• Monday, May 14, 2007
First Amendment Rights - Part 1

Here is the first part of a paper I had to write on our First Amendement Rights. This was the paper for my final grade in Journalism and I thought I would share it with you. It is in the "edittorial" style.  Maybe it will give you something to think about and allow you to form  your own opinion about the First Amendment.

I know it seems like a lot but it's double spaced and in a larger font so I hope it won't be too long. Let me know what you think so far.

Ciao!

Elizabeth

The small dungeon like prison cell of the Douala prison is crowded with hundreds of other prisoners.  The dank, damp air crowds around Pius Njawe like the thoughts crowding his mind. He sits in the cell with felons, robbers, and murderers thinking about the guard who had abused his wife, the caring wife who was only bringing him food and linens. Tears of anger and frustration run down his cheeks when he thinks about the miscarriage of the child that he will never know because of the ill-treatment. Opening a notebook he pens down some of his thoughts, “I know I am paying for my stubbornness in my struggle for the past 18 years in Le Messager and [other] organizations to broaden democratic freedom in Cameroon and Africa.” He writes by flashlight, “I’m paying for having preferred my independence to compromise.”

Pius Njawe has been arrested 30 plus times since 1990. He was also thrown in jail for publishing two political cartoons in his magazine that “insulted” the president (just imagine how many people would be in jail in our country because of that).  His newspaper has been shut down, his equipment confiscated and his young and very dedicated staff arrested numerous times. “A thousand trials will not silence us” are the words of Njawe and his actions are evidence of his words by the trials he has faced and conquered.

This is the suffering that many are faced with today. Without first amendment rights people walk around terrified to open their mouths for fear of being jailed. Journalists, only concerned with getting the truth to others, are imprisoned or sentenced to death. All this suffering is happening because the officials in their government don’t want the truth revealed. It has occurred to me that these governments are the ones in constant fear, the fear of being overthrown, the fear of their wrongs being found out and the fear that they themselves will be thrown into their own horrible dungeons.

Taking our rights for granted, we Americans walk around speaking and writing what is on our minds, saying whatever we very well please. While we are sitting by taking them for granted, our rights are being taking away. This is especially true for Christians. Recently, a chaplain of the navy was released because he prayed in the name of Jesus. Laws are being made all over the country that prohibit a preacher to preach against homosexuality. As long as we don’t say anything that doesn’t offend anyone everything is satisfactory but the second you say something contradictory, a law is sure to be in the making.  

Another way they have taken away one of our rights is by not allowing prayer in public schools. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech….” I think they have violated two of my freedoms there and that hurts my feelings. Hurry somebody make a law…..oh wait, I forgot, the Christians feelings don’t matter.

Freedom of speech is being taken away from another group of people who, last time I checked, are also citizens of this great (although it seems to be going downhill as we speak) country. Students in public schools all over the nation are holding their breath as they wait for the ruling that is to come in June. Will school authority have the right to suppress certain speech off school grounds and when not at a school function? Last I heard God placed parents in authority over their children when not at school, not their teacher. 

According to www.student-voices.org Jordan T. from Nimitz Highschool in Irving, Texas says. “There is no reason why a student's First Amendment rights should be limited by a school official. If we allow these authorities to silence the students of our country, does it not undermine their privilege to dream, think, roll ideas, and inspire something inside themselves through the things they say? I say no, a student's right to free speech is a student's right to a free mind, and that should never be taken away.” I say amen to that!

            If the court gives the school official’s this right it will be a sad society that we will live in. According to http://firstamendment.jideas.org, Gene Policinski, director of the First Amendment Center in Nashville, says, “A great harm is being done to a generation of young adults by withholding the full access of their constitutional rights while in high school, then expecting them to be full participants in a democratic society when they are older.”

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Comments

• Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Untitled Comment

Posted by thector87

Hey Elizabeth!

I like the new template! Very... how should I describe it... Bubbly!! Always smiling!

I think you are right on with the 1st Amendment topic. The US boasts about being a free country where people have the right to choose what they say, and how they act - which for the most part, it is - but each and every day the infamous "They" are taking more and more of our privileges away, especially when it suits "They".

On TC's blog, she has a list of some funny headlines for the year 2029. Most of them could come true if we are not careful, and I think an event along this topic line might make it on that list as well.

It was a good paper. Your writing style is easy to read. Is there more?

I actually have never had a cremesaver before, and from your description I think I will stick to the real thing when it comes to peaches-n-cream. Thanks!

Catch ya' later...

TJH

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• Wednesday, May 16, 2007
<i>Untitled Comment</i>

Posted by thector87

Log on. I left a message for you...

Thomas

Disregard. It wont let me delete this comment...

Edited by thector87 on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 at 7:00 PM

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