First Amendment champion John Siegenthaler (left), Dr. Ernest "Rip" Patton (middle), and U.S. Representative John Lewis (right) at the Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference in Washington D.C. PHOTO CREDIT: DAVE EGGEN/FREEDOM FORUM
BY RACHEL SHARPE
Most teens and young adults in today’s society simply do not take their First Amendment rights seriously. Furthermore, too few are willing to stand up and voice their opinions when they feel injustice has occurred. I learned how very important this issue is from three very wise men I met this summer in Washington, D.C. I was in our nation’s capitol attending a conference sponsored by the Freedom Forum, a nonpartisan foundation advocating free press and free speech. The three men, U.S. Representative John Lewis of Georgia, community leader Dr. Ernest “Rip” Patton, and first amendment champion John Siegenthaler had a profound impact on me. All three played a significant role in the Civil Rights movement and more specifically the Freedom Riders movement, the 1961 campaign by civil rights activists to ride interstate buses in the South to protest segregation.
I will never forget Lewis’ words when he said “today’s younger generation is far too quiet. You must learn to speak up when you see injustice.” The First Amendment played a crucial role in the civil rights movement, when these men engaged in protests and marches to force social change. The rights of free speech and assembly allowed protestors such as Lewis and Patton to stand up against racial injustice in the South. The First Amendment was not only essential to the civil rights movement, but also has helped shaped our history and serves as a cornerstone of our democracy.
Written in 1777 and fully enacted in 1789, the First Amendment is arguably the most important part of the U.S. Constitution. It guarantees our right to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, freedom of petition and freedom of assembly. However, according to the 2012 State of the First Amendment report that was unveiled at the National Press Club by the First Amendment Center, only 4% of Americans could name “petition” as one of the five freedoms, while only 13% of Americans knew that press and assembly were freedoms in the First Amendment.
We as citizens must not take the first amendment for granted. It is extremely important to our country, because it allows citizens to speak and express their views freely without retribution. Without the First Amendment, we would not be able to have a say in our government and make changes. We live in a democracy and therefore, it is our obligation as citizens to speak our mind and stand up for our beliefs. The First Amendment gives us the right to freedom of speech. Try to imagine a world where we were all limited in what we wanted to say. Freedom of speech not only entitles citizens to say whatever they want, but it also paves the way for exchanging information and ideas and prevents us from conformity.
With the advent of social media, people have a much greater platform to exercise their First Amendment rights to free speech on sites such as Twitter and Facebook. The First Amendment protects individuals from government censorship and therefore, no government official can infringe on ones rights to free speech. However, Twitter recently announced a new policy that will censor users’ tweets by country. Since Twitter was first created, it has been a platform for people to express their opinions about social issues such as the Occupy Wall Street Movement and the Arab Spring protests. Twitter’s new plan, however, violates freedom of expression. Modern technologies serve as an extremely important tool for communication and must not limit our First Amendment rights.
The need to sustain and protect the freedoms of the First Amendment in our country today have never been more necessary- or more difficult. For over 200 years, the First Amendment has been at the heart of the American values. The Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism conference taught me the true value of standing up for the First Amendment of the US Constitution. Protecting and defending the First Amendment is just as important today as it was during the Civil Rights movement. At the end of our discussion, Dr. “Rip” Patton asked us, “What are you willing to do for future generations? “We did what we did for your generation; what sacrifice are you willing to make for your country?” These words have resonated with me ever since. As citizens of the United States, we must exercise our First Amendment rights to make our voices heard and be catalysts for positive change on issues important to our generation and future generations.
