Freedom of Speech

Do Americans take the First Amendment for granted, or use it, as a clutch to say what they feel is appropriate. The First Amendment states that 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. (Siegel 3)

But what is Freedom of Speech? It is our ability to say what we want, when we want and to whom we want? But there are even restrictions on what we want to say for example a person cannot yell fire in a crowded movie theater. Like all situations there will be persons to disagree?

The past presidential election put the nation in an uproar, as do all elections. But, non as controversial as this one. In this election the issues that were addressed split the county in two, half of the country having liberal views and the other half having conservative views. That was mainly the focus of the entire campaign. What is being liberal or being conservative? Liberals favor gradual reform, especially political reforms that extend democracy, distribute wealth more evenly, and protect the personal freedom of the individual. On the other end of the spectrum, conservatives are in favor of preserving the status quo and traditional values and customs, and against abrupt change(msn. Encarta)

This seems to make Americans look weak to the rest of the world. That we don't even

have a common ground on the issues of the nation . This great nation that is seen as the mother country to the rest of the world is spilt right down the middle with labels that divide people. And that's where it really gets ugly. Will Americans ever put these labels aside and come together so that America can be a better place to live? By being a graduating senior looking at the nation as either being liberal or conservative has made

me really take a look at myself and my beliefs on the issues . At first I knew that I was a liberal but, after reading articles written by conservatives . I thought to myself " are my views similar to those of the conservatives or are the issues at hand just issues that

I do not care to much about ?" As an American I should care, but as a student I don't . I now realize that I do not fall under the labels