One of the greatest things about this country and what it was founded on was its many different freedoms its citizens enjoy. America is considered one of the best countries in the world because of these freedoms. Freedom of speech and freedom of religion are two of the biggest examples of these freedoms that are written in our constitution. Even though these freedoms are guaranteed to the citizens of this country I have began wondering how much of these freedoms we really have. The last couple of Presidential elections have created a lot of division on many different issues in this country. This division has started to make me question whether or not we are losing many of these freedoms.

There have been many different areas in our daily lives where I feel we are losing our freedom in this country, not just issues related to politics. Citizens should feel like they have the right to privacy, the freedom to not have to live in fear with decision we make and how we live our lives. The division that has been created from issues being debated during these last couple of Presidential elections has started to make people feel like they are being dictated in how they live there lives and the beliefs they have. From my perspective people are starting to live their lives by listening to people who claim it is how we should be living it, whatever belief seems to be popular at that time. It has completely changed how people feel in this country about the lives they live and the beliefs they have. I am going to discuss some of the biggest issues I personally feel like people in this country are losing their freedoms.

Freedom of Speech

Freedom of Speech, of course, is one of the biggest issues that has been debated lately. The 2016, 2020, and 2024 presidential elections have been the most divisive elections I can remember and have brought the issue of freedom of speech front and center. During these elections many people felt their freedom of speech was being taken away and they were not wrong for thinking that way. The Democrat and Republican party were far apart in what policies needed to be implemented to make this country better. Both sides attacked the other side claiming they were completely wrong, there was not compromising at all. Every decision that was made was attacked and met with scrutiny, even attacking the people who agreed with those decisions. Everyone felt like they knew best and were ridiculed if they didn’t feel the same way.

When Donald Trump first ran during the 2016 Presidential Election supporters were known as MAGA supporters. MAGA supporters were ridiculed on a daily basis, especially in many media outlets. Since I was one of these MAGA supporters I heard a lot of the attacks they received. Many media outlets were even referring to people who supported Donald Trump as having Trump Derangement Syndrome, a mental disorder. Many media outlets even went as far as having professional psychiatrists as guest on there shows to diagnose this syndrome as a serious illness. Politicians were portraying a message that Trump supporters were not welcome here and that democrats should be ridiculing them. One comment made by Maxine Waters told people that if they see a Trump cabinet member they should “create a crowd and you push back on them, and you tell them they’re not welcome anymore, anywhere,”. Many Trump supporters felt they had to hide their beliefs and who they supported because they were afraid of the ridicule and harassment they would face. Even though peaceful protests were encourages and are supposed to be a platform where people can freely voice their opinions and beliefs, many of these protests turned violent and was just another place to harass people for who they supported.

Social media platforms have became a primary source of where people not only get their information but can voice their opinions as well. However, during these elections all social media platforms were under attack as well. Two of the biggest platforms who were scrutinized for their content was Twitter and Facebook. Many people were either kicked off the platform or had their pages suspended for the content they posted. From my point of view as well of those of many other people the majority of the people who faced this problem were the ones who were posting information that was favorable to Republicans. Donald Trump himself even had his Twitter and Facebook accounts suspended. These platforms should be a place where a person should feel comfortable posting their beliefs. People should be able to have rational debates if they have a different point of view and explain why they have the beliefs they do. Having these debates not only gives people a better understanding of the issues it also helps compromises being made.

The actions that were taken were make sure certain content wasn’t available on social media was definitely a violation of our first amendment. Even though both parties were responsible for this censorship democrats definitely took the issue to another level. Any story that was agreed with was considered fake news while stories that were agreed upon were considered fact checked and accurate, even though neither of these was true. There were many stories that anyone can go and look at which were called true that turned out not to be and visa versa. Although there was a problem with bots from Russia and other countries posting information this problem was used as an excuse for any content that politicians felt they didn’t agree with. In my opinion this shouldn’t have mattered, people have the right to say and post whatever they like whether it is agreed with or not. Censoring what information people are allowed to post on social media is a direct violation of our freedom of speech. If media outlets can dictate what news stories they discuss and the how they are portrayed then why can’t the American people do the same. One major story I remember that democrats tried to censor off of social media claiming it was Russian disinformation was the Hunter Biden laptop story, which turned out to be true. Just is just one major example but it was a problem with many different stories, from both sides, that were being posted online.

