The First Amendment for Dummies
“Black power!”, “White power!”, “Black lives matter!”, “All lives matter!”, which one is wrong? Which one is right? What’s the difference?

At some point in our lives, from any random source, we learned what the first amendment was. However, after doing a Google search, the first amendment is “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievance”. For those who may have stumbled on some of the larger words, it basically means that the government can not make it illegal to practice a certain religion, against the freedom of speech, or for people to protest. Yet, does that mean us as the people respect each other’s freedom of speech?
Relatively recently, to protest the injustices done to people who identify as black, the #BlackLivesMatter movement was created. Even more recently, former NFL quarterback, Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem before games to protest the police brutality that has been happening at alarming rates in the black community. Both of these were peaceful protests that made use of their freedom of speech. Yet, both of them were met with oposition. Shortly after #BlackLivesMatter #AllLivesMatter was created. #AllLivesMatter was created in direct protest to #BlackLivesMatter. In fact #AllLivesMatter tried to create the false narrative that #BlackLivesMatter literally only cared about black lives in a black supremacist tone, when in reality it just wanted justice for the hardships indured by black people. Colin Kaepernick was dropped from his team and black listed in the NFL. The narrative was kneeling during the pledge was disrespectful to the troops who fight for our country. However, that was not the case at all, and Colin Kaepernick even addressed that it was him using his platform to peacefuly bring attention to an issue that needed fixing throughout the whole country. There is now even a rule that punishes players and teams for kneeling during the pledge with a penalty and a fine. Punishment for using the first amendment?

Now don’t get me wrong it is well within the rights of the first amendment for people to support and to use the #AllLivesMatter or even to express their personal beliefs towards any group of people. However, the differences in the climate must be discussed. There are multiple accounts where the Black Lives Matter protests were met with police sometimes in riot gear. There are accounts where the police began to tear gas, arrest, and beat people at the protests. While their counter parts, the people of All Lives Matter, have been able to protest peacefully and without hostility from law enforcement. They are both peacefully protesting, yet one protest is being treated as a crime.
I believe that society is afraid of having “tough conversations”. Any mentioning that there are somethings that need fixing, or there is any group of people, who are not the majority, feel mistreated brings discomfort. Like it is an act of betrayal to not agree with the whole “America, the land of the free” narrative. It is no secret that there are many inequalities in society, and it is probably unrealistic to think that there will ever be perfect equality. But, that does not mean the problem should go ignored or accepted, and it should definitely not be crime to address. The only time the first amendment should be questioned is if it empedes on someones rights to life, liberty, or pursuit of happiness.