Brandon Latimore

First Amendment
The first amendment guarantees freedoms concerning religion, expression, assembly, and
the right to petition. It forbids Congress from both promoting one religion over others and
restricting an individual’s religious practices. It guarantees freedom of expression by prohibiting
Congress from restricting the press or the rights of individuals to speak freely. It also guarantees
the right of citizens to assemble peaceably and to petition their government.
I will abide by the first amendment by making sure I exercise my rights while not
breaking any laws. Every day I exercise my first amendment rights and don’t even realize it.
Simple things like having the right to worship whatever God I choose, I can express myself how
I want in whatever space I choose. My piercings, tattoos and different hair colors are all ways
that I express myself freely. That is a luxury that I am very thankful for because most people in
other countries don’t have that privilege. I also abide by the first amendment by practicing my
freedom of speech without causing harm or disrespecting anyone. I express my opinion and
thoughts while under the limitations of the law, so I won’t break the law.
As a public relations student, I use the first amendment by putting it into my work and
expressing my thoughts in a very educated way while still respectably reaching my target
audience. The first amendment allows me to communicate to large masses across various forms
of media in a way that I choose and with own personal style, voice, and opinion. I can
communicate different thoughts or represent things to the world under the first amendment. Also,
as a student the first amendment allows me to speak or petition campus issues or discrimination
that may occur. Many universities including mine have issues so it’s the responsibility of the
students to raise awareness and communicate with faculty, so a resolution can be made. When an
issue occurred on my campus that directly affected me I used social media to bring awareness to
that issue. This is one of the main ways as a student I exercise my rights, to stand on what I feel
and live in my truth.
When I graduate college, I will still apply my first amendment rights to my career. I plan
on using my rights in my field of study by promoting diversity. I am a black gay male, so the
odds are already stacked against me. My rights are all I have so I plan on being my one hundred
percent unapologetically black gay self without fear of termination. Being yourself in any
environment is a basic privilege that most people don’t have the confidence or freedom to do. I
stand strong on being yourself no matter what. You can be yourself and express all while being
professional, that’s what I plan to do. Be different but still being professional while letting my
talent speak for me, not my appearance.
The first amendment allows me to be free. I love the first amendment because it lets
people be different and have different opinions. That is what makes the world go around if we
were, all the same, the people wouldn’t be who they are today. It helps me excel in school, my
personal life and gives me the tools to be successful in the future. I am grateful for the first
amendment because without it I don’t know how life would be for me. It lets me be human,
American and me.