One of the most defining qualities of the Unites States of America is that it is regarded as a nation established in freedom. The Constitution of the Unites States of America, one of the most famous documents in history, directly spell out the rights and freedoms that we as Americans are able to enjoy. The first ten amendments to this constitution, commonly known as the Bill of Rights, hold the official outline of what truly makes America so unique. It was the first piece of legislation in the U.S. to state exactly what Americans are and are not entitled to do and say. The first of the amendments on this bill delivers to Americans the right of free speech, possibly the most important right that we have.
There is a reason that freedom of speech is number one on the list of rights adopted by the new constitution of the United States of America. Besides religion, it was the thing most heavily oppressed by the British government during the eighteenth century. Citizens were not allowed to voice opinions that contradicted those of the government or the crown. Speaking one’s mind would inevitably result in imprisonment or death depending on the severity of the infraction, and could actually extend beyond oneself. If someone was caught professing an unaccepted creed or denouncing some new law or rule, that individuals entire family could receive punishment along with the offender.
Suppression of speech is a form of population control. If you can make sure that people don’t say anything that you don’t want them to say, then the chances of those words becoming actions greatly declines. However, sometimes the opposite is true. By the act of not allowing citizens to say what they wish, a government may control them for a while, but the people will many times rebel against such oppression and overthrow the government that enforces it.
The early settler of the United States did just this and established what would become the world’s most powerful nation, and one of the bases for the foundation of this nation was the ideal that its inhabitants would be free to voice their opinions and feelings free from the fear of punishment.
The first amendment is the reason that I am able to write this blog post. If I wanted to criticize the U.S. government, its Constitution, or even the right to free speech itself, I would absolutely have every right to do so. I would not be punished or imprisoned, although I might receive some negative feedback from other bloggers.
The first amendment has to be the greatest addition to the United States Constitution. It allows us to engage in meaningful dialogue. It enables books to be published and television shows to be aired. It is (or was for a time) a uniquely American trait, one that is now spreading to many other countries. It is one of the essentials for the basis of a strong nation: one that is based in freedom.
I definitely agree that freedom of speech is undeniably something that would not make out country the place it is today. One can still argue that we don’t always have freedom of speech in certain ways, but in the context of the founding fathers writing amendments at the constitutional convention, the progress we’ve made since then is astounding and of great importance. That being said, i’m having a hard time agreeing with you when you say that its the greatest and most important amendment. The 13th amendment is pretty important considering it abolished slavery. Also, the 19th amendment because without that I couldn’t vote and without the progress following that i definitely wouldn’t have the right to even comment on this blog as a woman. There are a bunch more i’d say are as equally important at the first amendment so it’s definitely hard to pick one that would be the most important, but nonetheless freedom of speech has definitely changed the course of history for the better.