Freedom in Our Beliefs and Living our Daily Lives

Issues with our freedom and speech and politics is one of the biggest freedoms I think we are losing in this country but it isn’t the only one. Citizens also have the right to privacy as well as freedom of religion, to be able to live comfortably in their own beliefs. The first issue I have noticed is our right to privacy and have seen this right being stripped from the American people. The biggest example of this occurring is in our school districts. K-12 as well as college students no longer have privacy in their views and are basically being told what they need to believe in and support. The policies and environment that have been created in schools are basically pushing students into sharing their beliefs. Many colleges have even fired or suspended teachers for hiring certain speakers that didn’t share the same beliefs as the school. Students are not given the option to form their own opinions and are teaching in subjects that go far beyond what schools should be teaching students.

After Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election many colleges cancelled classes as well as offering counseling and “safe spaces” to help students cope with the election. Why should any of the students need these and what does their political beliefs have anything to do with their college course. Our political beliefs are our own and we should not be made to feel that one decision or the other is right or wrong, it is a difference of opinion on what they feel would be the best for this country. By schools doing this they are telling their students that Donald Trump is no good for this country and anyone who supports him are wrong. This would make any Trump supporter attending this colleges feel uncomfortable and that there is something wrong with how they believe.

Many schools have even been offering course on DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) courses basically telling students what they should believe and how they should feel about it. Some schools have even discussed teaching about God and the Bible. These are issues that should be taught by the parents and kept within the privacy of each household. Students grades have been dropping and our test scores are lower than many other countries and adding courses such as DEI is not helping the issue. People should be able to live their lives how they want to and should not have certain beliefs forced upon them. How we live our lifestyle should be our choice and now it seems that schools are trying to even take that from people by telling our children how they need to live.

I have been told that because I don’t think these courses should be taught in our schools means I believe in hate and am against the transgender and gay community. When I was told this it immediately showed me ignorant many people were and why these beliefs are trying to be pushed upon our society. Just because I don’t think our students should be told it is ok to be a transgender or changes their sex doesn’t mean I am anti-transgender or anti-gay. It means that I think these are a persons personal beliefs and should be left personal. How they live their life is up to them and they should be able to live it any way they want to and I have nothing against that. I am not pushing my beliefs on anyone so why should I have their beliefs pushed on me. I have many gay friends and not one of them ever tries to push their beliefs are the way they live their life on me. Honestly, the subject is never brought up and there is no reason for it to be brought up.

Conclusion

People in this country work, pay their taxes, and raises their families and do this with the expectation that they have the freedom to do so. Our government is supposed to work for the people, all of its people. Although we may not agree with every decision we are expected to understand that what is being done is best. However, we are not asking the government to tell us how we should feel or what we should belief in, or how we should live our lives. When our government starts doing that we have no longer become a free society. Nobody should be ridiculed for their beliefs or by doing what they think is best. We should also not be told how we should raise our families. Prices keep going up, taxes are going up, but it seems like are rights and privileges are being taken. It is getting harder and harder to survive and make do in this country and being told how we should live our lives doesn’t make the situation any better.

Many government agencies seem to overstepping their boundaries and be abusing their power. Most people I know are afraid when they see the local police, even though they know they are doing anything wrong. Most people are afraid of the fine they are going to have to pay for being told they did something wrong. Although we are a nation of laws and need laws to remain a civilized society the power to implement these laws should not be abused. People needed to be treated equally and fairly no matter what they believe or how they live their life. DEI talks about equity and everyone living equally yet if you don’t share their beliefs then you aren’t treated equally. You are told you need to change and that you are a hateful person because you don’t. Politics has become the same way, democrats telling Trump supporters they are hateful people who are against this country because we don’t share their views. These problems have only seemed to be getting worse and these are the issues that are going to tear this country apart if they are not resolved soon. This country was founded on freedom and we need our freedoms back.