When looking at the First Amendment, all of its included freedoms seem integral to making sure the United States does not become a censored entity. The freedoms of speech, religion, press, petition, and assembly are central to the ideals on which this country was founded. However, if forced to choose one freedom to give up, it would have to be petition. All of the other freedoms are so important to our everyday life that it would be almost ridiculous to think about giving any of them up.
Imagine not being able to speak freely about your government; not being able to freely practice your religion (or everyone being associated with a single religion? Think about the repercussions of small sects breaking off…); not being able to read any articles criticizing the government; not being able to come together with others to endorse a cause.
All of these situations are possible outcomes of losing a freedom. I would choose petition because of two reasons: firstly, I believe that it would establish a greater trust in our elected representatives, as we would only be able to count on them to call for change in the government; secondly, I believe that it would cause people to take a larger role in their local governments and think more about the issues on election day.
These are the reasons and situations that I believe are important when deciding which freedom to relinquish.