LETTERS: Students share their thoughts on the freedom of speech

Editor’s Note: Tell City Junior-Senior High School students in Troy Noble’s class submitted letters to the editor about the freedom of speech.

Their discussion was sparked, in part, by editorials and letters to the editor published by The News. A sampling of letters from the many submitted to the newspaper are published here.

Let people speak their minds

I strongly believe in the freedom of speech to an extent. People should be able to speak their minds, but of course there are going to be people who are going to take advantage of that and be disrespectful.

I don’t believe we have the freedom of speech in this country because if we say what we want, we usually will get in trouble for it. Not all the time will people get punished for freedom of speech but usually they will.

We have a little bit of freedom of speech when it comes to talking about good things.

BROOKE PETER

Freedom of speech a sign we are free

I support the freedom of speech 100 percent. I support this right because if we can’t express the way we feel about something, we wouldn’t be a free country. This right is one of the reasons why we are a free country.

If you don’t support this right, it’s just your opinion. But remember if we don’t have this right, we couldn’t vote and we wouldn’t be a free country anymore. Without any control over what we want our country to be like, we could be in a bigger dilemma than what we started with. We as Americans should have the right to express ourselves. We don’t have to be supportive of what other choices are. We just have to respect our freedoms.

Do you really want to have no control over what we believe in? What do you believe in? No freedom of speech or freedom of speech?

KIRA MADDLE

Respecting the opinions of others

I agree 100 percent with the First Amendment freedom of speech. Although I don’t agree with everyone’s choices, I do respect them as a person. If someone wants to burn the American flag I’m not going to like it a bit but I won’t stop them. I will respect their opinion.
 
LUKAS WARDRIP

We should be able to share our opinions

I agree with freedom of speech. Anyone who agrees or disagrees with something should be able to say it. Everyone has their own opinion and needs to share it with everyone else.

Some people disagree with me right now. It doesn’t matter either way. I think it is just a good way to let everyone have a say in certain problems.

JUSTIN ALVAREZ