The First Amendment is something that often can be taken for granted. Without this amendment our free country would be a lot different than it is now. The people of the United States would have no way to express themselves or make changes in things that they do not believe in. The government of the country would become dishonest, and people would have no way of knowing what was going on around the world.
People often wonder whether their opinions really matter in the big scheme of things, and if their voice will be heard among the billions of other voices around the world. People with this mindset do not understand what a great blessing the First Amendment truly is. Under this amendment, we, as citizens, have the right to creatively express ourselves through speech and the press. Having this right gives people the opportunity to facilitate change and make a difference in the world. Free media allows for the citizens of the United States to know is really going on with the leaders of our country. Through the media, we have learned about the good and bad things that are going on across the country. If the government took away the right of free media, our nation would without a doubt quickly become corrupt. Only those in high rank of our government system would get their opinions known, and that would make people, in a sense, brainwashed. The media would be filtered down to show only what the government would want people to know and leave the white collar crime, secret deals, and wrong doings locked behind closed doors. Free media allows citizens keep the leaders they have elected in check.
Free media also gives people the opportunity to know what is going on around the world. For example, after the earthquake in Haiti, free media showed people first-hand what a catastrophe the earthquake was, as well as gave people the chance to help out a country in need. People able to donate money via text messages and phone calls to aid in the rebuilding of a country. Free media gives people the hard, cold facts of things going on around the world that could be possibly dangerous or harmful to our country.
If the right of free media were taken away, people would not be able to have any opinions others than those of the government. The government would be very susceptible to becoming corrupt. People would not be able to know what was going on around the world. The First Amendment gives rights that people do not realize would make our country very different if they were taken away.