Student Spectrums

Palestinian American Dareen Elsaghir strives to address key issues of the 21st century. Passionate about reflecting on societal issues and human nature, she aims to leave readers with a powerful message to help them grasp the importance of fostering an improved society. 

 Whether or not the U.S. government truly follows the principles of the Bill of Rights when I, or any other citizen, is in a difficult situation is a tough question. The Bill of Rights ensures individual rights to all. Yet, recent cases lead me to a dead end with fire on either side, causing me to wonder if my rights will be miraculously protected instead of violated and left in a deep sea of confusion.

As much as the U.S. government claims to maintain the Bill of Rights – the inevitable reality highlights a different approach, proving the government’s claim otherwise. A prominent case that demonstrates this is the unsubstantiated recent execution of Marcellus Williams in Missouri. Mr. Williams, a Muslim man, was arrested and executed for a 1998 killing that he consistently assured he did not commit. According to Aaryn Urell from the Equal Justice Initiative, Mr. Williams was not the source of the footprints, hairs, fingerprints, and DNA findings. Furthermore, as stated by the Midwest Innocence Project, no scientific or eyewitness evidence or motive connects Mr. Williams to the murder. This highlights the indisputable fact that Mr. Williams was executed without proper evidence.

However, according to the Sixth Amendment of the Bill of Rights, accused persons have “the right to a speedy and public trial”. Although this right is supposed to prevent prolonged imprisonment and ensure a “right” public trial, Mr. Williams was not granted this right. This brings to fore the U.S. government’s reality and reminds us that measurements should be taken to ensure that no individual is deprived of the Bill of Rights protections. 

The fact that I – a citizen of the democratic republic of the United States – and countless other citizens fear for the protection of their rights highlights an exigent situation that should not be happening. Instead of undermining the rights of citizens of different religions and backgrounds, the U.S. government should strive to maintain the Constitution – the most important document in the United States.

The importance of protecting every individual’s right is imprinted in a fundamental document created in the eighteenth century; the Bill of Rights. The Bill doesn’t list specific individuals who should be protected, rather, it extends its rights to all. To maintain these fundamentals, every citizen’s liberties, regardless of race or background, must be protected. Disregarding the citizen’s rights after promising to protect them shines a spotlight on the U.S. government’s true nature, leaving citizens of different races unaware of whether their rights will be protected or not.

Perhaps, for now, instead of competing to develop the best digital technologies, we should compete to upgrade our sense of morality and decency.