Freedom In America
The United States of America is and has always been very close to realizing democracy’s ideal of a country where there is “liberty and justice for all”, though a number of factors have conspired to move the country away from them in the past, and threaten to do so in our immediate future. Though their outcomes have varied considerably over the years, the main factors causing the U.S to stray from its ideals of freedom and equality have always been one or both of the following factors—discrimination and war. These factors are perennial, affecting every nation that has ever existed and probably every nation that will exist, and our nation’s reaction to them has been on par with that of every other nation in a similar position. From America’s flirtations with imperialism to slavery and civil rights, there have always instances in our nation’s history where we have lost sight of our nation’s founding principles. Although our country has had times where it has lost sight of the democratic ideals it was founded upon, it still is and has always been very close to realizing the ideal of a nation “with liberty and justice for all.”
A conspicuous example of the freedom our country provides us can be found in our freedom of expression. Any American can say anything they want about anyone or anything, and they cannot be punished for it, provided it doesn’t cause harm to others (Gerstenfeld, 45). For example, the Westboro Baptist Church
(henceforth referred to as WBC) has for years offended many people through
their offensive yet nonviolent protests against homosexuals, the military, and the government itself, among others (Gerstenfeld, 125). Yet the Westboro Baptist
Church cannot be punished for its offensive speech (Constitutional Convention,
21). In fact, the government has even defended the right of the WBC to express itself freely, even if it causes offense and emotional pain to others in the Supreme
Court case Snyder v. Phelps (TIME). This
A conspicuous example of the freedom our country provides us can be found in our freedom of expression. Any American can say anything they want about anyone or anything, and they cannot be punished for it, provided it doesn’t cause harm to others (Gerstenfeld, 45). For example, the Westboro Baptist Church
(henceforth referred to as WBC) has for years offended many people through
their offensive yet nonviolent protests against homosexuals, the military, and the government itself, among others (Gerstenfeld, 125). Yet the Westboro Baptist
Church cannot be punished for its offensive speech (Constitutional Convention,
21). In fact, the government has even defended the right of the WBC to express itself freely, even if it causes offense and emotional pain to others in the Supreme
Court case Snyder v. Phelps (TIME). This
Bibliography: Ball, Howard. The USA Patriot Act of 2001: Balancing Civil Liberties and National Security : A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, CA: ABCCLIO, 2004. Print. Cooper, Michael L. Remembering Manzanar: Life in a Japanese Relocation Camp. New York: Clarion, 2002. Print. Emert, Phyllis Raybin. Attorneys General: Enforcing the Law. Minneapolis: Oliver, 2005. Gerstenfeld, Phyllis B. Hate Crimes: Causes, Controls, and Controversies. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2011. Print. Lively, Donald E. Landmark Supreme Court Cases: A Reference Guide. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1999. Print. Vile, John R., and Joseph Francis Menez. Essential Supreme Court Decisions: Summaries of Leading Cases in U.S. Constitutional Law. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2010. Zinn, Howard. A People 's History of the United States: 1492Present. New York: HarperPerennial, 2005. Print. Journal, 25 Sept. 2012. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. Gregory, Sean. "Why the Supreme Court Ruled for Westboro." Snyder v. Phelps: Why the Supreme Court Ruled for Westboro. TIME, 03 Mar. 2011. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. Period 3 Due: November 28th, 2012