On the subject of a student's right to practice the 1st Amendment, I have a few opinions. The First Amendment basically forbids the Congress from interfering with freedom of religion, speech or press, or with the right to assemble peaceably, or to petition the government. Many people use the rights stated in the First Amendment, resulting in a very diverse country we live in. The amendment is also practiced in schools, mostly relating to the freedom of speech by students. This can consist of everyday talking, newspaper articles, etc. Generally, you are allowed to say whatever you wish to, as long as it is not "harmful to others or to an educational environment." I believe this to be right, to an extent. In my opinion, it really depends how this speech will affect the target audience. Will the speech cause something catastrophic to happen? The chances are probably not, but it also depends on those in control, and their opinions of the content. For example, a school newspaper article was published, explaining the safety measures the school was taking, and the serious lack of legitimate safety. The author was required to not publish the piece, after the administrator believed it was not school appropriate. In some ways, I think that this is because the administrator did not feel like taking heat for how they were handling their school. Like I said, the freedom of speech in schools depends on several variables: the opinions of those that are involved, the actual effect that it will cause in the audience, and the speech that is used itself.

This WWII propaganda poster shows soldiers from WWII marching off to war, while being watched by those that fought in the Revolutionary War. Its is trying to convey the message that Americans will always fight for liberty, and at that time, they were standing up and fighting for the same values as those that began America. To make this poster anti-war related, I would do several things. The main change I would make to this poster would involve the soldiers that are marching off to war. I would have the soldiers marching down steps into the ground. At the end of the steps would be a hole with a gravestone that read, "Here lies (blank), he fought valiantly for his country." With a gravestone with this heading, it makes it seem like if you die in the army, they do not bother to care about who you are, you're just another name on the same gravestone that everyone got. The soldiers marching down into their graves is a very discouraging idea if one is thinking of joining the armed forces, and it sends the message that if you join to fight, you are pretty much digging your own grave. I would keep the writing on the poster the same. It reads, "Americans will always fight for liberty." If I keep the writing the same while having them walk to their deaths, it becomes ironic. It says that Americans will always fight, but in doing so they will die trying. These changes, in my opinion, will create a very anti-war related poster.

#3)    

              A person who no longer feels they have a good quality of life should have the right to end their life if they want. When you think about it, this right should be given to all. The life was given to them. It’s that individuals’ property, and they should be able to do whatever they want with it.  It should be their right to take it away or keep it if they want to or not. I’ll explain a scenario to get my point across. A soldier that is injured in battle is brought into a military hospital. His condition is so bad, that he’s brought to a hospital in his home country. The soldier has gotten half of his arms blown off, and both of his legs blown off. The soldier is blind after his accident, and has lost his hearing in both of his ears. The soldier spends time in the hospital, doing nothing, simply laying there. He knows nothing of the world outside of his mind. All he can tell is that it seems like he’s healing somewhat because his pain level is decreasing. The man realizes that this is how he will remain. Alone and wishing he knew what was going on around. Wishing that he had the life he did before he entered the war. Realizing that he was going to spend the rest of life in critical care, in complete darkness, the soldier begins to bang his head against the wall in Morse code. He spells out the words “Kill me” over and over again. The medical professionals in charge of him recognize this, but are not sure what they should do. Since the soldier does not technically have the right to take himself out of care and take his own life, the doctors cannot really do anything to help and appease to the man’s wishes. If the soldier had the right, then the doctors without question would let the man die, according to his obvious wishes. It is scenarios like this that should prove that a person who no longer feels they have a good quality of life should have the right to end their life if they want. In certain cases and to certain people, dying would be a better choice than continuing to live.