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Week 2- News Story- BLM Protests

When asked to write about a news story relevant to the First Amendment and a dispute, the first thing that comes to mind is the situation happening between people of color and the police. Many Black (and white) Americans are outraged at how the police and society treat Black people. There has been a build up of many cases where innocent Black people have had their lives taken by the police being overly violent and brutal when not necessary. The George Floyd case recently sparked an outrage from a group of people who have been oppressed for far too long.

Protests have been occurring all over the U.S., and even in other countries. These protests are a perfect example of the First Amendment. Because of the First Amendment, people have the freedom to speak up about the Black Lives Matter movement, whether they are for or against it. Media has the ability to inform the public about what is going on and report their standings on the situation. The government cannot stop anyone from protesting or sharing their views because that would be restricting their freedom of speech. Along with the protesting, there are a number of petitions that go along with the BLM movement. Petitions include getting justice for George Floyd, not allowing police to cover up body cameras, and justice for many of the other innocent black people murdered by police. These petitions are getting millions of signatures and donations from people who are tired of police brutality and are a member of or stand with the Black community.

In conclusion, the First Amendment allows for people to have a voice against their government when they feel it is needed. I think everyone should use their voice in these times to stand up for what they believe in and to support the movement if they can.

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