The First Amendment contains within itself the most important rights granted to us as Americans. The right to free speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly and freedom of petition are essential for developing a functional democracy and a free society. Yet, in the climate of social change and controversy, the freedoms granted to us become a life blood for public discourse. The ability to openly discuss political happenings and to petition against those policies we see as unjust is invaluable and often taken for granted in our modern society. However, the enlightened ideas of our Founding Fathers are as important today as they ever were.

With the development of social media, our generation is provided with a wonderful opportunity to practice our First Amendment rights. While the cliché of “Facebook debates” and “Twitter wars” come as a nuisance to many, they provide a unique opportunity to observe the right of free speech. The idea that we can communicate with whomever we want on whatever subject we choose from anywhere in the county — or in the world for that matter — constitutes the very essence of the First Amendment. This, along with the easy access to unlimited amounts of information, gives our generation the most freedom and ability to practice our rights ever seen in any society.

However, this is often taken for granted. For many of us, the presence of politically charged ideology deludes the fun, social aspect of this new media. This is somewhat a shame. Politics may not interest everyone, but they affect day-to-day aspects of our lives in ways that impact us on nearly every level. It is easy to click “unfollow” on the profiles of those with conflicting views, but passing up the opportunity to openly discuss the problems that face today’s society helps no one. The very essence of the First Amendment allows us the chance to hear ideologies different and conflicting to our own and to be able to develop our beliefs through intelligent debate.

Intelligent is the key word. An opinion without facts is simply noise. With a plethora of information quite literally at our finger tips, it’s a shame that our generation still follows the “bumper sticker politics” that simplify issues to the point of idiocy. In order to truly take advantage of the First Amendment, it is essential that we inform ourselves about the realities of the world around us. Furthermore, diving into the reality of the issues that we face can provide us new insights about the way our government works.

It is easy for us to turn a blind eye toward the issues we face as a country and as a species. With the rise of new forms of media, it is easy to become distracted and desensitized to the problems that affect our lives and the lives of others. But it is our responsibility — not just our privilege — as Americans to practice the rights given to us in the First Amendment. With new ways to communicate with one another and new forums providing opportunities for public discourse, it is the responsibility of our generation to become the most informed and active generation the country has ever seen.