Freedom in the United States :: essays papers

Freedom in the United StatesEssay submitted by UnknownNo other democratic society in the field permits ain freedoms to the degree of the United States of America. Within the last sixty years, American courts, especially the Supreme Court, have developed a set of legal doctrines that thoroughly entertain all forms of the freedom of view. When it comes to evaluating the degree to which we take advantage of the opportunity to express our opinions, some members of society may be guilty of violating the bounds of the First Amendment by publicly offending others through obscenity or racism. Americans have developed a distinct disposition toward the freedom of expression throughout history.The First Amendment understandably voices a great American respect toward the freedom of religion. It also prevents the government from abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press or the right of the tidy sum peaceably to launch and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Since the early history of our country, the protection of basic freedoms has been of the utmost importance to Americans. In Langston Hughes poem, Freedom, he emphasizes the struggle to enjoy the freedoms that he knows are rightfully his. He reflects the American desire for freedom now when he says, I do not need my freedom when Im dead. I cannot sojourn on tomorrows bread. He recognizes the need for freedom in its entirety without compromise or fear.I think Langston Hughes captures the essence of the American immigrants quest for freedom in his poem, Freedoms Plow. He accurately describes Americans as arriving with nothing but dreams and building America with the hopes of finding greater freedom or freedom for the first time. He depicts how people of all backgrounds worked together for one cause freedom.I selected Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 as a fictitious example of the evils of censorship in a world that is becoming illiterate. In this book, the government convinces the public that b ook reading is evil because it spreads harmful opinions and agitates people against the government. The vast majority of people accept this censorship of expression without question and are content to see and hear only the governments propaganda. I found this disturbing yet realistic. Bradburys hidden opposition to this form of censorship was obvious throughout the book and finally prevailed in the end when his main character rebelled against the practice of burning books.Among the many forms of protests are pickets, strikes, public speeches and rallies.