Is America Truly A Free Country?

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Lindsay Tyrell-Blake Mr. Whitman AP English Language and Composition 22 February 2024 Freedom Means Trouble When hearing the word “America”, one word comes to mind: “freedom”. But is America truly a free country? In a day and age of segregation, unjust laws, and oppressed rights, where freedom was truly lost in its meaning, those who were not shown freedom, prove to the world that "good trouble” and “necessary trouble" can redeem the soul of America and its meaning of “freedom”. In a world of activists, protesters, and politics, the one true way to be heard is to be loud, cause commotion, and cause trouble. Rosa Parks, a black woman, took this idea and used it to her advantage. Segregation in America would not allow black and whites to use the same restroom, drink out of the same fountain, go to school together, or sit in the same part of the bus. …show more content…
In the 1950’s, she decided to sit in the front of a bus – to cause some trouble. This action caused an uproar of anger within many, but also influenced other individuals, who were forced to sit in the back to act the same, causing the beginning of the Montgomery bus boycott. Parks causing trouble by sitting in the front of that bus brought attention to the unfairness of the segregation within those times, likewise, this was also met by the actions of Martin Luther King Jr. In the 1960’s, he took his opportunity when he presented his “I Have a Dream” speech. This speech spoke of his dreams for his children to be treated equally with the white children, his dreams for no segregation, his dreams for freedom. The audience cheered alongside him, as they agreed to his powerful and relatable speech. However, his speech caused some trouble among those who did not agree. King was assassinated for his ideas, but his speaking out effectively grabbed the attention of the United States, and forced her to

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