We as Americans have always had a sense of security in knowing that we have a freedom beyond what many other countries do. We are protected by the U.S. Constitution and all it stands for. What we hold close to us is our Bill of Rights which allows us very specific freedoms with our 1st amendment, allowing us to speak freely.
As Americans, we have grown up knowing that there are no restrictions on this. It allows us to be unique from others in whichever way we choose. As a writer, my words are everything to me. They are how I communicate. They are how I express my deepest wants and needs. They are my livelihood, so when I heard that the Trump administration “advised” the CDC about words that could not be used in the budget, I was actually speechless.
According to the Washington Post, “The forbidden terms are “vulnerable,” “entitlement,” “diversity,” “transgender,” “fetus,” “evidence-based” and “science-based.” I am not quite sure why the administration has a problem with these words, or why they have chosen to ban them, but no matter the reason, this is a violation of our Constitutional Rights.

Pixabay

I am a Republican. I voted for Trump. Now before you all bombard me with your hatred about my choice, let me say that my vote was coming from a place of the lesser of two evils. If I had my way, Marco Rubio would be our sitting President. Regardless of how I voted or who our President is, under no circumstances should the U.S. Constitution be altered in a manner like this.

I am not sure why the Trump administration felt it had the right to ban words. Under our constitution, once an amendment has been ratified it cannot be changed. A new amendment must be added to the constitution for changes, so by the banning of the words in the CDC budget, the Trump Administration has violated the 1st amendment.

This is setting a precedent that could destroy the foundation on which our country exists. For more than two hundred years, we have not just enjoyed the freedoms of our constitution, but counted on them to live the lives that we do. The television shows we watch, the music we listen to, and what we read, to name a few, are based on our 1st amendment Rights.

Pixabay

It doesn’t matter if you are a Republican or Democrat, a liberal or conservative; we need to stand together and fight for our rights as Americans. By allowing the Trump administration to dictate what words may or may not be said is a slippery slope, and the fact that is was done in such a nonchalant manner is quite terrifying. The U.S. Constitution is the backbone of our country, and what has made it great. If we allow pieces to be chipped away from it, our country will begin to crumble.