One of the most iconic things about the United States is the country’s rights and the freedoms it grants its citizens. Some in the U.S. see these rights as the greatest things, some think they are outdated and need reforming, and others believe these rights are being infringed upon. 

Among some Americans, there is an idea that our rights are being encroached on by our government. They will use examples of times when rights were infringed upon or seem as though they were infringed upon and use this as a way to wipe a broad stroke and say all civil liberties are at risk. 

The problem at hand is that people think incidents in which they believe our rights are being violated are clear-cut, black-or-white cases. This thought is dangerous because people think these situations are simple, but in reality they are extremely complex and dynamic. 

Another problem is many Americans simply do not know the law behind the rights. 

If people don’t understand the rights and laws, they can’t truly say if their rights are being violated. For example, a person might say he or she has the right to protest but there is more to it then just that. On the other hand, someone might say the government is violating one right but in actuality they are violating another. 

The true problem is not just not knowing your rights, but that it may lead to making someone vulnerable to actually losing those rights and not realizing it.

Greg Rosedale, the 7th grade history teacher for McQuaid thinks that just as an example, people don’t know the true meaning behind their first amendment rights.

“People just get this blanket idea of, well free speech means ‘I can say whatever I want when I want.’ Well, that’s not actually true. It’s all just a lack of understanding and knowledge,” says Mr. Rosedale

The fact of the matter is that “we, the people” will lose our rights because we are misinformed or we are looking in the wrong direction.