There are cases like with what happened with the San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, which was taking a stand by kneeling during the national anthem as a way to protest against police brutality against the African American community. He was then called un-American and outrageous. How is it un-American if he’s exercising one of his constitutional rights as an American? His way of standing up against the oppression wasn’t by starting a riot or disrespecting anyone, just bringing attention to something that is affecting so many black Americans. No one has the same ideas as the next, but when we show how differently we think, we are shunned or called unpatriotic. A quote from The Odyssey states how Colin Kaepernicks stand was taken as, “Uniforms burned, hateful letters, and even the Santa Clara Police Union threatens to not be at 49ers games. He is a human being with a brain and the ability to think for himself. Shouldn't we respect him for his opinion, especially if it doesn't do any harm, doesn't disrespect anyone, and it isn't hateful?” Just exercising his right brought so much hate to him and his team. Now the storm has calmed, but he never backed down from doing what he thought was right. Anyone can use freedom of speech to spread hate. Just like groups as the KKK, or the Westboro Baptist church that create rallies and created a religion to spread hate and their “right” way of life to others. Of course as an American they have the right to spew hate, but when it’s taken so far to beating and killing people is where the problems lie. Some think that trying to end violence it’s the same as trying to take away their right to say what they want. Which isn’t true. Everyone has their right to an opinion, but why take it so far as to hurting another fellow American. There is cases like Snyder v. Phelps where Albert Snyders son, a fallen marines, was having his sons funeral picketed by the Westboro Baptist with signs saying “God hates Fags” and "Thank God for Dead Soldiers." While his son was being buried after giving his life for his country. During his sons funeral he couldn’t see the signs made until it made it to the news. He then sued the pastor Phelps and the church on the grounds of severe emotional distress. The church then used the 1st amendment saying that what they did was just exercising their …show more content…
Like in the movie Trumbo. In the film the main character, Dalton Trumbo, was part of the Hollywood 10 who were blacklisted by the government and sent to jail. Dalton Trumbo was a Communist and the others were liberals or democrats. At the time they created a group called the House Un-American Activities Committee that would gather evidence on how them working in the movie industry was helping them spread their message to others to become unpatriotic or turn them into communist. They went to court and refused to answer their questions on whether or not they had a communist agenda or were helping the soviets in any way. Even though they were blacklisted for their personal beliefs, the Hollywood 10 would continue to write screenplays under fake names. Trumbo even won an academy award for his screenplay. By the early 60’s they were taken off the blacklist after years of torment by others that didn’t give them their right to be whoever they wanted to be. They weren’t pushing their agenda on anyone, just trying to educate and were blacklisted over an irrational fear because they spoke their