Taking action

I believe that the American Creed is taking action and using your voice to make a difference. An American can use their First Amendment rights to speech, petition, press, and protest to make the country a better place. I believe that it is also important to vote and exercise your civil duty by being involved in politics.

The right to protest has been consistently exercised since the birth of America by those who seek change. The Civil rights movement is perhaps the most famous example of organized protests in American history. The Montgomery bus boycotts and the March on Washington were monumental events that helped bring about change like the Civil Rights Act of 1965. In the early 1900s, women also protested in hopes of gaining voting rights, or suffrage, and they did in 1920. Americans protest to make a difference.

Freedom of speech is perhaps the most important right guaranteed to us under the Constitution. We use our freedom of speech to voice our opinions every day, far more often than we realize. Simply by using your voice and speaking out against injustice or unfairness, you can make a difference. Martin Luther King's I I Have A Dream speech reached the ears of millions, and is one of the most influential speeches in American History. Americans speak to make a difference.

As Americans, it is our civil duty to vote. Voting is how we make our voice heard in the electoral process, by electing officials who best represent our interests. Together, we can bring about change in this country by voting. Every four years, Democrats and Republicans run large campaigns to get their respective candidate to the presidency. Most recently, the Democrats ran Joe Biden in 2020, but the main focus of many Democratic voters was "Anyone but Trump," since he did not represent their interests. This campaign succeeded in getting Trump out of office. Americans vote to make a difference.

It is important to not just vote, but also to become involved in politics. You have one vote per election, but by using your voice you can influence several. The group "Women for Trump" was founded in 2016, and was influential in the 2016 and 2020 elections. This group targeted suburban women in hopes of getting them to vote for Donald Trump. Groups like these are one of many ways Americans can get involved in politics. On the local level, you can go to town halls and city council meetings to make your voice and interests heard by elected officials. Americans get involved to make a difference.