Freedom is what unites Americans | Mark Rienzi | Constitutional Conversations

0:00 we talked about all the difference that the First Amendment protects how do we come together what what makes that work sure so I mean the thing about other countries right other countries around the world have a common racial bonds between you know all or most of the people or religious bond or tribal bond or a small geography where they’re all

0:21 from the same place the United States of America has none of that right we’re all on the same very very large chunk of land Alaska and Hawaii aside right we’re in the same very big piece of land but but we’re not united by any of those things so what unites Americans I think is a common civic commitment to freedom it’s a freedom and equality right and so on one hand you

0:42 can say wow that divides us because we all have different ideas and different opinions and gosh how do people with different ideas and opinions live together but the fact of the matter is we get that diversity because we all are committed to the freedom right to the freedom that says I get to come up with my way you get to come up with your way and she gets to come up with her way right so we have a common American commitment to a set of principles and

1:03 ideas of freedom and equality which by the way is the reason that people from all around the world want to come be part of it right they don’t want to call be come be part of it because we’re all the same racial makeup we’re not the same religious makeup or not the same tribe we’re not all the same in any of those ways but we are the same or at least as much the same as you could be in our commitment to freedom and

1:23 equality for people and really allowing pluralism and diversity to live and thrive here and I think that’s it’s a wonderful thing to United country it keeps our country together and strong and we really have the First Amendment to thank for it