All around the world, the United States is held in high esteem for being “free”. However, do we ever take a minute to stop and think what that means? There are plenty of countries in the world that are considered free, but what makes us different?
This is where the first amendment comes in. There is a reason it was put first. This amendment lays the groundwork for the rest of, not only our freedoms, but the country itself.
This is how it was for years, until recently. It is becoming more and more evident that our 1st amendment rights are gradually being taken away.
Let’s take a look at the original 1st Amendment, so we can break it down.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The first part of this amendment is regarding the freedom of religious practice. Although I personally believe the US should legally be a Christian nation, I do agree that no law should prohibit the free exercise of any religion.
The Founding Fathers make various references to God, yet they stop short of converting that faith into a state religion. However, that is beside the point I am trying to make, for it simply isn’t going to happen (at least not in the current state of the country).
Most importantly, this also gives religions the right to protect themselves when they come under attack, and allows them to be critical of other religions. In the current state, it seems as though Christianity is able to be criticized by all other religions, but if Christians turn the table back on those who started it, we are labeled bigots.
This is especially evident with Jews and Muslims. It is a fact that, at this moment in time, there is a bill on its way to the Senate that would effectively criminalize any anti-Jewish speech. Some direct lines from this bill (H.R.672) include:
C) Accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person or group, the State of Israel, or even for acts committed by non-Jews.
(D) Accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust.
(E) Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interest of their own countries.
This is extremely perplexing to me, seeing as how the ones who established this country, AKA Christians, have no such laws protecting them from any sort of critique. The same thing goes for Muslims. Anything remotely anti-Islam, such as noticing that many Muslims actually support (or at least don’t disavow) terrorism, is immediately labeled Islamophobia. Disobeying either of these unwritten rules can actually ruin your life. You can be fired, kicked out of school, or even arrested.
On to the next portion of the 1st Amendment, regarding the freedom of speech and press. Here is the fun part, and, in my opinion, the most important piece of American law.
Freedom of Speech is by far the most important thing in a Democracy like ours. It is very easy to become ill-informed, or simply not informed at all, in politics. Free speech is the ultimate counter to this. If you want to find a way to take a stand and change the current state of the US, this is the way. You have the ability to shape people’s minds and shine light on topics they have never thought of. Who knows, you could start a chain reaction that begins a movement.
However, like I said earlier in the article, our 1st amendment rights are being taken away from us. It is becoming obvious that the left, many without realizing it, are pushing an anti-free-speech agenda. By automatically labeling anybody who opposes them a Nazi, fascist, or a racist, they are scaring people away from speaking their minds.
While nothing pisses me off more than this bullshit agenda, it all within the confines of the law; which means that you are allowed to verbally fight back.
There is no easy way to do this, since you may lose your job or be kicked out of school for having the wrong opinion. This is why it so very important for young people to get involved with like-minded individuals. You can create a network of support to ensure this can’t happen or at least isn’t as likely. So by all means, actively discuss controversial topics, call out people on using faulty left wing logic, and quite simply use your voice to its full extent.
This brings us to the final portion of the 1st Amendment, the right to peacefully assemble. I am a firm believer in real life activism. It is one of the hardest parts of having far right views.
You may lose friends over outwardly showing these opinions. However, this is the most effective way of showing unity with the people sharing your ideas. By collaborating and connecting with people, you can show a true strength in numbers. The Unite The Right Charlottesville rally was a perfect example, regardless of whether or not you think it succeeded or failed.
One thing is for sure, people started taking the Alt-Right seriously. Imagine how our movement could grow, if people saw us standing shoulder-to-shoulder like that, defending our existence. People take notice when you aren’t just anonymously shitposting online. Meeting people who you can have a face-to-face discussion with, makes it all seem real. Use this to its full extent, tying back into creating a network. When you know the people in real life, it makes it much easier for them to support you.
With all of this being said, the time is now to defend our 1st amendment rights. If you see something you know is wrong, point it out. If we don’t practice these rights, it makes it that much easier for them to take it away from us. Don’t let the Founding Fathers visions for America die in vain.
If anyone has any questions or comments on the article, the best way to reach me is on twitter @MacTonight_
