Importance of Freedom of Speech in Colleges

On December 15, 1791, the first amendment was created in order to prohibit the passing or creation of any laws referring to the freedom of speech, religion, to press, and to petition. By having this amendment, as a country, we should be allowed to have the freedom to express our opinions. As a student proceeding in a higher education, being able to have the freedom of speech is important because it allows them to expand their mind and promotes innovation. The freedom of speech is a right that all citizens of the United States should have even college students. As a student proceeding in a higher education, allowing freedom of speech on college campuses is very important.

By having the chance to express their opinions, it allows students to expand their mindset on specific subjects. Each human has a different perspective on every subject and by allowing students to express their opinions, it allows others to see a different perspective on different diverse topics. Also, by allowing students to have the right to freedom of speech, it allows students not to be sheltered from the real world. Based on one of the videos by FIRE, there was a college shown that only allowed students to have freedom of speech in one certain area of the campus. This should not be acceptable because it takes away their right to free speech. As a college student, they should be allowed to express their perspective throughout the classroom and outside of the classroom. By colleges not allowing students to have freedom of speech, censorship weakens the ideals of liberal education.

Students should be able to have the right to talk about diverse and controversial subjects throughout the campuses. By students expressing their opinions about controversial and diverse subjects, then it will educate students on very sensitive subjects. As citizens of the United States, students should have the right to create conversations no matter where they are at. College students need to have the right to express themselves through freedom of speech in order to be knowledgeable adults. Freedom of speech should be allowed throughout colleges because it promotes innovation. This is important because it allows students to think a little deeper. By promoting innovation, college students will be able to solve or improve common issues throughout the country, but the only way for this to happen is through freedom of speech.

Without freedom of speech, no one would know any causes that would need to be improved. As a college student, it is important to have freedom of speech, because it would allow you to understand the importance of solving certain subjects. Also, by not allowing students to have the freedom of speech, it decreases the ideals of liberal education. Liberal education is important to innovation because there are some cases on diversity and complexity that needs to be changed. In this country, diversity is a common factor that gets discussed but is never in the process to change. Based on the video FIRE provided, issues like gender and race are both based on diversity. Many people have tried to stop diversity and many people have failed, but if colleges allowed students to have freedom of speech on campuses it may start to change.

For example, if students were allowed to express their opinions on different subjects about diversity, then others may agree and if they worked together it could make an impact in this world, but the only way for that to happen is freedom of speech. If students were able to express their opinions, then many controversial issues could also decrease in importance. By learning how to promote innovation, it would be a great essential for college students to have in the future. Freedom of speech is a right that everyone should have. Colleges should not stop students from expressing their opinions. By restricting freedom of speech at campuses, colleges will not be allowing students to expand their mindset and promote innovation throughout the country. Freedom of speech is essential. It is something that every United States citizen needs to have in order to make a difference in the world.

The first amendment was written in order to keep our freedom of speech protected. It allowed our country not to worry about other organizations taking our rights away. As colleges try to take it away from us, as a whole we should promote innovation in order to have the right to freedom of speech on college campuses. If colleges took away our freedom of speech, then other organizations will also try to take this right and other rights away. If we allow this to happen, then the first amendment would be useless. This amendment was created over 200 years ago and as a United States citizen, we should all respect it.

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