Brainstorming

For your first writing piece you should focus on the first amendment. Read the amendment and
a personal reflection about why you think these rights might be important. You may focus on one
of the rights in the first amendment or you may write about all of them but remember that this
piece of writing is personal.

Amendment I (1791)
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 grievances.

-​ Freedom of religion
-​ Freedom of speech
-​ Freedom of assembly
-​ Freedom of petition

Korean government
-​ The president’s declaration of martial law in 2024 → led to the impeachment of President
Yoon
-​ Recent protests for a re-election following a shortage of ballot papers for local elections
→ none of these active protests would have been possible w/o freedom of
speech/assembly/religion

Does the American constitution apply to the Korean government as well?

→ we have 헌법 (hunbeop), and 2nd chapter states all the rights in this first amendment
→ these rights are absolute and transcend all borders

I don’t have much interest in politics or how the world functions. I live under a rock. Yet, these
rights are still important.

Ex. freedom of speech

-​ Debate in school (english/history classes)
-​ Can express my opinions without fear of getting oppressed (ex. 1984, animal farm)
-​ Interlochen arts camp, debate with friends
-​ Freedom of speech does not just mean politics, but means being honest in
feelings and allowing yourself be vulnerable
-​ A place that accepts you for who you are
First Draft
 Freedom of speech, one of the rights in the First Amendment, is a fundamental part of
our lives and relationships. It’s especially an important right to me because I grew up in Korea,
where ‘눈치’ (noonchi) is a big thing. Koreans tend to think of politeness as saying nothing and
agreeing to everything others say. Our school classes are always lectures, and even when
people don’t understand something, they think, ‘Everyone else here knows this,’ and don’t
bother to raise their hand. I am also pretty introverted, and I struggle to speak up even in casual
conversations (though I can be ruthless in writing). Taken together, all of this makes it
sometimes difficult for me to recall that I, like everyone else, have freedom of speech. No one
has a right to judge me for what I say and believe is true. What’s more, when I first came to the
States last September, the emphasis on freedom of speech was probably the biggest difference
from Korea. We constantly debated and collaborated not only in the humanities but even in
math class. Most of the kids in my classes didn’t seem afraid to raise their hands and speak in
front of the entire class.
Another experience that showed me the importance of freedom of speech was a
one-week arts camp I attended this summer. Our program was a small group of seven people,
and we always ate our lunch together on the grass by the lake like a picnic. We talked about
everything from lighthearted conversations about favorite songs or funny friends to heavy
debates about the LGBTQ community, political polarization, life views, college, and more. What
shocked me was the depth of my peers’ opinions and how confidently they expressed them to
each other. What’s more, everyone listened to each other intently and respected their opinions.
Those lunch hours were probably what brought our group so close together. Speaking without
fear of being judged meant being okay with vulnerability, and that helped us trust and accept
each other for who we are. Freedom of speech isn’t just for the good of individuals, but it is
essential in relationships and in how our society functions.
Final Draft
 Freedom of speech, one of the rights protected by the First Amendment, is a
fundamental part of our lives and relationships. It’s especially an important right to me because I
grew up in Korea, where ‘눈치’ (noonchi) is a big thing. Koreans tend to think of politeness as
saying nothing and agreeing to everything others say. Our school classes are always lectures,
and even when people don’t understand something, they think, ‘Everyone else here knows this,’
and don’t bother to raise their hand. I am also pretty introverted, and I struggle to speak up even
in casual conversations. Taken together, all of this sometimes makes it difficult for me to
remember that I, like everyone else, have freedom of speech. It is a powerful thing that I can
speak up for my beliefs without fear of being silenced by the government, because it means I
can give feedback to my community and create a happier life for myself and others.
Even though freedom of speech with a non-federal audience is not explicitly stated in the
Bill of Rights, it’s still protected and encouraged in daily life, especially in the United States.
