United States government from making laws which may infringe on our natural right to free speech. Without free speech, our generation and future generations alike would lack intellectual vitality. Being exposed to different ideas and beliefs is necessary for people to be able to formulate their own personal beliefs. Taking away or limiting free speech would be living life fearing that you will express an unpopular opinion in the eyes of certain people.

Americans have been conducting peaceful demonstrations for years. These demonstrations are almost always held in protest of an important cause. Sports figures also protest for different causes they feel strongly about. However, because they are in the spotlight, sometimes these public figures are not treated equally when they try to voice their opinion about a cause.

Who should be protected by the bill of Rights? The Bill of Rights is to protect U.S. citizens from the misuse of power that may be committed by the government in different areas. It clearly restrict the three branches of government laid out in the Constitution. In The Bill of Rights, Reprinted from New York University Law Review, Hugo Black states that “The bill of rights protects people by clearly stating what government can’t do by describing ‘the procedures that government must follow when bringing its powers to bear against any person with a view to depriving him of his life, liberty, or property (Black 1960).’” The first 10 amendment either says what the government cannot do or limits its powers by providing undeniable procedures that it

Peaceful resistance is necessary for social change. The founders of the United States believed in this idea when writing the Declaration of Independence. John Locke, an enlightenment thinker who our founding fathers took ideas from, came up with the idea of the social contract. This is the agreement that a government and its people have and when citizens feel their government is wronging them then they have the right to revolt. Civil disobedience is a form of expressing the social contract and the consent of the governed.

Due to the first amendment in the constitution; Americans have had freedom of speech and writing. Can you think of any time that we haven’t had those rights? How about 1917 when you would be committing a crime for expressing you feelings about the president in the newspaper or writing something that could lesson the success of the armed forces? There was even someone that would go through the mail of Americans and got rid of things that were offensive. One of the people that went through this was Charles T. Schenck.

In a free society such as America the citizens that reside in it are entitled to many freedoms and liberties. The right to protest is protected under these liberties as the entire point of the first amendment of the American Constitution is to protect freedom of speech. The first amendment is open to interpretations but it explicitly states “Congress shall make no law… the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech” (U.S Const. amend. I).

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These words are written on the United State’s Declaration of Independence after we split apart from Great Britain. One of the most significant things about this revolution would be creating a new government, a constitutional federal republic. Then this gave Americans the right of free press, speech, lowered taxes, and many other benefits. America’s National Anthem is an important piece of art that represents the founding fathers dream and their devotion to the country.

We all have our differences, from food to language to beliefs. We all have troubles accepting differences, though, even the author of this herself. Not accepting differences could be the fall of humanity. We all could go against one another, destroying ourselves in the process. If we keep discriminating each other this is a possible effect of it.

On December 15, 1791, our founding fathers successfully passed the Bill of Rights. The first and most important amendment shines brightly upon the freedom of speech. Even today, more than two hundred years later, we cannot stress the freedom of speech enough. People discuss the first amendment today as excessively as they did back then. George Washington poured his heart and soul into America, as we would tell later on from his powerful words and his courage.

What as Americans are we proud of? Freedom of speech, the freedom to marry who we chose, the freedom of religion, or the right to vote. To be an American is something that we as individuals, have our own opinions on. Because some of us were raised in the city in a suburb with a picket white fence, and some were raised in the country with big trucks. Were all raised differently and have varied beliefs.

Personally, I believe that civil disobedience is a lot more than what is included in its definition. My definition of civil disobedience does not only include the peaceful resistance of public laws, but also the disagreement with laws that do not directly affect American life. Civil disobedience should not only be defined as peaceful protest, but as other actions where Americans can stand up for what they believe in, even if there are no consequences. Writing letters, emailing, or even posting on social media should also be considered as forms of disobedience. All citizens should stand up for what they believe in, even when it’s against government views, to protect their own freedom.

What’s America’s gift to my generation? To be completely honest my generation has so many gifts I can’t even count them all. The saddest part of all is that most of the the kids today take all the gift for granted when there are people in foreign countries that live under a tarp. We have some of the the greatest gifts ever like freedom and free education. First of all, we have freedom the greatest give anyone could could have.

Freedom of Speech Most people in the United States believe by standing for the national anthem you are showing respect for our great nation, the military men, and women who fought, risk or gave their lives for our freedom. The article “Colin Kaepernick shows that freedom of speech is an anomaly in America (Oliver Brown),” Brown believes that “Kaepernicks’ protest has shown the US cares more about its anthem than the rigors of social injustice. In this article Brown talks about, how Kaepernick has chosen to sit for the anthem, other sports figures have tried the same thing, only to be ridiculed for it as well, and football fans are upset that Kaepernick did not stand for America’s National Anthem.