Gabriel Bolt, a student at Richland Schools, was the Dexter Elks Lodge Americanism Essay 5th and 6th grade division I contest winner and the Elks district contest winner. Bolt’s essay was sent on to the state competition. The theme for this years contest was “Freedom of Speech and What it Means to me”. Bolt’s essay can be read below:
Freedom of Speech and What it Means to Me
by Gabriel Bolt
Freedon of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual
or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation. censorship, or legal sanction. Like me saying, • I hate this country". Nothing would happen, that's freedom of speech. And in some countries, you can's say things like that or you could be killed or arrested ..
That right will never be broken. So you don't have to fear what you say.
I could start a speech saying how bad Donald Trump is, I'm not saying he is, but I wouldn's get in trouble. And it would not be taken as an insult. So freedom of speech is one of our rights. You can say what you think the government should change.
The First Amendment of the United States Constitution declares, •congress
shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercists therof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government.
The First Amendment allows us to speak our minds and stand up for what
we believe in. However, the limits of free speech are rooted in the principle that we're not allowed to ham others to get what we want. That's why we're not allowed to use speech for force, fraud, or defamation.
Your right to free speech is limited by where you are, what you say, and how
you say it. However, here in the United States, we can say and write whatever we
want, as long as does not cause danger for someones else. That is why Freedom of
Speech is important to me.