When I first came to the States last September, the emphasis on freedom of speech was
probably the biggest difference from Korea. We constantly debated and collaborated not only in
the humanities but even in math class. Most of the kids in my classes didn’t seem afraid to raise
their hands and speak in front of the entire class. The constant opportunities to speak my mind
and advocate my beliefs helped me not to be afraid to confront others and clearly communicate
my thoughts. Since school is a smaller version of society, communication in school also extends
to critical thinking about my government and becoming an active citizen.
Another experience that showed me the importance of freedom of speech was a
one-week arts camp I attended this summer. Our program was a small group of seven people,
and we always ate our lunch together on the grass by the lake like a picnic. We talked about
everything, from lighthearted conversations about favorite songs or funny friends to heavy
debates about the LGBTQ community, political polarization, life views, college, and more. What
shocked me was the depth of my peers’ opinions and how confidently they expressed them to
each other. Everyone listened to each other intently and respected their opinions. What could
have been different between my schools in Korea and this summer camp that created such a
big difference in my peers’ attitudes? The biggest difference was probably the environment. My
Korean peers grew up with adults constantly pushing them to restrain themselves and mold
themselves into people they are not. They learned discipline from an early age to concentrate in
class and get the best grades. Meanwhile, the people at my camp were probably encouraged to
express themselves. They watched friends and adults advocate passionately for what they
believe in, and they weren’t restrained when they did what their heart desired, like climbing up a
tree or plunking at a piano for hours. This shows that actual implementation of rights like
freedom of speech depends as much on social norms as actions from the government. Those
lunch hours were probably what brought our group so close together. Speaking without fear of
being judged meant being okay with vulnerability, and that helped us trust and accept each
other for who we are. Freedom of speech isn’t just for the good of individuals, but it is essential
in relationships and in how our society functions.
Among the remaining amendments, the right against unreasonable searches or
seizures, protected in the Fourth Amendment, and the right against excessive bail or fines,
protected in the Eighth Amendment, are important as well. Both unjustified searches and
punishments are effective ways the government can abuse its power to quash riots. If the
government could inspect anything slightly suspicious and punish people for it however they
want, most people wouldn’t have the courage to stand up and speak their thoughts. Even if
someone isn’t a revolutionary, these rights protect their right to privacy and property. If arbitrary
government inspections are possible, nothing is purely an individual’s possession. They are
things the government has allowed the citizens to keep, but can always take back. In other
words, the right against unreasonable searches or seizures and the right against excessive bail
or fines both protect more fundamental rights like the right to speech, privacy, and property.
Notes
Heather Cox Richardson First Amendment
-​ The Bill of Rights wasn’t designed to protect an individual’s rights
-​ They limit the government’s rights / hold back the gov.
-​ Freedom of speech doesn’t mean you can say anything you want
-​ It means the gov. can’t silence you
-​ Other people can stop you from speaking
Bill of Rights 101
-​ The father of the bill of rights: Not James Madison, but George Mason
-​ One of the three ppl at the constitutional convention who refused to sign the
constitution bc it didn’t have the bill of rights
-​ Madison originally opposed bc
-​ Unnecessary
-​ Dangerous: A Bill of RIghts
-​ Revolutionary era state constitutions → Amendments proposed by state ratifying
conventions → Bill of Rights
-​ The Virginia Declaration of Rights
-​ Drafted by George Mason
-​ One of the most influential state constitutions
-​ Jefferson almost copied Mason’s preamble for the Virginia Declaration of
Independence in the Declaration of the Independence
-​ Also used a lot in the Bill of Rights
-​ Bill of Rights
-​ Rights of Conscience: First Amendment
-​ Military Amendments: Second, Third Amendments
-​ Privacy and Property Rights: Fourth, Fifth Amendments
-​ Fair process, jury rights, and the rights of the accused: Fifth ~ Eighth
Amendments
-​ Fifth Amendment: Due process of law
-​ Sixth Amendment: When you actually go to a criminal trial