How We Can Take Responsibility to Protect Our Freedom
Freedom for all is the very foundation on which our founding fathers established our nation. Recently, the core of American independence, the rights of the people, seem to be sidelined and forgotten. But the very laws establishing our country outrightly say citizens’ rights is irreplaceable.
All the amendments to the American laws provide for American’s freedom in many aspects of their life. As citizens’ we must preserve and exercise our freedom. In applying our constitutionally protected liberty, it’s crucial, however, that we don’t step on the freedom of others.
Some of the points we discuss here can help us as individuals, communities, and a nation, to protect our freedom.
1. Lend Your Voice to Issues
Our nation periodically faces a couple of social and political issues, which contribute immensely to shape our society. Sometimes, these social or political issues come to the public domain, and how citizens react to them significantly influences how the government pursues solutions.
At times like this, every American must lend a voice to demand the very best of the government. Sitting on the fence when pressing issue that could put the liberty of Americans in danger, wouldn’t be in the nation’s best interest.
Express your opinions on suitable social media platforms, write petitions to appropriate authorities. Use every legitimate avenue to express your displeasure or approval of any policy coming from any level of governance, or just any social issues. Your voice, in addition to that of others, would help preserve citizens’ freedom.
2. Participate in Electioneering Process
It’s common to find Americans exhibit a relaxed attitude towards the electioneering process. Most adults of voting age have the opinion that others will elect the appropriate candidate, even if they don’t vote.
If you’re an adult, your responsibility doesn’t just start and stop at voting for a candidate. Beyond casting your votes, you must get involved in the entire electioneering process. Elections are your opportunity to choose a representative, and if you don’t participate, you may end up with the wrong leader.
For every elective position, study the profile and antecedents of every candidate, attend political rallies, and listen to their manifestos. Use this information to choose who’s the best candidate for each position, and support the candidate. Beyond your support, campaign, and convince your friends why you believe any candidate is the best for specific offices.
The person who ends up as the people’s representative at each leadership level greatly influences how freely people can exercise freedom.
3. Report Police Excesses
The police have the responsibility of protecting the citizenry. But brutality by the police has been on the rise. Clips and images of police excesses surface on the internet frequently, showing how the police have gone from protecting Americans’ lives and property to limiting the constitutionally protected freedom of the Americans.
When you see or are a victim of police brutality, you owe other citizens the responsibility of making official reports to appropriate quarters. Aside from just condemning these unacceptable behaviors by the police, taking proper actions would significantly reduce them.
Beyond just making reports, it’s essential to know your rights and responsibilities while interacting with the police. If every American take necessary actions against police brutality, the police will make the right decisions when dealing with people.
4. Participate in Public Protests When Necessary
During public demonstrations by members of your community, to protest injustice in any form, it’s necessary to join in such protests. Take advantage of every avenue to protect and preserve people’s freedom.
Before participating in any protest, you must understand the objective of the demonstration. Join the protest, only if it’s for a course you’re proud to identify with and ensure protesters break no laws in the process. This way, you’ll be protecting your interest and also not infringing on the rights of individuals.
Public protests, especially against threats to freedom, will force parties involved to have a rethink on their encroachment of people’s constitutional rights.
5. Go to Court When Necessary
Just as you build a fence using tig welders, for instance, to protect your home projects and properties, the court serves the same purpose to freedom. The court exists to help protect the individuals and ensure they enjoy their liberty.
Every time you find people receive unjust treatment, or even yourself, seek redress in a court of law. The court would help interpret laws protecting your freedom, and ensure you get remedy for any unjust treatment against you.
Going to court requires you’re sure of laws about the situation you want to fight. A lawyer at this point would help you determine how to present your case in court, or if you should even go to court. It would be best if you judged situations correctly and take appropriate actions.
Conclusion
The task of protecting our freedom, and ensuring everyone respect our rights as citizens, belongs to everyone. No specific set of people has that job individually to perform.
We often believe human right activist alone can take on this huge responsibility. Still, every individual’s efforts would significantly bring about the much-desired respect for human rights in our nation.