Jack H. Texas

Censorship

Reasons why censorship should be made illegal.

Dear Mr./Mrs. President,

There are many issues that are facing our nation today. Although, the most important issue is censorship. Censorship has gone on too long without an intervention. Censorship goes against the first amendment, which states that every citizen has freedom of speech. Censorship has also prevented veterans from being reverent in cemeteries. For these reasons, Mister/Madam President, you must enact a law that will reverse the effect of censorship.

The first ten amendments to the US constitution state the rights that we have as American citizens. It also states that the government must protect those rights. The first amendment protects the right to freedom of speech, religion, assembly, petition, and the press. Censorship has violated the first amendment through “bleeping” out words and preventing specific imagery from being shown. In 1952, an actress named Lucille Ball was pregnant. She wanted to tell everyone on her television show, “I love Lucy” the big news. She didn’t end up doing this because she wasn’t allowed to say the word pregnant on TV. This violates her rights that are defined in the first amendment.

Plenty of people argue that censorship is necessary as saying absolutely anything you want is not a right and should never be. This is not a valid argument because saying anything you want is a right that you do have. For example, if you wanted to say that you thought the governor of the state that you are currently in, you have the right to say thanks to the first amendment in the Constitution.

Another right that the first amendment protects is the freedom of religion. This means that you can choose any religion that you want or no religion at all. Although, in 2011, a group of veterans went to a memorial for their fellow soldiers on the battlefield. When they got their they were not allowed to say, “God Bless you.” This is a problem as it goes against our rights as citizens. Censorship has caused us to be disrespectful toward the men and women that work to protect our rights. It is wrong to take away theirs.

I congratulate you on becoming the new President of the United States of America. Use your first one hundred days in office to end censorship for the good of the people. Censorship has violated our rights as an american and disrespected our soldiers. If we put censorship to an end, we are benefiting not only the people, but the entire nation.

Thank you,

Jack H.

Works Cited

"Censorship Timeline Television." CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2016. <http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/wayoflife/07/31/censorship/>.

"Veterans Fight Religious Censorship." Fox News. FOX News Network, 30 June 2011. Web. 04 Nov. 2016. <http://video.foxnews.com/v/1031470321001/#sp=show-clips>.

Cedar Valley Middle School

Ms. Collins' students

These are the wonderful ideas of my 8th grade students and their advice to the next President of the United States.

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