The First Amendment has been a very valuable and impacting Part of many people’s lives, the freedom to be yourself and say what you believe with heart and tears spilled into the people’s pages and minds. If the pain the American people have been holding in has only been to avoid harm to themselves or putting a target on themselves for practicing their mere First Amendment right. No human should live in silence, no human should be a caged bird. The First Amendment has allowed people to gather and make points, new laws, new perspectives, and spread love but has this feeling of freedom been all an illusion, have we been fooled into believing that our conclusion? With our people losing their lives or being incarcerated only for expressing how they feel and trying to express their feelings of oppression why is it written as the law of the land or is this not the land of the minorities, was the land only meant for the white men and women, neglected to those with a darker pigment. Then why when practiced are we beaten, or hurt physically for speaking our truth? My truth may not be your truth. Not everyone has the same story but we wear these experiences and perspectives as our souvenirs because we fight and will always fight to have things right. In conducting some interviews the question asked is “Why is the First Amendment important for our society”. The response of Jennifer Marquez, an Art teacher at Esteban Torres High School East Los Angeles Renaissance Academy, stated many different perspectives and views on how the First Amendment is something far more beautiful than what is read.

Now not everyone has the same story or experiences as others. We are all unique in telling about our experiences and our personal stories. Now the First Amendment offers us the chance to speak and talk freely and practice freely what we want to discuss whether it is opinion or fact as the people of the United States have the right and the freedom to do so but why when people practice their first amendment right they are attacked physically and verbally abused. This comes from the lack of perspective and respect between humans. Humans have a selfish nature and based on how you are raised, your morals, and your lessons you may not share the same perspective as others. We all know people who are entitled and we know people who are humble and have more than those who put themselves on pedestals above the view and perspective of the public. Now Ms. Marquez shares with us “People need to have freedom of speech and all of us need to be able to… listen respectfully and disagree respectfully with other individuals”. Now comes the realization that those who cannot agree peacefully are not worth introducing diverse or complex ideas due to their lack of knowledge or at most times lack of education that does allow people to listen if it contradicts what they say or agree on whether it’s biased by moral religion etc they refuse to listen. This lack of respect has led to the loss of many lives and also sometimes the lack of learning to set out emotions and listen which has led peaceful protests to riots or at times even sad sights of aggression. 

   If we as people who are set to be civil are not respectful to whatever it is from just expressing yourself or an idea or you disagreeing with something if it is not done respectfully and led more by emotion than the purpose the argument is not worth it and there goes the saying you speaking screaming doesn’t help you set your point across. Emotion is dependable whether you are led by pain or bad experiences. That argument is too weak to be made so now one must be able to express civilly and respectfully set your point and defeat emotion from taking over your perspective and your message. Mrs Marquez speaks about this and her knowledge of understanding the true meaning of the First Amendment she stated in an interview “We should be allowed to express ourselves in a respectful peaceful way and if we don’t agree with what others or the government puts forth, we should be able to say that respectfully and eloquently”. Ms. Marquez knows through experience how valid a respectful and eloquent argument can be. People still may not agree but disagreement can fuel your anger for speaking out and expressing yourself is to set yourself free not to persuade others on how they are wrong nor disagree respectfully.

Now with many different countries, we see the distinct nature of the First Amendment in the United States, opening our minds to appreciation and love between the people. Also, it allows us to see how our government lets us be free and we see countries who have religiously driven laws that oppress its people. Governments are strict with only accepting Christianity or other religions but in the bible, we see that Jesus Christ gives us all free will whether we want to be religious or not, and if even the God you believe in does not control his own creation then what makes world leaders entitled or feel so empowered that they can control everyone. Now the United States wasn’t built on religious beliefs just by merely believing an idea of what a free person would be like and live with the unity of people around them. Mrs. Marquez also stated and introduced this idea by stating “The government should never impose Upon Us restrictions of religion and/or belief, so when we have extremists that are trying to enforce their religious beliefs upon our government”. This shows how the United States has allowed its people to be free for this country is new and does not have traditional beliefs that are handed down but it allows its people to be free of will. This goes to show how the United States was started on a belief in Jesus but the right way is not to oppress or control anymore but to be able to express who we are as people.

With so much happening in the world, wars, and crises in so many countries that we have never seen in the United States we can ask ourselves why there are civil wars and murders and assassinations in many countries but the United States. The idea is that the United States has laws and has granted freedom to its people live and charisma of being an American does not force religion or anything extreme but loving its people helps prosper and with the support of diversity by the government we see how the diversity in government has allowed people in the United  States to have acceptance for others so now what must these other countries be portraying on their tv broadcast like the news is there people who represent everyone or only those who you want other countries to see to perceive the image of those countries people. Now the way the United States has developed through time at first the United States started like every other country not using just perspective but by people speaking up and uniting there was a First Amendment before the First Amendment and that has allowed us to grow as people and as a country. Now speak your truth, that’s what matters, free yourself and those around you. Do you feel oppressed then fly and take the first flight for your fight and your truth and people let perspective and respect guide you not emotion.