Laine McKay Norton

I show my patriotism by educating people about what it means to live in a self- governing society. A free country only remains free from oppression and chaos when its people are educated about their system of government. Learning about current American government and history of the United States keeps a culture of self- governance alive. Learning history helps us to preserve liberty in the United States. A patriot is someone who is educated about past events so that he can make informed decisions on current issues. Maximilien Robespierre explained, “The secret of freedom lies in educating people, whereas the secret of tyranny is in keeping them ignorant.” Patriots do not want their people to live under tyranny, so they initiate education of the masses. In the summer of 2017, I spoke at The Young Americans for Liberty national convention in Washington D.C. At this convention, I spoke about the importance of the Constitution and how it is still applicable today. A first step towards...

“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.” The Bill of Rights is slowly fading as a relevant document in our society. The five freedoms explained in the First Amendment ensure that the United States is able to remain free from corruption. 1. The Freedom of Religion Not only does the First Amendment protect the Freedom of Religion, but it also protects the separation of church and state. This means that if the First Amendment is repealed, religion could potentially take over as the driving political force of the United States. Thomas Jefferson explained, “religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & ...